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Dutch American Friendship Treaty
US entrepreneurs and business proprietors benefit from a preferential immigration scheme, based on the Dutch American Friendship Treaty.
According to article II of the Friendship Treaty, US nationals are allowed to remain in the Netherlands:
a. for the purpose of carrying on trade between the USA and the Netherlands and engaging in related commercial activities, or:
b. for the purpose of developing and directing the operations of an enterprise in which they have invested, or in which they are actively investing a substantial amount of capital.
An US national has to invest the ‘substantial amount’ of EUR 4,500 in the Dutch enterprise. Applicants are considered independent entrepreneurs if they own at least 25% of (the shares of) the company. The company itself has to be registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The applicant will have to submit an opening balance for the Dutch company and a business bank account with the residence permit application. The opening balance documents must be prepared by a Dutch bookkeeper with a BECON number.
Spouses and underage children are allowed to join the entrepreneur. The spouse can work in the Netherlands for any company without a work permit, or also start to work as an entrepreneur.