The Netherlands admits people with a purpose: a business, a qualifying job, a Dutch or EU partner, or studies. Americans hold one extraordinary card — a 1956 treaty. Canadians don't. Here are the 2026 numbers, no salesmanship.
Figures verified 8 July 2026| Route | Who it's for | Money requirement (2026) | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAFT Full guide → | US citizens only — self-employed under the 1956 Dutch-American Friendship Treaty | €4,500 equity in a Dutch-registered business, maintained throughout; IND fee €423 | 2-yr permit → 5-yr renewal → permanent residency at 5 yrs |
| Highly skilled migrant | Employees hired by an IND-recognised Dutch sponsor company | Gross salary €5,942/month at 30+ (€4,357 under 30), excluding 8% holiday allowance | Permit tied to job; same 5-yr path to permanent residency |
| Self-employed (points) | Non-US entrepreneurs — including Canadians | No fixed sum; points-based test on experience, business plan, and "added value to the Dutch economy" — refusal rates are high | 2-yr permit → same 5-yr path |
| Partner / family | Spouses and partners of Dutch citizens or legal residents | Sponsor income at least the statutory minimum (roughly the minimum wage); IND fee €254 | 5 yrs → permanent residency; marriage route also eases citizenship |
Enter visa-free, register at the gemeente (BSN), file with the IND. Statutory decision window: 90 days. DAFT first permit: 2 years.
DAFT renews for 5 more years if your €4,500 equity never dipped. Job-based permits renew with the job.
After 5 years' continuous legal residence, with an A2 civic integration (inburgering) certificate. No renouncing anything.
Also possible at 5 years (fee, A2 exam) — but the Netherlands generally requires renouncing your US or Canadian citizenship. Main exception: marriage or registered partnership to a Dutch citizen, which also shortens the required residence to 3 years.
The €4,500 deposit, KVK registration, fees, timelines, renewal — and what the treaty doesn't give you.
Read the guide → GuideNo DAFT equivalent exists. The honest rundown: jobs, points-based self-employment, partners, and Schengen visits.
Read the guide →Recognised sponsors, the 2026 salary floors, and what happens to your permit if you lose the job.
The A2 inburgering exam, continuous-residence rules, and PR vs citizenship for expats.
How Schengen counting works, the EES biometric border system, and ETIAS (expected late 2026, €20).
Income requirements for sponsors, the basic civic integration exam abroad, and unmarried partners.
Visa applications fail on paperwork details. We'll introduce you to an English-speaking immigration lawyer we've independently vetted — licensed, and experienced with expat cases in the Netherlands.