Free tool
DAFT setup cost calculator
Estimate what it costs to set up under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty. The tool clearly separates the €4,500 capital you keep (it stays in your business as equity) from the one-off costs you actually pay.
Capital you keep
One-off costs
Indicative. Our service fee (from €595, excl. BTW) is an indicative starting point, not a binding quote; the notary range (€400–€1,500) is market pricing, not an official tariff; the KVK fee (€82.25) is the stated 2026 amount. The €4,500 DAFT capital and the IND permit conditions are set by the IND — verify current figures with the IND. Excludes the IND application fee and 21% BTW on our fee. Updated 2026-07-28. This is general information, not immigration or tax advice.
DAFT visa explained → · Open a Dutch BV → · Non-resident BV → · All tools →
What DAFT actually costs
Most of the money you need for a DAFT set-up is not a cost. The treaty asks a US citizen to invest and maintain at least €4,500 of their own capital in a Dutch business. That capital stays on your company balance sheet as equity — you keep it, you can use it to run the business, and it is there for the IND to see at each renewal. It is not a fee paid to us or to the state, which is why the calculator lists it under “capital you keep,” separate from what you actually spend.
The genuine one-off costs are smaller and predictable: the one-off KVK registration (€82.25), a notarial deed only if you choose a BV (typically €400–€1,500 — an eenmanszaak needs no notary), and our indicative formation service fee (from €595, excl. BTW). If you use an immigration lawyer for the IND application, add their fee as an input. The IND’s own application fee and the visa decision sit outside this tool — the permit is an IND matter, and we handle the company side.
DAFT setup cost — FAQ
Is the €4,500 DAFT capital a fee?
No. The €4,500 is your own capital that you invest into the Dutch business and keep there as equity for as long as the permit relies on it — it is not paid to us or to the government. It stays on your company balance sheet, so it is money you keep, not money you spend. Verify the current figure with the IND.
What are the actual one-off costs?
The out-of-pocket, one-off costs are: the one-off KVK registration (€82.25), a notarial deed if you choose a BV (a civil-law notary, typically €400–€1,500), our indicative formation service fee (from €595, excl. BTW), and — if you use one — an immigration-law partner's fee for the IND application.
Do I need a notary for DAFT?
Only if you set up a BV. A BV must be incorporated by notarial deed, which adds a notary cost. A DAFT permit can also be based on an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship), which needs no notary — so the calculator drops the notary line when you pick eenmanszaak.
Does this include the visa cost?
No. The residence permit is an IND decision with its own IND application fee, and any legal representation is separate — you can add an immigration-law partner fee as an input. We are a company-formation and bookkeeping office, not immigration lawyers; these figures cover the business side only.
Planning a DAFT move?
We register your Dutch business, set up the €4,500 capital correctly and keep your books so it holds up at every IND renewal — in plain English.
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