LumenHow does the points system work for a self-employed residence permit in the Netherlands?
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The RVO scores your application on personal experience, business plan and added value. You need 30 points per area or 45+45 in personal experience and business plan. Your business must generate at least €1,766.77 gross per month. The fee is €423 and the decision period is 90 days.
Key facts
| What | The law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Points test | RVO scores three areas out of 100: personal experience, business plan, added value. Need 30+ points in each, or 45+45 in experience and plan | IND, Self-employed residence permit |
| Income requirement | €1,766.77 per month gross profit, including holiday allowance (July–December 2026) | IND, Required amounts 2026 |
| Application fee | €423 (standard); €85 for Turkish nationals under DAFT | IND, Fees 2026 |
| Decision time | 90 days statutory, extendable (RVO advice can push it to about 6 months in practice) | IND, Self-employed residence permit |
| Permit validity | Maximum 2 years; renewal assessed against actual business performance | IND, Self-employed residence permit |
| DAFT exception | Turkish nationals skip the points test; fee is €85 | IND, Self-employed residence permit |
The RVO points test
The IND does not judge your business itself. It asks the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) for advice on whether your business is of essential interest to the Dutch economy. The RVO scores three areas, each on a scale of up to 100 points:
Personal experience — your education, work history and entrepreneurial track record. The RVO looks at whether your background fits the business you want to run.
Business plan — the plan you submit with your application. It must cover market analysis, the product or service, financing, the organisational structure and your financial projections.
Added value for the Netherlands — how your business contributes: innovation, job creation, investment or other economic benefit. If you score 45 points in both personal experience and your business plan, the added-value requirement is considered met automatically.
The IND states you qualify with at least 30 points in each of the three areas, or 45 points in personal experience and 45 points in the business plan.
Income: you must show you can support yourself
The IND requires independent, sustainable and sufficient income. In the second half of 2026 the amount is €1,766.77 per month gross profit including holiday allowance. The amounts are adjusted every January and July. Sustainability is normally shown through income already earned over a period — typically 18 months of demonstrated earnings.
What happens after you apply
The IND has a statutory decision period of 90 days for a first application. Because the RVO’s external advice is part of the process, the decision often takes longer — roughly 6 months in practice. The permit is issued for up to 2 years. At renewal, the IND judges whether your business actually performed against the plan you submitted.
Exceptions
Turkish nationals applying under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement (DAFT) skip the RVO points test entirely and pay a reduced fee of €85. Nationals of the United States and Japan have separate treaty-based arrangements.
Related questions
- Alternatives to the self-employed permit: the startup visa (requires a recognised facilitator) and the orientation year permit (zoekjaar), which lets you work as a self-employed person without a points test.
- All permits and licences required to practise your profession must be in place before you apply.
Sources
- IND: Residence permit self-employed person checked 2026-10-26
- IND: Required amounts income requirements (2026) checked 2026-10-26
- IND: Fees — costs of an application (2026) checked 2026-10-26
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This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.