Netherlands DAFT Visa Kit (US Citizens)

The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty lets a US citizen start a business in the Netherlands on €4,500 of working capital, with a 2-year residence permit and a path to permanent residence. It is one of the cleanest routes into the EU, and most Netherlands kits skip it entirely. This one is built around it.

What is in the drawer

A working Notion workspace plus printable companions, built only for the DAFT path - the US-citizen entrepreneur route, not a generic "moving to NL" overview.

Digital Workspaces (Notion)

• DAFT eligibility check with a US-citizen-only filter and 3 fit personas (software consultant, e-commerce, freelance design)
• €4,500 deposit walkthrough: it is working capital, not a frozen fee, with bank options (ING, Rabobank, ABN AMRO, Bunq, Knab) and a first-year capital usage breakdown
• 12-document checklist with apostille routing
• Post-arrival sequence: Gemeente / BSN, then KvK, then bank, then IND M35-H, then Zorgverzekering, then DigiD
• Year-2 and Year-5 renewal evidence pathway, because DAFT is multi-year
• City-specific notes: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven
• Cost tracker showing €2 to 5.5k net non-recoverable (the €4,500 is capital, not a fee)

Print & Editable Files

• Business plan starter with 3 sample plans, shaped to what IND actually wants: active business activity, Dutch-market relevance, realistic first-year revenue, capital usage, time commitment

AI Scaffolding

• AI body-double: 5 prompts (business plan draft, IND-perspective critique, Dutch contract translation, Gemeente appointment email, Year-5 renewal checklist)
• AI Access Checklist with 10 categories pre-seeded

Guidance & Support

• Welcome PDF from Wren
• Step-by-step quickstart (4 to 6 minutes)
• 30-Day Wren Email Support
• Lifetime Updates

Why this drawer exists

The DAFT path is simple on paper and easy to fumble in practice. The single most common rejection reason is a vague business plan. So the kit puts the weight where the risk is.

• DAFT-only focus. No filler about permits that do not apply to you, just the US-citizen entrepreneur route.
• The business plan gets a case officer's eye. The IND-perspective critique reads your plan the way IND will, before they do.
• The €4,500 is explained as capital, not lost money, so you plan the first year instead of fearing the deposit.
• Multi-year by design. Year-2 and Year-5 renewal triggers are mapped, because DAFT is not "move once."
• Sequenced post-arrival. Gemeente then KvK then bank then IND, one step at a time, so nothing stalls on a missing BSN.

What this is not

• This is not immigration advice and it is not a substitute for an immigration lawyer. It is an organizational workflow tool. For any non-standard case (criminal history, contested business genuineness, an application appeal), engage a Dutch advocaat.
• It does not guarantee an outcome. IND, KvK, the Belastingdienst and the Gemeente are the authorities on your case. Nothing here promises approval.
• It is not for green card holders. DAFT applies only to US citizens.
• It is not for US-EU dual citizens. Use your EU passport, free movement is simpler.
• It is not US or Dutch tax advice. Engage a CPA and a Dutch boekhouder. US persons keep ongoing US tax obligations regardless of DAFT.

Resources I would hand a friend at the kitchen table

(No affiliate links)

• IND - Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst: https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work - the DAFT residence permit category, validity and renewals
• Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (1956), US Department of State: https://www.state.gov/dutch-american-friendship-treaty/ - the treaty text and scope (US citizens only)
• KvK - Kamer van Koophandel: https://www.kvk.nl/english/ - mandatory Chamber of Commerce registration for your DAFT business
• Belastingdienst (Dutch tax authority): https://www.belastingdienst.nl/ - BSN, tax filings and BTW (VAT) registration
• DigiD: https://www.digid.nl/ - the digital ID you will need for Dutch government services

The Fine Print

• Refunds: 30 days, no questions. Simply reply to your purchase email with the word "refund" or email wren@templatedrawer.com, and I will process it within 24 hours.
• Disclaimer: Template Drawer products are organizational workflow tools. They do not constitute legal, medical, or financial advice. Use alongside certified professionals. SIA Cyber Unicorn 40203002129.