The Netherlands investor residence permit is closed: what works instead

Status in September 2026: the program has been closed since 17 April 2024

There is no longer a separate Netherlands residence permit by investment. The scheme for wealthy foreigners and investors, called verblijf als vermogende vreemdeling (residence as a wealthy foreign national) in Dutch documents, ended on 17 April 2024. The legal basis is the government decree of 9 April 2024 amending the Vreemdelingenbesluit 2000 (Aliens Decree), published in the official law gazette Staatsblad 2024, 83. The Aliens Circular was then amended (Staatscourant 2024, 13488, decision of 24 April 2024): the policy of granting permits on this ground has ended, and new applications filed from 17 April 2024 are rejected.

If someone offers you a Dutch golden visa in 2026, the information is either out of date or the intermediary is not acting in good faith. There is currently no legal way to get a Netherlands residence permit just by investing money.

The closure was planned for 1 January 2024, but the decree only took effect in April. More than three years passed between the government decision and the actual closure.

Why it was closed. The official explanation in the draft decree: schemes of this kind have been debated in the European Union for several years because of the risk of criminal activity, above all money laundering, and adjusting the scheme while keeping safeguards against misuse was judged not feasible. The second reason was lack of demand: fewer than ten permits were granted on this ground since 1 October 2013. Simplifying the conditions in 2016 did not create demand, and the program did not give startups or the economy a meaningful boost.

What exactly was closed. The investor put at least $1.41 million (1.25 million euros) into a Dutch company or via a participation or seed fund, received a 3-year permit with free access to the labour market and then an extension for 5 years. They had to spend at least 4 months in the Netherlands in every 12-month period. Buying residential property did not count towards the investment.

Countries that still grant residence for an investment in 2026 are listed in our residence by investment overview.

Dollar amounts use the market rate of 20 October 2026, 1.1229 dollars per euro, rounded up.

What happens to those who already hold the status or applied

The transitional rules are written into the decree itself: the previous rules continue to apply to decisions taken before it entered into force, to decisions extending their validity and to applications filed before that date. In practice it works like this.

Family members of the holder received permits to live with them, so as a general rule their status follows the main applicant. If the investor loses the ground, the strategy has to be reviewed for the whole family at once.

The main practical risk for holders is not the abolition itself but filing the extension late. If you apply after the deadline, a gap in residence appears, which pushes back permanent residence and citizenship. And if 2 years or more have passed since the card expired, an extension is no longer possible, a new application is needed, and it will not be accepted on the abolished ground.

What actually works in the Netherlands in 2026

The Netherlands does not sell status, but it is open to people who work, build a business or join family. All the grounds below are handled by the Dutch immigration service. Nationals of most countries, including Russia, need a long-stay entry visa before arrival, which is usually issued in the same procedure as the residence permit.

Two clarifications. First, study and the orientation year count as temporary purposes of stay and do not count towards the 5 years for permanent residence and naturalisation, while work and business grounds do. Second, immigration service fees change every year on 1 January, salary thresholds are reviewed annually, and the income requirement for family reunification in 2026 was also updated on 1 July. Check the figures again before applying.

A comparison of start-up visas and talent programs across countries is in our section on talent and start-up visas.

How capital works now: the self-employed permit

The closest replacement for the investor route is the self-employed permit. Money matters here too, but not on its own: the immigration service asks the enterprise agency for advice, and the agency assesses whether the business serves an essential interest of the Dutch economy. The assessment uses a published points system (Annex 8a to the Voorschrift Vreemdelingen 2000, the Aliens Regulations).

The scale has 300 points in total, and the pass mark is 90, with 30 in each part. There is a workaround: if parts A and B score at least 45 points each, part C is set at 30 when it falls short. This is what investment in business assets earns:

Hence an uncomfortable conclusion for anyone who counted on the investor program. Investing $113,000 (100,000 euros) or more in business assets covers the minimum for part C on its own, but experience and the business plan are scored separately, and capital cannot make up for them. This ground does not suit a passive investor who does not intend to run the company. Financing from a Dutch bank earns the maximum 50 points in the financing criterion, while freelancers you hire do not count as new jobs.

The most predictable entry is through the start-up visa. If afterwards the facilitator confirms that mentoring of at least 3 months was completed successfully, the scale awards 30 points in each part, which is exactly the pass mark. American citizens have a simplified option under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty: no points are needed, a genuine business and capital of at least $5,060 (4,500 euros) for most business forms are enough, and registration in the KvK trade register must happen within 6 months.

The self-employed permit is issued for a maximum of 2 years. The statutory decision period is 90 days, and when enterprise agency advice is requested it can stretch to 6 months.

Alternatives in neighbouring countries and the European Union

If what you need is status for capital without running a business, you will have to look outside the Netherlands. The picture in September 2026:

The trend in the European Union is clear: Ireland closed its investor program in 2023, the Netherlands in 2024, Spain in 2025, Portugal removed property in 2023 and Latvia in 2026. When choosing an investor permit, factor in the risk that the rules change before you reach permanent residence. An overview of programs is in our section on residence by investment and in the article on European golden visas in 2026.

Which route suits whom

• An investor who does not want to run a business. The Netherlands does not fit. Realistic options are the fund and property programs of Portugal, Greece and Hungary, or the Italian investor visa.
• An entrepreneur with experience and a working business. The Dutch self-employed permit if the business plan passes the enterprise agency assessment, or business routes in neighbouring countries.
• A tech founder without large capital. The Netherlands start-up visa, moving to self-employment after a year.
• A specialist with a job offer. Kennismigrant or the EU Blue Card: the fastest and clearest entry if the employer is already a recognised sponsor.
• An American citizen. The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty: minimal capital and no points system.
• A graduate of a strong university. The orientation year, to find a job or start a business without rushing. Keep in mind that this year does not count towards permanent residence.
• Someone who needs a European Union passport without losing their own. The Netherlands is a poor choice because, as a general rule, you must renounce your previous citizenship. Options are compared in our section on second citizenship.

Path to permanent residence and citizenship on current grounds

Permanent residence. After 5 years with a valid permit you can apply for a permanent residence permit or European Union long-term resident status. You need a civic integration (inburgering) diploma at level A2 or higher, or proof of level B1. For European Union long-term resident status you must not have been away from the Netherlands for more than 6 consecutive months during those 5 years. The fee in 2026 is $286 (254 euros).

Citizenship. Naturalisation is possible after 5 years of continuous lawful residence, with a civic integration exam at level A2 and, as a general rule, renunciation of your previous citizenship. The fee in 2026 is $1,280 (1,139 euros), or $1,640 (1,454 euros) for a couple. The coalition agreement of 30 January 2026 dropped the previous cabinet plan to extend the period to 10 years, but kept the course towards raising the language requirement to B1 and a 6-year period for asylum permit holders. In 2026 the B1 requirement has not entered into force and has no date, so it makes sense to aim for B1 from the start.

Dual citizenship. The Netherlands is one of the few European Union countries where renouncing your previous citizenship on naturalisation remains the rule, and the new government chose not to change this. There are exceptions, for example marriage or registered partnership with a Dutch citizen. A detailed breakdown of timelines, the exam and the exceptions is on our page on Dutch citizenship.

Taxes for a new resident

A Dutch resident pays tax on worldwide income, and residence is determined by all the facts and circumstances rather than by a 183-day rule. For people with capital, three things matter.

• Box 1: work and business. A progressive scale; the top rate in 2026 is 49.50%.
• Box 3: savings and investments. A 36% tax on a deemed return. For shares, bonds, crypto and second homes the deemed return in 2026 is 6.00%, for bank savings 1.28% (a provisional rate; the final one is set after the year ends). The tax-free allowance is $66,700 (59,357 euros) per person. The whole worldwide portfolio is taxed, not only assets in the Netherlands. The law moving to actual returns from 2028 passed the lower house of parliament in February 2026 and is awaiting the Senate.
• 30% ruling. A benefit for employees recruited from abroad, not for the self-employed. The base is capped at the public-sector pay ceiling, $295,000 (262,000 euros) in 2026; from 2027 the rate drops to 27% for rulings that started from 2024, and partial non-resident status was abolished from 2025.

For someone with a large portfolio, Box 3 is often the main argument against moving rather than for it. Work out the tax burden before choosing a ground. Rates and examples are on our page on taxes in the Netherlands, and a comparison with other countries is in the taxes by country section.

How much moving on current grounds costs

Immigration service fees in 2026:

Fees are the smaller part of the budget. The main costs are preparing a business plan for the enterprise agency points system, registering a company, accounting, legalising and translating documents, renting a home and mandatory health insurance. The amounts depend heavily on the city and the ground, so we do not quote averages: we calculate the budget for your specific route. An overview of the country is on our Netherlands page.

Uncomfortable truths and common mistakes

• There is no passive route. Neither a fund investment nor buying property gives a residence permit in the Netherlands. A foreigner can buy a home, but that does not create a right to live there.
• The start-up visa cannot be extended. Within a year you have to meet the self-employed criteria, or the ground ends.
• The enterprise agency assessment is expert, not formal. The same investment amount can lead to different results for two applicants because of their experience and the quality of the business plan.
• A kennismigrant permit is tied to the employer. Changing jobs requires a new recognised sponsor.
• Housing. Renting in the big cities is expensive and scarce, and you need an address to register in the municipal population register.
• Sanctions and banks. Russian citizens need a long-stay entry visa, legalised documents and readiness for detailed bank compliance checks. European Union sanctions rules prohibit banks from accepting deposits above $113,000 (100,000 euros) from Russian nationals and residents who do not hold European Union citizenship or a European Union residence permit. Money for a business route has to be planned in advance.
• Intermediaries selling a Dutch golden visa in 2026 are selling something that does not exist. Any such offer is a reason to check the company, not to pay.

The decision is made by the immigration service, and for self-employment also by the enterprise agency. What we do: review your profile, tell you honestly where your chances are real and where another country is the better choice, and prepare the file so that a refusal does not happen because of the documents.

What a Netherlands residence permit on current grounds gives you

How to switch to a working route: step by step

FAQ

Schengen countries you can visit visa-free with a Netherlands residence permit