Setting Up a Company in the Netherlands as a Non-Resident (2026 Guide)

Yes, you can set up a company in the Netherlands without living here. Most non-resident founders choose a Dutch private limited company (BV). You need a civil-law notary, a Dutch business address and the identity documents of every director and shareholder. Owning or running a Dutch company does not give you the right to live or work in the Netherlands; that needs a separate residence permit.

This guide explains what non-residents need in 2026: whether you have to travel, which documents to prepare, how KVK registration and the BSN work, tax and VAT, the bank account, costs and timing, and what you must keep up after incorporation.

Setting Up as a Non-Resident at a Glance

• Legal form: usually a Dutch BV. A foreign company can also register a Dutch branch.
• Residence: not required to own or direct a Dutch company.
• Notary: required for a BV. A fully online incorporation needs an EU digital identity at the highest level; other founders usually sign through a power of attorney.
• Address: a Dutch business address is required. A P.O. box is not accepted.
• Registration: the notary registers the BV and its ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK), and the details go to the Tax Administration.
• Costs: a one-off KVK fee of €85.15, the notary’s fees, and a minimum share capital of €0.01.
• Timeline: often one to two weeks once the documents and identity checks are complete. Opening a bank account usually takes longer.

Can a Non-Resident Set Up a Company in the Netherlands?

Yes. Dutch law does not require the shareholders or directors of a BV to live in the Netherlands or to hold Dutch nationality. Individuals and foreign companies can own the shares, and directors can live abroad. business.gov.nl has an official step-by-step plan for starting a business from abroad.

Two things are separate from ownership:

• Living or working in the Netherlands. If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss national and want to live or work here yourself, you need a residence permit (see below). The company does not give you one.
• Where the company is run. A company incorporated under Dutch law is treated as established in the Netherlands for Dutch corporate income tax. If the directors take their decisions in another country, that country may also treat the company as resident there, and a tax treaty then decides. Plan where the board meets and decides before you incorporate.

Choose the Right Structure: BV or Branch

Most non-resident founders and foreign groups use a BV. Liability is limited to the company, there is no meaningful minimum capital, and the shares can be held by individuals or by a foreign parent company. A foreign company that only needs a local presence can register a branch instead. A branch is not a separate legal entity, so the foreign company remains liable for it.

Our overview of Dutch business structures compares the other forms: NV, VOF, sole proprietorship, CV and foundation. For the whole process, from choosing the structure to registration, see company formation in the Netherlands.

Do You Need to Travel to the Netherlands?

Usually not for the incorporation itself.

• Online incorporation. Since 1 January 2024 a BV can be incorporated fully online, with the notary on a video connection. It requires an EU digital identity at the highest assurance level, so in practice it is open to EU nationals and to companies from EU member states.
• Power of attorney. Founders outside the EU usually sign a power of attorney in their home country, often legalised or with an apostille. The deed is then signed on their behalf at the notary’s office in the Netherlands. The notary still has to identify every founder and check the documents first.
• KVK. For a BV you do not visit KVK yourself: the notary arranges the registration.
• The bank. Banks set their own identification rules. Some ask directors to identify in person or by video, so ask before you choose a provider.

Documents You Will Need

• A valid passport or ID card for every director, shareholder and UBO.
• Proof of each person’s private address, such as a recent bank statement or utility bill.
• For a corporate shareholder: a recent extract from its commercial register, its articles of association, its shareholder register or UBO details, and a resolution approving the new Dutch company.
• A short description of the business activities and of where the money comes from.
• Proof that the company may use the Dutch business address, such as a lease or a declaration of consent from the owner.

Foreign documents often have to be legalised or carry an apostille, and documents that are not in Dutch, English, French or German may need a sworn translation. Arrange this early: it is the most common cause of delay.

A Dutch Business Address

Every company registered with KVK needs a business address in the Netherlands. A P.O. box is not accepted, and the owner of the address must agree to its use. Many non-resident founders use an office address or a registered-office service.

Check that the address also suits the Tax Administration and the bank. Both may ask what actually happens at the address, and an address with no activity at all can slow down VAT registration or bank onboarding.

KVK Registration, UBOs and the BSN

After the deed is signed, the notary registers the BV in the KVK Business Register. The notary also registers its UBOs: generally anyone who holds more than 25% of the shares or otherwise controls the company. KVK cannot register a BV without them.

Directors are registered with their Dutch citizen service number (BSN). A director who lives abroad and has no BSN can get one by registering in the Non-residents Records Database (RNI) at one of the 19 RNI desks. Our article on the BSN for non-resident directors explains when you need one and how to get it.

Tax Registration and VAT

The registration also reaches the Tax Administration. If the company will carry out activities subject to VAT, it receives its VAT identification number and VAT tax number by post. Companies run from abroad may be asked extra questions first; see VAT registration for foreign directors.

• Corporate income tax in 2026: 19% on taxable profit up to €200,000 and 25.8% on the rest.
• VAT returns: usually every quarter.
• Dividends paid to shareholders are generally subject to 15% dividend withholding tax, which a tax treaty or EU rules can reduce.
• Payroll tax: if the company pays salaries, including to a director, it registers as an employer.

Our tax compliance team can take over these filings.

Opening a Business Bank Account

Dutch banks apply strict know-your-customer checks under anti-money-laundering law, and a company with non-resident directors or foreign shareholders gets close attention. Expect to provide the KVK extract, the UBO details, identity documents, a description of the business and its expected payments, and the source of the funds.

This can take several weeks, and approval is never guaranteed. Some companies start with an account at a licensed European payment or e-money institution. Read more about our business bank account support.

If You Also Want to Live or Work in the Netherlands

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals can live and work in the Netherlands without a permit. Other founders need a residence permit from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), and setting up a company does not give one. The main routes for founders:

• Start-up permit: one year to develop an innovative business, guided by an approved facilitator.
• Self-employed permit: the business must serve an essential Dutch interest, which the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) assesses with a points system. That points system does not apply to Turkish nationals.
• Staff from abroad: employees may qualify under the highly skilled migrant scheme, for which the employer must be a recognised sponsor.

Costs and Timeline

Item	Typical amount or time
KVK registration fee	€85.15, one-off (indexed every year)
Notary fees	Depend on the notary and the structure
Minimum share capital	€0.01
Legalisation, apostilles and translations	Depends on the country and the documents
Incorporation and registration	Often 1–2 weeks after complete documents and identity checks
Bank account	Often several weeks, separately from the incorporation

Advisory, address and accounting fees come on top and depend on the structure. Ask for a quote once you know the structure and the shareholders.

What You Must Keep Up After Incorporation

• Bookkeeping: keep the records for at least seven years.
• Annual accounts: prepare them and file them with KVK on time; see the annual accounts filing deadline.
• Tax returns: corporate income tax every year, VAT usually every quarter, and payroll tax every month if you have staff.
• Changes: report new directors, UBOs and addresses to KVK.
• Other rules: privacy law (GDPR) applies as soon as you process personal data, some sectors need a licence before trading, and investments in sensitive sectors can be screened.

Our accounting and corporate secretarial teams handle these obligations for foreign-owned companies.

Common Mistakes Non-Residents Make

• Assuming the company gives its owner the right to live or work in the Netherlands.
• Choosing an address that the bank or the Tax Administration will not accept.
• Starting the legalisation and translation of documents too late.
• Leaving the bank account until after incorporation, with no plan B.
• Running the company entirely from abroad without considering where it is resident for tax.
• Missing the first annual accounts or tax deadlines because nobody in the Netherlands is responsible for them.

How NetherBridge Partners Helps

We guide non-resident founders and foreign companies through company formation in the Netherlands: choosing the structure, preparing the documents, coordinating the notary and the registrations, and supporting the bank application. After incorporation we can take over the accounting, tax and corporate secretarial work. Contact us to discuss your plans.

The rules and amounts in this article were checked against KVK, business.gov.nl, the IND and the Dutch notaries’ organisation in October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions