The Netherlands is one of the most promising countries when it comes to choosing a European country to start a business in. The procedures are easy and fast, as most of them can be completed online. A problem you may encounter as a foreigner, however, is language. Even so, there are ways to get past this inconvenience, as you will see below.

How Can a Foreigner Open a Company in the Netherlands?
How Can a Foreigner Open a Company in the Netherlands?

Use professional services – the main way to step with the right foot in the Netherlands

Dutch is a difficult language, but even so, doing business in the Netherlands is always a pleasure, as there are plenty of reliable professionals you can appeal to. This is also the case when you decide to open a Dutch company as a foreigner – you don't need to worry about speaking the language, as you can use specialized solutions to register your business, while enrolling in language classes. That is, if you decide to move there, case in which, there are a few aspects to consider.

Immigration procedures

If you also want to move to the Netherlands, first consider the type of visa you need, if you come from a non-EU or non-EEA country, or how soon you need to register with the local municipality if you come from an EU/EEA country. In the meantime, the professional can start the business registration procedure without you having to worry about it.

Documents preparation

An important step in starting a Dutch enterprise is drafting a set of documents that will be filed with the Trade Register or KVK. These are:

  • the Articles of Association (if you decide on a private limited company or BV, as most locals do), which must be written in Dutch;
  • the proof of a local address (you can use a virtual office, as rentals take time and are more costly);
  • your ID (foreign-issued documents must be translated and authenticated);
  • details of the director (you can appoint a resident or non-resident director, depending on your needs).

Based on these documents, the KVK will issue the Registration Certificate, which will be used in the next phases.

Bank account opening

Any Dutch company must have a bank account in which the share capital will be deposited first and then used for its transactions. This is, perhaps, the most time- consuming step, as banks have several due diligence checks they perform before enabling corporate accounts. Speaking of, if you decide on a BV, you are not bound to ensure a minimum imposed capital, so make sure you do your math correctly for this step.

Tax registration

The best part about starting a business in the Netherlands is that once you register it with the Companies Register, the rest of the procedures are easier. For tax and VAT registration, for example, the Registrar will send the registration information automatically, and your enterprise's tax identification and VAT codes will be issued quite quickly.

Licensing – the last stage before having a fully operational business

In terms of business licenses, the main aspect to know is whether you need the local permissions only or if you also need to apply for additional authorization. However, the latter case only applies in specific sectors like finance and banking, food serving, transportation, and pharmaceuticals, to name a few. Again, this is why professional services exist: to help comply with these requirements stress-free.

All these steps take about one and a half to two months to complete.

To conclude, these are the main steps you need to go through if you want to open a company in the Netherlands as a foreigner. Even if at the beginning they may seem complicated and complex, once you get acquainted with how the system works, you will understand why this country is preferred by a growing number of foreign investors, not necessarily from EU countries.