All companies established in The Netherlands must be included in the Netherlands company register (‘Kamer van Koophandel’ in Dutch). When starting a business in the Netherlands, one of the first steps you should take is to enlist your business officially in this register. This database can help you to search business names, activities, registration numbers, and accounting information. You can find out if a company you are engaging in business with is real and legally capable of conducting business.

The Netherlands Trade Register can also help you find out if someone is an authorized signatory for a certain company. If you do not have such a registration, you cannot do business with your company at all. The Dutch business register includes both Dutch companies and branches of international companies operating in the country. They must all be included in the trade register.

The available information for each company includes the name and address of the business, telephone number, the number of employees, and details about the company’s representatives. You can also find out about the company’s financial background, such as any bankruptcies that may have occurred in the history of the business. Most of the information found on the Chamber of Commerce is free of charge, yet, financial statements, documents that have been filed on behalf of the company, history of the company, and corporate relationships are among the extras that can be purchased.

How Intercompany Solutions can assist you 

Are you looking for local experts who know the Netherlands corporate register to help you incorporate a Dutch BV? Then you are at the right address. Our firm has the appropriate expertise to assist with your company registration in the commercial register Netherlands. Any entity providing goods or services to clients and generating profit from this activity is defined as a business. If you would like to make a new entry in the Netherlands’ corporate register, or register a company established abroad, our experts can provide you with the necessary assistance:

• Our team can register your business in the company register of the Netherlands.
• We can assist you in setting up a company and complete the registration in the Commercial register Netherlands.
• We can also register а subsidiary of your international company in the Netherlands trade register. Thus, your branch will be able to easily do business in the EU by obtaining an EORI number, a value-added tax number and an account at a Dutch or European bank.

What do you have to prepare?

We will give you a checklist of questions you need to answer, concerning the company name, the shareholders’ names, etc. This is everything we require to initiate the setup of a Dutch company from a distance in the beginning of the process.

Intercompany Solutions Company Register Netherlands Services

Intercompany Solutions can help you with every step in the process of setting up your new business. We can help you with applying for local banking, company establishment, and local representative services if you are working out of the country. Once your business is up and running, we can also be of service when it comes to bookkeeping and taxation. Leaving the heavy lifting to us allows you to focus on the more important aspects of the business. Our full-service package consists of:

• Opening a Dutch BV company (1-2 working days)
• Opening a Dutch Company Bank account
• Assisting services in the first year
• Obtaining VAT number

Requirements for Registering a Netherlands Company

*We always provide incorporation deeds in English translation, this is included in our pricing.

** Are you buying products from suppliers in the Netherlands, are you selling to Netherlands customers, are you living in the Netherlands, do you have local staff? Any of these points will benefit your position with the tax authorities.

Dutch company register online

Whether you are a natural-born citizen or a citizen of another country that is looking to open a business, the Netherlands can suit you well. Due to the bilingual capabilities of most residents, the Dutch Company Register, also known as the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, is also set up with a bilingual website. English and Dutch versions of the site are available to create ease of use by people even beyond the borders of the Netherlands. This adds to the user-friendly website that makes information easily accessible in both languages. Another key feature to the website is the ease of payment for any additional information you may want to obtain. Online payment is available by using your credit , or iDeal, and you can also choose to use direct debit from your bank account.

Incorporating a BV company in the Dutch Business Register

The process of becoming registered can be fairly simple with the help of Intercompany Solutions. You must have the deed of incorporation, shareholder’s details, details about the company’s managers, bank references about the deposited share capital, and authorization for Intercompany Solutions to act on your behalf. Once all of this information is gathered and submitted, you will be issued an access code. Only people with access codes are able to view the information contained in the Netherlands Trade Register.

A Netherlands company registration is finalized by a registration in the Netherlands Trade Register. For representation purposes, you will be seen as a company in the Netherlands and with the Netherlands’ excellent reputation, this will allow you to do business in Europe easier. A company registration in the Netherlands may be performed from anywhere globally. Our service is to guarantee a smooth company registration in the Netherlands and assist you to start your new business. We can also assist you with a Dutch VAT number and apply for a Netherlands company bank account.

The most popular company type for foreign entrepreneurs in the Netherlands is the Dutch ”BV company”. The Dutch BV company is comparable to a Private Limited Liability company. The BV has its own legal rights and the owners and directors are not liable for the actions of the BV company. The current type of BV company may be formed with as little as a €1 share capital deposit. The BV company is nowadays also known as ”Flex BV”, which has to do with the regulations that came into effect on 1 October 2012. This change made it much easier to open a BV company, especially for people with a low amount of starting capital.

To register a BV, you might need a Netherlands incorporation agent to assist you with this rather complicated matter, especially if you don’t have any experience doing this. Such an incorporation agent is specialized in working with foreign entrepreneurs and the particularities of forming a Dutch BV as a foreigner. The incorporation agent has to perform due diligence on the client, identify him and prepare incorporation forms. The incorporation forms will be certified by a notary public and published in the company register Netherlands. When the company register has the information for the new BV company, they will publish this immediately on the ”handelsregister” website.

The BV is fully incorporated when the notary has passed the deed, the company register has published the information in its register and the shareholders have paid up the share capital to the BV company bank account. Intercompany Solutions can assist you during every step of this entire process, since we have many years of experience with the incorporation of foreign firms in the Netherlands. Just contact us for professional personal advice.

Video explainers on starting a Dutch company

What we do

We have assisted hundreds of foreign entrepreneurs from over 50 different nationalities. Our clients range from small one-person startups to multinational corporations. Our processes are aimed at the foreign entrepreneur, we know the most practical ways to assist with your company registration.

We can assist with the full package of company registration in the Netherlands:

• Opening of a local bank account
• Administration services
• Application for VAT or EORI number
• Tax services
• Startup assistance
• Media
• General business advice

Registering a Dutch corporate bank account

To apply for a bank account for your firm, you first need to have your company incorporated. After incorporation you may pay the share capital to a bank account, that you open after the incorporation, to complete the process. Your bank account can be used right away for business transactions. We can assist you with the application for a business bank account in the Netherlands, since we work together with several banks.

Netherlands company register search

The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce regulates the Netherlands Trade Register, which is a register of all active companies in the Netherlands. For a new company registration in the Netherlands, the first step you will have to perform is a name check. Is the name of the new Dutch company already taken? A quick search in the company register Netherlands will show if your preferred name is available. Our firm can assist you with registering a name for your Dutch company.

By the Netherlands law, every legal entity will have to deposit annual account information with The Trade Register. The Dutch Chamber of Commerce’s function is to register this information. All annual accounts of Dutch companies are kept up to date by the Netherlands Trade Register.

Why the Netherlands is an interesting country for new business

The Netherlands has always been at the forefront of innovation, cooperation and unique concepts that fuel a very vibrant yet stable corporate climate. In addition to housing many excellent universities that actively cooperate with all sectors, the Dutch are also very open to new entrepreneurs who can shed some new light on any given situation. Especially foreign investors and potential business owners are welcome here, due to the diversity and challenging perspectives this provides. This open mindset has been a Dutch trait since early history, providing for an excellent business atmosphere that always stimulates growth and evolution. We will shortly outline some interesting factors below.

Why the Netherlands is an interesting country to register your business

Media

Intercompany Solutions CEO Bjorn Wagemakers and client Brian Mckenzie are featured in a report for The National (CBC News) ‘Dutch Economy braces for the worst with Brexit’,  in a visit to our notary public on 12 February 2019.

Intercompany Solutions Dutch Trade Register Services

Intercompany Solutions can help you with every step in the process of setting up your new business. We can help you with applying for local banking, company establishment, and local representative services if you are working out of the country. Once your business is up and running, we can also be of service when it comes to bookkeeping and taxation. Leaving the heavy lifting to us allows you to focus on the more important aspects of the business. Our full-service package consists of:

• Opening a Dutch BV company (1-2 working days)
• Opening a Dutch Company Bank account
• Assisting services in the first year
• Obtaining VAT number

Need assistance?

Intercompany Solutions is a well-known brand in the Netherlands and abroad as a trusted incorporating agent in the Netherlands. We are constantly looking for opportunities to share our solutions with foreign entrepreneurs.

Forming a company from abroad? Contact us!

Contact us directly. Our company formation specialists will be eager to assist you with a free initial consultation to answer all questions you may have about doing business in the Netherlands

Citizens of member states of the EU and other countries planning to immigrate to the Netherlands have to become familiar with the regulations and rules regarding immigration and visa issue. There are certain conditions you need to consider if you are intending to immigrate to the country. Our local experts in immigration can provide you with thorough information and guidance on the ins- and outs of immigration Netherlands.

The Dutch short-term visa

Non-EU citizens willing to visit the Netherlands for business purposes or tourism need a C-type visa, also called Schengen visa. It is a significant document whose issue requires the provision of the following information and documents by the applicant:

• identification documents, including valid passport;
• mandatory medical insurance for short-term visas;
• details about the financial situation of the applicant;
• information about the aim of the visit.

Please, note that the granted short-term visa is represented by a stamp in your passport. In case you plan a longer stay in the Netherlands, the local Service of Immigration and Naturalization (IND) can issue a permit for residence, provided that you meet all relevant requirements. Dutch companies intending to hire employees from overseas are able to apply for the necessary visas and work permits so that the international staff can work legally in the country.

Immigration Netherlands: The Dutch long-term visa

The long-term Dutch visa is suitable for individuals who intend to study, travel or live in the country. It is accompanied by an IND-issued permit for permanent residence granted together with the ninety-day long-term visa. Individuals who do not come from member states of the European Union (EU) or Economic Area (EEA) and want to immigrate in the Netherlands have the option to submit an application for a long-term visa through the self-employed visa program. This document grants rights comparable to those of EU citizens with unrestricted entry to the country.

Application for Schengen visa

Immigration to the Netherlands has increased significantly in the past ten years. People with various backgrounds and origins look for better education, work opportunities and quality of life in countries that value such attributes. You can obtain a Schengen visa by applying at the Embassy or Consulate of the Netherlands in your country of residence. The document grants a 90-day unrestricted entry in the Schengen area with a 180-day time frame and a possibility for extension. The visa provides a number of benefits, including multiple entries in many Schengen countries without border control.

Our local immigration lawyers can provide you with additional details on the procedure for obtaining a Dutch start-up visa for the Netherlands.

The Netherlands attracts migrants from worldwide with its democratic traditions and high living standards. Many Dutch Skilled Migrant program participants migrate through the program to the Netherlands. Our consultants and immigration lawyers in the Netherlands can provide you with important details on the Authority for Dutch Immigration (IND) and the requirements for residence permit issue.

Status of Dutch skilled migrants program

Employed highly qualified migrants receive wages matching their profession and qualification level. Persons who have completed their university education in the Netherlands or have a recognized proof of qualification benefit from different regimes that make immigration attractive for highly skilled individuals.

If you hold a Dutch education diploma and you plan to immigrate to the Netherlands, you need to find a job with a salary of at least EUR 2 272 to obtain a permit for residency. If you have achieved excellent results at university, you will be allowed to apply for a residence permit within 3 years after your graduation.

Our local immigration experts can provide you with all important information regarding your situation in the country.

Residence permit for highly skilled migrants

The Netherlands permits immigrants to work, regardless of whether they have decided to stay in the country for one year or more. The country puts efforts in providing knowledge migrants with adequate work conditions even for short-term stays. Skilled migrants are even provided with a tax exception to get 30 percent of their salary tax-free. Read more on the 30 percent tax ruling.

Permits for work valid for a year cannot be extended. Migrants are allowed to a “search year” during which they are supposed to find a job. Then the purpose of stay should change; otherwise, the immigrant will be obliged to leave the Netherlands.

Many people who wish to immigrate to the Netherlands also consider the self-employed visa program.

Our legal experts can provide you with essential information on the immigration system and help you find an adequate solution for your particular situation. If you have any questions regarding immigration to the country, please, contact us.

In line with the Dutch legislation on immigration, independent entrepreneurs who would like to start a business in the Netherlands first need to obtain a Netherlands residence permit for self-employed individuals. The same Dutch self-employed visa is required for freelancers and people who would like to practice a profession in the country.

How to qualify for the Dutch self-employed visa?

Entrepreneurs who want to obtain a Netherlands self-employed visa need to receive a certain number of points. The point system was established in 2006 with the purpose to attract international entrepreneurs who can contribute significantly to the local economy.

Self-employed American and Japanese citizens do not need to obtain points for the Dutch residence permit because their countries have special agreements signed with the Netherlands. We have a team of experts in Dutch immigration who can provide you with further details regarding these agreements.

The scoring system includes the following elements:

• Personal experience, including education, work experience, yearly income from previous jobs, years of practice in entrepreneurship, work experience with or in the country;
• Business plan, including financing, organization and market analysis;
• Added value for the Dutch economy in terms of innovation, generation of jobs or future investments.

A local immigration lawyer can give you more information on the point evaluation system.

The 1-year start-up Dutch visa

Since the start of 2015 foreign citizens can qualify for a permit for entrepreneurship, issued just for one prep year.

The authorities in the Netherlands know that many owners of new businesses are unable to comply straight away with all criteria for issue of a residence permit for self-employed. Therefore, this start-up visa was introduced. It enables non-residents to work and live in the Netherlands for a preparatory year. In this period they collaborate with business facilitators in order to achieve compliance of the start-up with the requirements for obtaining a regular visa for self-employed persons.

Read more on the Dutch start-up visa. 

If you would like to obtain a Self-employed Dutch visa, you can contact our local consultants on immigration. We can also provide you with information and assist you in applying for the Dutch highly skilled migrant program.