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Netherlands: visas, tax & cost of living

No Dutch nomad visa: most use the self-employed permit (US citizens use DAFT). Residents are taxed on worldwide income, and Amsterdam runs pricey.

Netherlands: visas, tax & cost of living
Your passport

United KingdomNetherlands

Your move to Netherlands on a United Kingdom passport

  • VisitEasyVisa-free entry
  • NomadHardDifficult, indirect route
  • RelocateHardLimited residence routes

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from Schengen, usually issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages for stamps.

Heads-up:ETIAS online travel authorisation, estimated EUR 20 fee, expected to launch late 2026 and become required during 2027.

At the border:Border officer may ask for proof of onward or return travel and sufficient funds for the stay.

Working remotely

No dedicated nomad visa; the usual route is a standard residence permit.

Tax and residency

Residency by facts/circumstances (centre of life), not a day count; residents taxed on worldwide income; 30% expat ruling drops to 27% in 2027.(estimate)

The UK decides residence with its Statutory Residence Test (days in the UK plus your ties). As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on UK income; where one exists, a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Double-tax treaty:yes, in force since 2008

Practical

Currency:EUR. Cost of living:high.

Healthcare:Once you are resident or working, Dutch law generally requires you to take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) from a private insurer.

Healthcare agreement:A UK GHIC covers medically necessary state care on the same basis as a local, but it is not a substitute for travel insurance.

Driving:A foreign licence works for short visits, ideally carried with an International Driving Permit, but once resident you may drive on it for only about 185 days before needing a Dutch licence.

Sources: Netherlands, Business.gov.nl (digital nomad) · GOV.UK: tax on foreign income · HMRC: double-taxation treaties

Estimates, not advice. Confirm with the official sources before you act.

Should you move to Netherlands?

If you want a polished, English-friendly base in the middle of Europe, the Netherlands delivers. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Eindhoven are the main hubs, and you can get by in English almost everywhere. Now the honest part: it is one of the pricier countries on the continent. A single person in Amsterdam should plan for somewhere around 2,500 to 3,000 euros a month once rent, basic health insurance (roughly 160 euros), and groceries are in, and the real cost can edge higher depending on the flat. Rotterdam, Utrecht, or Eindhoven stretch your money noticeably further. What you get back is superb transport, genuinely fast internet, and a huge international crowd.

Netherlands visa and entry

There is no dedicated Dutch digital-nomad or remote-work visa, whatever the agency pages tell you. If you hold an EU, EEA, or Swiss passport, you can just live and work there. Everyone else usually goes through the self-employed residence permit, which means registering a real business and passing a points-style test that scores how much value it adds. US citizens get the easier path: the DAFT treaty (a Dutch-American friendship arrangement) lets you set up a business and live there on an investment of about 4,500 euros kept in the company. Treat this as background, not immigration advice.

Tax residency and what to check

The Dutch tax office works out residency from your facts and circumstances, basically where your real centre of life sits, not a tidy day count. Once you are a resident, your worldwide income is generally taxable. Newly arrived employees may qualify for the expat allowance scheme (long known as the 30% ruling), but it is being trimmed to 27% from 2027 and the salary threshold is rising, so check the current terms before you bank on it. Read all of this as how the system works in general, not a tax ruling for your situation.

Figures are estimates. Always check the official source linked below.

At a glance

Currency
EUR
Cost of living
High
Digital-nomad visa
No
Tax & residency
Residency by facts/circumstances (centre of life), not a day count; residents taxed on worldwide income; 30% expat ruling drops to 27% in 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Netherlands: is there a digital nomad visa?
No dedicated digital nomad visa; most people use a standard residence permit instead.
Netherlands: when do you become a tax resident?
Residency by facts/circumstances (centre of life), not a day count; residents taxed on worldwide income; 30% expat ruling drops to 27% in 2027.
Netherlands: what is the cost of living?
The cost of living is high and the local currency is the EUR. Treat any figures as estimates.
Netherlands: do you need health insurance?
Once you are resident or working, Dutch law generally requires you to take out Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) from a private insurer.
Netherlands: can you drive on a foreign licence?
A foreign licence works for short visits, ideally carried with an International Driving Permit, but once resident you may drive on it for only about 185 days before needing a Dutch licence.

Terms worth knowing

Europe: more countries to explore

Put it to work

Last verified: 2026-06-24

Sources: Netherlands — Business.gov.nl (digital nomad)

Voymo gives general information to help you organise your move. It is not legal, tax, or immigration advice, always confirm with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.

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