IND Immigration Declarations

It's not only for the DAFT visa that the IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) asks for a financial declaration drawn up and signed by an independent external expert, such as a bookkeeper or accountant. This kind of declaration is also often required for family reunification, other treaties for self-employed entrepreneurs, and the standard self-employed residence permit.

The best-known example is the income statement for self-employed entrepreneurs, IND form 7112 ('verklaring omtrent inkomen zelfstandig ondernemer'). It's requested when a partner or family member applies for a residence permit through family reunification and your business income is used to meet the income requirement. The IND then assesses whether the income is sufficient and sustainable; for a self-employed person, the business generally needs to have been active for at least eighteen months.

Entrepreneurs settling in the Netherlands under a treaty face a similar requirement. Alongside the DAFT visa for US entrepreneurs, comparable rules apply to Japanese entrepreneurs under the Dutch-Japanese Trade Treaty, and to Turkish entrepreneurs under the EU-Turkey Association Agreement (also known as the Ankara Agreement) — no points system applies here as it does for the standard self-employed permit, but a well-substantiated business plan is required.

For the standard self-employed residence permit (for entrepreneurs without a treaty), the RVO assesses the business plan using a points system, in which a financial forecast for the business is a fixed component. This forecast is strongest when a bookkeeper or accountant has helped prepare it.

Exactly which sign-off is asked for differs per form and per residence purpose; the IND states that condition with the form itself. In every case it concerns an independent external expert — a bookkeeper, tax advisor or registered accountant — who has checked the figures. Dutch Tax House is registered with the Dutch Tax Authority under a BECON number, a registration number for tax service providers, and draws up and signs these declarations. Which form applies in your situation, and which requirement comes with it, is checked beforehand.

Are you specifically a US entrepreneur and want to know how this works for the DAFT visa? Check out the separate DAFT visa service. Not sure which declaration applies to your situation? Get in touch, and you'll get tailored advice plus a quote.