How Non-EU Entrepreneurs Can Start a Business and Relocate to Europe
Intro Europe is one of the most attractive places in the world to build a company: a single market of over 450 million consumers, stable legal systems, strong intellectual-property protection, and β once you’re registered in one EU country β the ability to trade across borders with little friction. For a non-EU entrepreneur, the opportunity […]
Dutch BV vs Foreign/UK Ltd for Expats: Which Structure Actually Fits Your Move?
Intro If you’re moving to the Netherlands and planning to run a business, one question comes up early: should you set up a Dutch BV, or keep (or open) a foreign company like a UK Ltd? Since Brexit especially, a lot of founders arrive already owning a UK Ltd and assume they can just run […]
Transferring Shares in a Dutch BV: Process, Notary & Tax
Intro A BV share transfer is how ownership of a Dutch private limited company changes hands β whether you are bringing in an investor, buying out a partner, passing a family business to the next generation, or exiting entirely. What surprises many founders is that you cannot do it with a private contract: the legal […]
The Dutch BV (Besloten Vennootschap): Advantages, Costs & How to Set One Up
Intro The besloten vennootschap, or BV, is the Netherlands’ equivalent of a private limited company β and the most common legal form for entrepreneurs who are scaling, protecting personal assets, or planning to bring in investors. It is a legal entity in its own right: the business, not you, is generally liable for its debts. […]
Holding BV in the Netherlands: Benefits, Tax & How to Set One Up
Intro Once you decide to operate through a Dutch BV, the next question most founders hit is: one BV, or two? Setting up a holding BV on top of your operating company is one of the most common structuring moves in the Netherlands β and for good reason. It protects the wealth you build, opens […]
How to Convert Your ZZP (Eenmanszaak) to a BV in the Netherlands
Intro As your business grows, the structure that was perfect on day one can start to hold you back. Higher profit, real liability exposure, or plans to bring in a partner are all signs it may be time to convert from a sole proprietorship to a private limited company. First, a clarification that catches most […]
Eenmanszaak or BV in the Netherlands: Which Structure Should Expats Choose?
Intro One of the first decisions you face when working independently in the Netherlands is also one of the most consequential: do you operate as an eenmanszaak (sole proprietorship) or set up a BV (private limited company)? NOTE! Before going further, an important clarification that trips up almost every newcomer β ZZP is not a […]
Open a BV in the Netherlands: Requirements, Costs & How It Works (2026)
Intro Opening a BV in the Netherlands is one of the most common steps for entrepreneurs who want to operate with limited liability, attract investors, or scale their business beyond basic freelance activity. A BV β besloten vennootschap β is the Dutch equivalent of a private limited company. It is a separate legal entity, which […]
Company Registration Netherlands: KVK, Legal Forms & How It Works (2026)
Intro Registering a company in the Netherlands is one of the first practical steps for anyone planning to start a business here β whether as a freelancer, a startup founder, or an entrepreneur relocating from abroad. In the Netherlands, company registration is handled through the KVK (Kamer van Koophandel β the Dutch Chamber of Commerce), […]
Highly Skilled Migrant Visa Netherlands vs EU Blue Card and Other Work Routes (2026)
Intro For non-EU professionals moving to the Netherlands for work, the most common question is not whether a residence permit is required β it almost always is β but which permit makes the most sense. The Dutch system offers several work-based routes, and they look similar on the surface. In practice, they differ in salary […]
