Do I Need a Dutch Bank Account for the Startup Visa?

What the visa rules actually say

RVO requires adequate financial resources to reside and live in The Netherlands. It does not list “open a Dutch current account before you apply.”

The Netherlands Point of Entry founder guide, issued with RVO’s start-up contact, says you can prove means in two ways:

• A bank statement showing enough money in your account
• Another legal entity or natural person (for example the facilitator) financing your stay, with the money available for the entire stay (at most one year)

That bank statement does not have to be from a Dutch bank on the face of that text. The IND assesses means. Confirm current amounts on the IND required amounts page. Amounts change; our cost page records the figure we cited in August 2026.

Why people still talk about a Dutch account

Business.gov.nl tells founders that a Dutch business bank account is needed to register with KVK or to handle financial business transactions in The Netherlands.

That is company setup, not the wording of the residence-permit requirements. Many banks also want a BSN, KVK registration, or proof of lawful stay before they will open an account. That is a banking policy problem, not an extra IND box labelled “Dutch IBAN.”

Plan for it after (or around) arrival. Do not treat a refused Dutch account as proof that you are ineligible for the permit, and do not treat an opened account as proof that the IND will grant the permit.

What to prepare instead

• Evidence of means that matches what the IND currently asks for
• A realistic landing plan: BSN, KVK, invoicing, payroll if you hire
• Time. Opening a business account as a newly arrived non-EU founder is often slow.

Facilitators may help with the landing sequence. They cannot force a bank to onboard you.

If your question is really “can I afford the year,” start with the checklist and the cost page, then book a session if the means and the idea both look real.