What Does a Dutch Startup Visa Facilitator Actually Do?
A facilitator is a business mentor you must contract with as a condition of the start-up residence permit. The facilitator does not grant the visa. The IND decides. RVO advises the IND on the facilitator, the idea, and the plan.
Follow u/NLVentureDesk on Reddit Share this article
Three different roles
Founders often treat “facilitator,” “RVO,” and “IND” as one office. They are not.
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| Facilitator | A mentor you must work with. Provides a tailored support package. Does not grant the permit. |
| RVO | The Netherlands Enterprise Agency. Advises the IND on the facilitator, innovativeness, and the step-by-step plan. |
| IND | The Immigration and Naturalisation Service. Collects the fee. Decides the residence permit. |
RVO states that a positive response is required on the facilitator, the innovative nature of the company, and the plan. The IND assesses financial means. See RVO’s application page and the IND start-up page.
Fees, timelines, and who pays what are on our cost and timeline page.
What RVO says the facilitator does
The RVO facilitator page (checked 26 June 2026) is the source for this section.
One condition of the start-up residence permit is that you work with a business mentor: a facilitator. You and the facilitator must put the partnership in a signed agreement.
The facilitator provides a tailor-made package of support, depending on what you need. RVO’s examples include operational management, marketing, research, and help with attracting investment to set up an innovative business.
That is mentoring and business support. It is not a substitute for the IND application, and it is not a legal representation as a law firm.
Conditions the facilitator must meet
RVO lists these conditions for the facilitator (checked June 2026):
- Experience guiding innovative start-ups
- Financially stable
- Not in receivership or bankrupt, and no negative equity
- No majority interest in the start-up
- Not a family member up to the third degree (child, parent, grandparent, aunt/uncle)
RVO also publishes a list of recognised facilitators. Being on a list, or proposing a facilitator, still leaves the assessment with RVO and the decision with the IND.
NLVentureDesk intends to act as your proposed facilitator, subject to IND and RVO assessment. We do not take equity. We are not a law firm.
What a facilitator does not do
- Grant or refuse the residence permit
- Override RVO’s advice or the IND’s decision
- Guarantee that your product will be found innovative
- Replace the step-by-step plan you still have to own as founder
- Give you a second start-up year if the first year ends
After the year, RVO notes that you can apply for a self-employed residence permit. You must receive a statement from your start-up facilitator or meet the standard self-employed requirements. A facilitator is not obliged to issue that statement. See the RVO overview.
How to choose one without wasting a year
Ask, in writing:
- Whether they will be proposed as facilitator on your file
- What support is in the signed agreement, and what is extra
- Whether they take equity (RVO forbids a majority interest; some still take a minority)
- What they will and will not say in a later self-employed statement
- How they handle a weak innovation story, including telling you not to apply yet
If you want a first human read of whether a facilitator route is even the right tool, use the eligibility check. For a structured assessment of the idea, the plan, and the gaps, book a Strategy Session.
