Society is becoming increasingly borderless. Goods, information and people move around the world so quickly that almost every product or service is created through cooperation between countries. More entrepreneurs work online and no longer need physical business premises or an office. This creates many lifestyle opportunities: they can work from a beach hammock, a jungle yoga retreat or a mountain cabin if they wish.
Are you considering continuing your business from abroad?
It is therefore physically possible to operate a Dutch business while living mainly abroad. Unfortunately, business regulations, taxation and entrepreneurs' rights and obligations are still organised nationally. If you have a Dutch business and are considering moving abroad, carefully check how to arrange your KVK registration and your obligations to the Dutch Tax Administration.
Support from Zakelijkhuren24
As a virtual office provider, Zakelijkhuren24 often works with travellers and emigrants who want to continue their Dutch business while living elsewhere. This can usually be arranged easily by renting virtual office space at a physical address. If you leave for an indefinite period, longer than a year, arrange everything before deregistering with your municipality and starting your adventure abroad. Otherwise, problems may arise with taxation, insurance and registration. This article explains the process.
The relationship between municipalities and KVK
Most municipalities require you to deregister if you spend more than eight months a year abroad. You must also deregister in the Netherlands if you move elsewhere and want to register there. Municipalities must inform KVK when Dutch citizens deregister. KVK receives dozens of notifications each week about self-employed professionals and other entrepreneurs who have moved abroad while their business remains registered in the Netherlands. It then contacts the entrepreneur to assess whether the business can remain registered here.
Not every type of business can remain registered in the Netherlands
This article explains the conditions under which your business can remain in the Netherlands when you move abroad. Your legal form makes no difference: the rules are the same for a private limited company and a self-employed professional. What matters is whether you have a business address in the Netherlands. If your activities require a physical registration in the Business Register, an accountant or client may sometimes permit you to register at their address.
You are responsible for registering your business correctly
You are responsible for registering your business correctly. If no actual activities continue in the Netherlands, you must notify KVK that your business is ceasing and establish a new company abroad. This applies, for example, to people selling products or services online, even if their customers remain in the Netherlands. If you fail to do so and KVK discovers this, it will deregister your business officially. This can cause substantial problems with the Tax Administration, your insurers and the laws of your new country.
Example 1: An online shop in Portugal
The owner of a Dutch online shop moves to the Portuguese coast for its more comfortable climate. His business was registered at his Dutch home address, so moving means losing his company's business address. Even if he continues selling mainly to Dutch customers, he officially has no activities left in the Netherlands. He must deregister from the Business Register and register again in Portugal. He must then hope his sales do not exceed the EU distance-selling threshold. Alternatively, he can rent virtual business premises from Zakelijkhuren24, giving him a business address in the Netherlands from which to continue arranging his business affairs.
Example 2: A dentist moves to Italy but continues seeing patients in the Netherlands
A dentist wishing to work in the Netherlands must be registered in the Business Register. The dentist in this example has emigrated to Italy but occasionally covers a Dutch practice or works a few days a week. He must provide an address where he is registered in the Netherlands. For example, the owner of the practice where he works can permit registration there. He must also register his Italian home address at a Non-residents Records Database service desk.
Example 3: A journalist moves to the US
KVK assesses each case individually because it is not always clear whether someone still conducts actual activities in the Netherlands. For example, KVK deregistered a journalist after he moved to the US. Although he supplied articles to Dutch media from there, he still had to end his Business Register registration. The advantage was that his Dutch tax liability ended. He registered as an entrepreneur in the US and began sending American invoices to his Dutch clients. He could also have rented a virtual office, registered his business there and continued under a Dutch company name.
Example 4: Part-time jobs during family visits
A Dutch contractor who has moved to France returns to the Netherlands for several months each year to visit family and friends. During these stays, he also wants to carry out some jobs. This is only legal if he registers with KVK using a visiting address in the Netherlands. He can rent virtual business premises from Zakelijkhuren24 or ask an accountant or client for permission to register his business at their address.
Example 5: A consultant continues working with Dutch clients from Denmark
Consultants and coaches often need only a good internet connection to work. Even while living in the Netherlands, renting virtual office space helps them keep their home address private. For a consultant working abroad, a contract with Zakelijkhuren24 is particularly useful, allowing work with Dutch clients to continue uninterrupted.
Considering a business location in the capital? See our information about a virtual office in Amsterdam.