Trade Silicon Valley for Amsterdam. Keep Building.
The Netherlands has a thriving tech scene, and DAFT makes it surprisingly easy for American tech workers to join it.
Sound Familiar?
If you're nodding along, you're in the right place.
“You're burned out on Bay Area / NYC / Austin tech culture.”
The Netherlands has a "work to live" culture. 25+ vacation days is standard. Nobody emails you at midnight.
“You're not sure DAFT applies to tech workers.”
Software engineers, product managers, UX designers, data scientists—DAFT works for all of them. You register as an independent consultant.
“You'd rather be employed than freelance.”
Many tech workers start on DAFT as consultants, then get hired by Dutch companies. Some use DAFT as a bridge to the Highly Skilled Migrant visa.
“You're worried about salary differences.”
Dutch tech salaries are lower than SF. But factor in healthcare, transit, childcare, and quality of life—it often comes out ahead.
How DAFT Works for Tech Workers
The Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) gives US citizens a path to live and work in the Netherlands. Here's how it applies to you.
Register as an independent consultant
Your existing tech skills are your business. Register at KVK as a consultant in your specialty.
Take contracts or keep remote work
Contract with Dutch/EU tech companies, or keep your US remote work. Both count toward your DAFT activity.
Strong tech ecosystems across the country
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven (Brainport) all have strong tech scenes with startups, scale-ups, and enterprises.
Transition to employment if you want
Many tech workers use DAFT as a landing pad, then transition to a Highly Skilled Migrant visa once they find full-time employment.
What You Get
Choose the option that fits your situation.
FEATURES
What's included:
- Step-by-step guide (50+ pages)
- Ready-to-use document templates
- Apostille checklist with sources
- US tax obligations explained
- Bank account setup walkthrough
- Timeline and milestone tracker
FEATURES
What's included:
- 1-hour video call about your situation
- Review of your specific timeline
- Answers to your burning questions
- Call recording to revisit later
- Email follow-up for loose ends
- Full Digital Guide included ($99 value)
FAQ'S
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Stop Researching and Start Planning?
Go at Your Own Pace
Our complete guide gives you everything we learned—step-by-step instructions, templates, timelines, and answers to the questions that kept us up at night.
- 50+ page PDF guide
- Document templates
- Apostille checklist
- Lifetime updates
Talk Through Your Situation
Have specific questions? Unusual circumstances? Or just want to hear from someone who did this? Let's get on a call.
- 1-hour video call
- Your questions answered
- Recording included
- Guide included free