Netherlands
An amendment now allows business visitors to conduct business meetings in the Netherlands without a work permit during multiple visits of up to 13 weeks cumulatively in a 52-week period. The prior rule - which allowed a cumulative stay of four weeks in one 13-week period for permissible activities - no longer applies to any business activities in the Netherlands.
This amendment, which effectively allows eligible business visitors to stay up to 13 weeks in one year, is the result of the Dutch government’s effort to promote international trade and to align the law more closely with bilateral international agreements and with the Schengen rules, which limit stays up to 90 days in a 180-day period in the Schengen Area.
Business visitors conducting other work permit-waived activities, such as certain installation and repair activities or receiving training on Dutch equipment/software, are still work permit-exempt for one visit of up to twelve consecutive weeks in a 36-week period.
Background
Prior to January 2014, business visitors could enter multiple times and perform permissible business visitor activities without Dutch work authorization for up to four weeks in a 13-week period. In January 2014, new rules were implemented that implied that only one visit for up to 13 consecutive weeks was allowed within a 52-week period. Since this was not the intent of the change, the authorities reverted to the pre-January rule until the law was amended. Now the law clarifies that multiple visits are allowed.
Business visitors to the Netherlands are generally limited to conducting business meetings in which information is exchanged on behalf of the home employer. Any other activities generally require work authorization.
What This Means for Foreign Nationals
Business visitors conducting business meetings should benefit from the ability to enter the Netherlands multiple times. Business visitors to the Netherlands should abide by the Schengen stay limit as well.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere and Associate Jamela Sharrock examine how employers in Germany can strengthen immigration compliance by embedding it into every stage of the employment lifecycle.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
Media mentions
Partner Marius Tollenaere and Associate Jamela Sharrock examine how employers in Germany can strengthen immigration compliance by embedding it into every stage of the employment lifecycle.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Partner Chad Blocker, Senior Counsel Mitchell Wexler and Associate Alex Kim discuss what prospective EB-5 applicants should know now, including source-of-funds documentation, project selection, concurrent filing, retrogression and upcoming program deadlines.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Jo Antoons and Senior Manager Marina Ocariz discuss the EU’s provisional agreement on revised social security coordination rules and what employers should know about the expected changes to A1 certificate requirements, posted worker rules and short-term cross-border work compliance.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
