Business Visitors Limited to a Single Entry Per Year; Permissible Training Activities Broadened

The Netherlands is changing its duration of stay rules for business visitors, effective January 1, 2014. Business visitors will be allowed to visit the Netherlands for only one uninterrupted stay of up to 13 weeks in a 52-week period, counted backwards from the date of entry.

In practice, the change means that foreign nationals will no longer be allowed to make multiple business visits per year to the Netherlands, though they will be able to visit for a longer period during their single trip. Following the first entry into the Netherlands, any subsequent trips undertaken to conduct business meetings will require work authorization, regardless of the length of stay. Currently, foreign nationals can visit for business meetings for up to four weeks within a 13-week period.

In a second legislative change, the activities permitted during a business visit without requiring separate work authorization will be expanded to include receiving training on the use of goods or services to be provided in the Netherlands. The training must be limited to observing, getting acquainted with the host company and its culture, and receiving instructions in a meeting room setting.

Currently, business visitors to the Netherlands are permitted only to provide training related to the installation, repair or implementation of equipment or software products, and only as long as the equipment or software is manufactured and supplied by the visitor’s home country company. This activity will continue to be permitted for business visitors after January 1. Business visitors engaging in permitted training activities will continue to be subject to different duration of stay rules than standard business visitors; they are restricted to a single twelve-week visit in a 36-week period.

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 Global or send an email to [email protected].