Running a NL company from abroad

[Javier C]

Hi all,

 

I would like advice on the following: I am about to start a digital business in NL but I live abroad. The KvK business registration form asks for a mandatory address in NL to move on, but I don't live in NL so I don't have any. I have friends and family in NL but I would prefer not to use their address for privacy reasons. Is there any custom way to workaround this, like a PO box or virtual office service that any of you know of? Is using a PO Box allowed as a postal address for a business registration in NL?

 

Thank you in advance,

 

Javier

28 juli 2023 aangepast door Javier C
Correct grammar

[Ron van der Kolk]

Welcome to Higherlevel.

 

2 minuten geleden, Javier C zei:

Is there any custom way to work around this, like a PO box or virtual office service that any of you know of?

You could rent a virtual office to obtain an address, but if the business activities are all abroad, your company may not be eligible for registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Please find some examples and explanations on their website.

[Jeroen Kisters RPLU ARe]

Hi Javier,

 

Welcome on HL!

 

Why start a business in NL if you don't live in NL? Are you a so called digital nomad?

28 juli 2023 aangepast door Jeroen Kisters RPLU ARe

[Jeroen Kisters RPLU ARe]

Maybe the solution Xolo (Go) provides is something you could consider? According to their advertisement you could be up and running in 10 minutes.

 

For the solution Xolo Leap you'll need a e-Residency ID and that could be a better option if your revenues are above a certain amount.

[Javier C]

15 minutes ago, Ron van der Kolk said:

Welcome to Higherlevel.

 

You could rent a virtual office to obtain an address, but if the business activities are all abroad, your company may not be eligible for registration with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. Please find some examples and explanations on their website.

Thank you very much, Ron. I that might well be the case. I'll get in touch with KvK to find our more.

[Javier C]

17 minutes ago, Jeroen Kisters RPLU ARe said:

Hi Javier,

 

Welcome on HL!

 

Why start a business in NL if you don't live in NL? Are you a so called digital nomad?

Thanks Jeroen! Yes, it would be an online shop targeted to NL customers (and eventually EU) But I am not registered in NL anymore ( I do have BSN and DigiD as I lived in NL in the past). I spend a month per year in NL but I would mostly run it from abroad, eventually with help from someone living in NL

28 juli 2023 aangepast door Javier C

[Derek-Jan]

2 uur geleden, Javier C zei:

Thanks Jeroen! Yes, it would be an online shop targeted to NL customers (and eventually EU) But I am not registered in NL anymore ( I do have BSN and DigiD as I lived in NL in the past). I spend a month per year in NL but I would mostly run it from abroad, eventually with help from someone living in NL

 

To run a online shop targeted to NL customers you don't need to be registrated here. 

 

I own several online shops, targeted on several countries, if you need help you can ask me

[Ward van der Put]

How to start an online business - a checklist, by Business.gov.nl

 

In my experience, handling online payments currently is a major barrier to entry in the Netherlands. Over 70 percent of Dutch consumers prefer to pay online with iDEAL.

 

As a foreign business owner you can offer iDEAL to your Dutch customers through either a Dutch business bank account or a contract with a Collecting Payment Service Provider (CPSP) for iDEAL who collects the iDEAL payments and credits them to your foreign bank account.

[Derek-Jan]

1 uur terug, Ward van der Put zei:

In my experience, handling online payments currently is a major barrier to entry in the Netherlands. Over 70 percent of Dutch consumers prefer to pay online with iDEAL.

 

 

Stripe offers iDeal (and many other) for foreign business owners. 

[Javier C]

2 hours ago, Derek-Jan said:

 

To run a online shop targeted to NL customers you don't need to be registrated here. 

 

I own several online shops, targeted on several countries, if you need help you can ask me

Hi Derek-Jan, thank you very much. I'm not sure if it is the same situation, in this case I would like have a Dutch online shop for Dutch customers and eventually delivery to other EU countries. In any case, I'm happy to chat about it if you don't mind.

[Derek-Jan]

9 minuten geleden, Javier C zei:

Hi Derek-Jan, thank you very much. I'm not sure if it is the same situation, in this case I would like have a Dutch online shop for Dutch customers and eventually delivery to other EU countries. In any case, I'm happy to chat about it if you don't mind.

 

For example, I have a German website, on a German domein, targeted on Germany. I send my products from Holland to Germany. Both my website and products comply with German law. 

 

The same should be possible for you, if based in any EU country or even abroad.

 

You can pm me for more info.

[Javier C]

1 hour ago, Ward van der Put said:

How to start an online business - a checklist, by Business.gov.nl

 

In my experience, handling online payments currently is a major barrier to entry in the Netherlands. Over 70 percent of Dutch consumers prefer to pay online with iDEAL.

 

As a foreign business owner you can offer iDEAL to your Dutch customers through either a Dutch business bank account or a contract with a Collecting Payment Service Provider (CPSP) for iDEAL who collects the iDEAL payments and credits them to your foreign bank account.

Thank you for your insights Ward. I suspected the same thing, and it's good to have it verified. I also learned that getting a Dutch bank account could be challenging nowadays. Thanks!