Moving to Cyprus from the Netherlands

Why Dutch movers pick Cyprus

The Dutch case for Cyprus is unusually clean: it's an EU-internal move with no visa or permit hurdle, and the Netherlands taxes capital harder than almost anywhere — not just when income arrives, but every year it sits there. Sunshine aside, the arithmetic does most of the persuading.

The tax comparison in plain numbers

Dividends from your own BV fall into box 2, taxed in two brackets that reach roughly 31% on larger distributions, on top of Dutch corporate tax of up to 25.8%. Passive wealth is hit annually through the box 3 regime even in years you sell nothing. Top employment income is taxed at 49.5%. A Cyprus non-dom pays 0% on dividends and interest for 17 years plus the capped 2.65% GHS contribution, Cyprus corporate tax is 15% from 2026, and there is no wealth tax of any kind.

The mechanics of the Cyprus side, including the 60-day residency rule and the GHS cap, are in the non-dom guide; what the company structure costs to run is in the company cost guide.

Leaving the Netherlands: what to check before you go

The Dutch trap is the conserverende aanslag, a preserving assessment raised on the unrealised gain in a substantial shareholding (5%+ of a BV) when you emigrate. It doesn't demand cash on the day you leave, but it sits over your shoulder and can be collected if you distribute or sell later. Pension pots can trigger their own preserving assessment. Both need structuring before you deregister from the BRP, not after.

The practical side

As an EU citizen you can arrive, then register for the yellow slip within four months. Direct flights link Amsterdam and Eindhoven with Larnaca and Paphos in around four hours. An EU car comes in free of duty and VAT, though it will be left-hand drive on left-driving roads.

Choosing where to land matters as much as the tax: see where to live in Cyprus and what living here costs.