Comparisons

The Relocation Tax Timeline: Plan Your Relocation Month by Month

Updated: 18 August 2026 Holdwise editorial team Relocation Timeline Tax residency

When you relocate to another country, the order of the tax steps is important. The same steps cost much less when you take them in the right order. You can follow the same monthly timeline from any country. Reviewed 18 August 2026. At Holdwise, we keep this answer up to date. You find the steps further down this page.

Months 12 to 9 before the relocation: your home country

Every country you leave has its own exit rules. These can include a tax assessment on gains on paper (latent gains), rules that still apply after you leave, and a final tax return. Deal with these first. Document the valuations, list the options to defer tax and plan the departure date in advance. You can read about the usual patterns on the pages per origin country. Your adviser in your home country calculates the exact figures.

Months 9 to 6: the structure

Have the Dutch structure ready before you relocate. The BV and the holding are formed remotely, usually within one week once all documents are complete (see how remote incorporation works). You open the bank account with a prepared file, and the ownership chart is final. If you restructure after you arrive, extra rules apply. If you restructure before, you avoid these rules completely. See the target structure.

Months 6 to 0: the household

Apply to schools, a year ahead where possible. Rent a home first and buy later. Book the appointment to register with the municipality. You find the full checklist in the 90-day sequence. The application for the 30% ruling is filed with your first payroll. You can compare the options for arrival regimes in the comparison of expat tax regimes.

You can set up the company by power of attorney, from any country. This usually happens within one week once all documents are complete. See setting up a BV in the Netherlands from abroad.

Month 1 after: the review

Confirm your tax residence with both countries. Check the tiebreaker rule in the tax treaty once. Set the mix of salary and dividend for the first year. After that, repeat this review every January.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most expensive mistake in the order of the steps? +

Relocating first and structuring second: arrival makes you resident, and restructures that were free a month earlier acquire price tags. The structure-before-arrival rule prevents almost everything else.

Does the timeline change per origin country? +

Only a little. The order is the same everywhere: home country, structure, household, review. Countries with heavy exit taxes, such as Germany, Norway and France, need more work in months 12 to 9.

How current is this timeline? +

Reviewed 18 August 2026. The order of the steps is stable. You find the details for each country on the linked pages per origin country.

Sources Belastingdienst · KVK · wetten.overheid.nl Last updated: 18 August 2026