Why the BV wins European mandates
Procurement gates open for EU entities: a Dutch BV brings an EU VAT number, an EU bank account and a KVK extract — the three documents every vendor portal asks for first. Cross-border B2B invoices within the EU run with reverse-charged VAT (you invoice at 0%, the client self-accounts), which keeps your day rate clean: the VAT rhythm.
The money design
Fees land in the BV at 19% corporate tax up to €200,000. You draw the customary director salary (€58,000 benchmark in 2026); in the growth phase a lower salary by arrangement with the tax administration, combined with borrowing from your own BV, keeps private life funded while profit compounds — the full setup: the smart DGA setup for US owners. Dividends follow on your timing: Dutch dividend tax 2026.
Relocating or remote — both work
Moving to Europe: the Dutch American Friendship Treaty grants residence around exactly this business — €4,500 equity, two years, five-year renewals: the guide. Staying in the US: run the BV as a non-resident owner with a registered office and remote banking: the non-resident setup.
Winning the first three clients
Anchor one US client through the entity (often your former employer: the conversion), land one EU logo through your network, and let the third come from the first two. European B2B buys on references and cadence — deliver quarterly, invoice monthly, and the pipeline compounds.