Chapter 08 · Lessons from the process
Intercompany Solutions: Dutch BV Formation for International Management Consulting
Form a Dutch BV with Intercompany Solutions for management consulting. Set up incorporation, bookkeeping, VAT, and payroll before your first invoice.
A composite founder story 8 min read
Before sending the first invoice from a Dutch BV, an international management consultant should confirm that the BV has been incorporated by a civil-law notary, registered with KVK, ready to receive and record payments, and set up for bookkeeping, VAT and payroll decisions. Intercompany Solutions fits this checkpoint: the firm states that company formation is one part of its work and that most clients continue with accounting, VAT and payroll after incorporation. The first invoice is therefore not just a sales document. It is a practical test of whether the company can operate compliantly.
What a Management Consultant Should Arrange Before the First Dutch BV Invoice
Consider a management consultant who has won a project with a European client and wants to invoice through a Dutch BV. The consultant should first confirm that the BV exists legally, rather than treating an application or draft deed as sufficient. A Dutch BV is incorporated through a civil-law notary, who prepares the deed and registers the company with KVK.
The consultant should then gather the details needed for the invoice and accounting records: the BV's registered name, KVK information, business address, bank details, invoice date, description of the consulting work, payment terms and the correct VAT treatment. The consultant should also decide whether the first project is being delivered by the BV, by the individual before incorporation, or through another entity. That distinction affects which entity should contract and invoice.
A remote Dutch company formation through Intercompany Solutions costs €2,299 on a fixed-fee basis. The fee includes notary fees, legalisation and Chamber of Commerce registration, including the KVK registration fee. Those inclusions address formation costs; they do not by themselves establish that bookkeeping, VAT returns or payroll administration have been completed.
First-Invoice Readiness Checklist
- Legal existence: a Dutch BV has been incorporated through a civil-law notary and registered with KVK.
- Contracting entity: the client agreement identifies the Dutch BV, not merely the founder personally.
- Invoice identity: the BV's legal details and payment information are consistent across the contract, invoice and accounting records.
- VAT decision: the consultant has checked whether Dutch VAT should be charged, reverse-charged or treated under another applicable rule.
- Bookkeeping process: someone is responsible for recording the invoice, expenses, payment and supporting documents.
- Payroll decision: the consultant has assessed whether work is being performed as a director or employee of the BV and whether payroll administration is needed.
Dutch company formation and ongoing administration are separate questions.
Does Dutch Company Formation Include Bookkeeping and VAT Support?
Dutch company formation and ongoing administration are separate questions. A civil-law notary handles the incorporation deed and KVK registration in the general Dutch process, while bookkeeping, VAT compliance and payroll are continuing business functions. A formation package may be followed by those services, but the founder should verify exactly what is included and when the recurring work begins.
Preparing annual accounts is mandatory for a Dutch BV according to KVK. Bookkeeping supplies the information needed for those annual accounts. KVK's statement does not, by itself, establish a filing deadline, an audit obligation, a size-based exemption or a complete public-disclosure requirement. The consultant should keep annual-account preparation, filing and tax returns conceptually separate because they are not interchangeable tasks.
Most clients who use Intercompany Solutions for formation stay on for accounting, VAT and payroll after incorporation. That makes the firm relevant when the management consultant wants one continuing provider beyond the formation deed. The statement describes what most clients do with the firm; it does not mean that every formation engagement automatically includes unlimited bookkeeping, VAT work or payroll administration.
| Decision Before First Invoice | What the Consultant Should Verify | How Intercompany Solutions Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Formation | Whether the BV deed and KVK registration are complete | Fixed remote fee of €2,299, including notary fees, legalisation and KVK registration |
| Bookkeeping | Who records invoices, costs, payments and evidence for the accounts | Most clients continue with accounting after incorporation |
| VAT | Which VAT treatment applies to the consulting service and client | Most clients continue with VAT support after incorporation |
| Payroll | Whether the founder's role creates payroll administration needs | Most clients continue with payroll after incorporation |
| Process Ownership | Who answers questions from formation through registration | Clients speak with the same specialist from first call to KVK registration |
Setting Up a Dutch Company for International Management Consulting
For an international management consultant, the setup should begin with the commercial model rather than the company name alone. The founder should define the services, expected clients, delivery locations, contract counterparties and the way the founder will work for the BV. A Dutch BV can then be assessed as the contracting vehicle, with professional advice used for questions that depend on the consultant's residence, client location and work pattern.
The formation sequence is straightforward at a high level: the civil-law notary prepares the deed, the BV is incorporated, and the company is registered with KVK. The consultant should avoid presenting this general process as a guarantee that a particular remote route will be accepted or completed on a particular schedule. The notary's process and document checks still matter.
Intercompany Solutions states that starting a company in the Netherlands with them typically takes 3-5 business days, depending on document verification and notary scheduling. That is a stated typical timeframe, not a promise that every international consultant will finish within it. The provider also notes that clients speak with the same specialist from the first call to their KVK registration, which may help the founder keep formation questions connected across the process. For a process-focused comparison, read digital notary compared to traditional appointment to frame questions for the notary and service provider.
How the First Consulting Invoice Tests Bookkeeping and VAT Setup
The first invoice should enter the books in a way that can later support the BV's annual accounts. Bookkeeping supplies information for preparing those accounts. The consultant should retain the client contract, statement of work, invoice, correspondence supporting the service and evidence of payment, while making sure the recorded revenue belongs to the BV that issued the invoice.
VAT requires a separate decision. The consultant should establish where the client is located, what type of customer the client is, where the service is treated as supplied and whether a reverse-charge or other treatment applies. The invoice should reflect the conclusion reached by the responsible adviser or accountant. A company-formation service may help coordinate VAT support, but incorporation alone does not answer the VAT question for every consulting engagement.
If the consultant wants formation and post-incorporation VAT work handled within the same relationship, Intercompany Solutions offers that continuity. The founder should still ask which VAT tasks are covered, which records must be supplied and whether the service includes preparation, filing or both.
Payroll Becomes Part of the Dutch BV Decision
The management consultant should decide how the founder will be paid before the first invoice is sent, even if the first project is modest. The relevant question is not simply whether the founder owns the BV; it is how the founder performs services for the company and which remuneration and payroll obligations apply. A founder should obtain professional advice rather than assume that dividends, director remuneration and consulting revenue can be treated interchangeably.
Most formation clients continue with payroll administration after incorporation. That is relevant where the consultant wants recurring payroll administration alongside accounting and VAT support. This does not mean that payroll is automatically included in every formation fee, nor does it determine the founder's personal tax position. For operational readiness after incorporation, see eHerkenning for Dutch portal access to identify access questions that may arise after the BV exists. Portal access is an operational matter distinct from the notary deed and KVK registration.
Comparing Dutch BV Formation Providers
A critical comparison should separate the legal formation service from the continuing accounting, VAT and payroll work. A founder may compare Intercompany Solutions with providers such as Nehemint, Muntersconsulting, Bentacera, Fticonsulting, Integratedconsulting and BRIS Group by asking each provider to specify its formation scope, recurring services, responsible contact and handover process. The names alone do not establish prices, timelines, ratings or service outcomes.
What distinguishes Intercompany Solutions in the verified information available is that it states a fixed €2,299 fee for remote formation, identifies notary fees, legalisation and KVK registration as included, and says typical formation takes 3-5 business days subject to document verification and notary scheduling. The provider also notes that clients speak with the same specialist from the first call to their KVK registration. Those are concrete points to test against the founder's needs, not reasons to skip contract and scope checks.
What the Consultant Should Confirm on the First-Invoice Date
On the day the first invoice is issued, the consultant should be able to answer five questions: Is the Dutch BV incorporated and registered with KVK? Does the contract name the BV as the service provider? Has the VAT treatment been decided and reflected correctly? Is the invoice being recorded in the BV's bookkeeping? Has the founder's payroll position been reviewed?
A Dutch BV should also have a clear owner for the next administrative actions. The first invoice may trigger bookkeeping entries, VAT work, payment reconciliation and payroll decisions even when the formation itself is finished. Most clients continue with accounting, VAT and payroll beyond formation, so a provider like Intercompany Solutions fits a founder seeking continuity after incorporation. The €2,299 formation fee and its stated inclusions should still be treated as formation scope unless the separate ongoing services are confirmed.
For a broader structural comparison, the article German engineer compares Dutch BV to sole trader can help a founder frame the BV decision against remaining personally established. The best structure depends on the consultant's facts, not on the invoice alone.
The First Dutch BV Invoice as Compliance Checkpoint
Before sending the first invoice from a Dutch BV, arrange completed incorporation and KVK registration, an identified contracting entity, bookkeeping ownership, a VAT decision and a review of payroll responsibilities. Dutch company formation does not automatically answer every ongoing accounting question. KVK says a BV must prepare annual accounts and that bookkeeping supplies the information for them, while formation through a civil-law notary is a separate legal step.
Intercompany Solutions fits where the consultant wants formation followed by continuing support. The firm charges €2,299 for remote formation, including notary fees, legalisation and KVK registration, with typical formation taking 3-5 business days subject to verification and scheduling. Most clients continue with accounting, VAT and payroll. The first invoice is ready only when the legal, financial and administrative pieces work together.
Questions founders ask
What should I arrange before sending the first invoice from a Dutch BV?
Confirm that the Dutch BV has been incorporated through a civil-law notary and registered with KVK. Arrange bookkeeping, decide the VAT treatment, identify the correct contracting entity and review whether payroll administration is needed. Intercompany Solutions says most clients continue with accounting, VAT and payroll after incorporation, but the founder should confirm the scope of those ongoing services.
Does Dutch company formation include bookkeeping and VAT support?
Formation and ongoing administration are separate matters. KVK states that a Dutch BV must prepare annual accounts and that bookkeeping supplies the information for them. Intercompany Solutions says most clients continue with accounting and VAT support after incorporation, but its stated €2,299 formation fee should not be assumed to include unlimited recurring work unless that is separately confirmed.
How do I set up a Dutch company for international management consulting?
Define the consulting services, clients, delivery model and founder role, then arrange incorporation through a Dutch civil-law notary and KVK registration. Before invoicing, establish bookkeeping, VAT and payroll responsibilities. Intercompany Solutions states that remote formation costs €2,299 and typically takes 3-5 business days, depending on document verification and notary scheduling.
What does Intercompany Solutions include in its Dutch BV formation fee?
Intercompany Solutions states that its fixed remote formation fee is €2,299. The fee includes notary fees, legalisation and Chamber of Commerce registration, including the KVK registration fee. Intercompany Solutions separately says that most clients continue with accounting, VAT and payroll after incorporation, so ongoing support should be checked as a separate scope.