Persons of local origin, as well as foreigners, can obtain Dutch citizenship by going through the selection or naturalization procedure. In special circumstances, status by birth may be assigned. To be able to become a Dutch passport holder, applicants from abroad are in most cases required to fulfill the conditions for the period of residence in the state and others established by law. The country’s migration policy allows foreigners to legalize their stay in the Netherlands if they are trustworthy in terms of law and order. The procedure for assigning status is regulated by the Law “On Citizenship”.

The benefits of obtaining a Dutch passport include favorable prospects for career development, income and travel. The state is part of the European Union, which means that the applicant, together with the Dutch one, receives EU citizenship and all the associated privileges. Further in the article – details about how to register the status, what documents will be needed, how much it costs, how to check the status of the case.

Benefits of a Dutch passport

  • travel to 174 countries without a visa;
  • permanent residence in any EU state with registration procedure;
  • priority occupation of positions in the Dutch and European labor markets without obtaining additional permits;
  • service in local medical institutions with insurance coverage and emergency care in European clinics;
  • training in local universities and other EU countries free of charge or at a reduced cost;
  • holding public office, participating in the Dutch and European electoral process.

What is needed to obtain Dutch citizenship status?

To become a Dutch citizen, you must meet the conditions established by law, which vary depending on the method of obtaining the status. When going through the procedure for acquiring a passport by naturalization or choice, in both cases, applicants are subject to the following requirements:

  • availability of a current passport or other identification document;
  • there is no threat on the part of the applicant to the national security of the country and public order;
  • filing a declaration of solidarity, which confirms the person’s willingness to comply with the laws of the state.

Legal ways to obtain a Dutch passport

The methods available in 2023 for obtaining Dutch citizenship are by descent, birth, adoption, as well as through selection or naturalization. There are no current investment programs in the country under which one could buy real estate, make investments in any projects and, on this basis, immediately request citizen status. Citizenship in the Netherlands is generally not assigned by land law; giving birth on the territory of the state will allow foreign parents to issue a passport for their child only under certain circumstances.

Origin, birth and adoption

Children born in or outside the Netherlands to one or two Dutch parents are automatically granted citizenship. Children found in the state or on board a ship/aircraft registered in the country also acquire status if their foreign origin is not determined within 5 years. Recognized illegitimate children of Dutch people under the age of 7 automatically become citizens.

If the father/mother regularly lives in the Netherlands and was themselves born into a family of permanent residents of this country, then their child acquires citizenship provided that he is born in the territory of the state. Minor children adopted by one or two Dutch people are considered citizens by default from the date of the court decision.

Choice

Individuals who, upon examination of their own circumstances, have discovered that they belong to one of the following categories can obtain Dutch citizenship by choice:

  • those born in the state and living on its territory from birth with a residence permit or who are stateless people who have been in the country for at least three years;
  • illegitimate children aged 7–18 years who have been recognized as a Dutch citizen and have been under guardianship for at least three years;
  • adult applicants who fall into one of four subcategories – have lived in the country since the age of 4, were former citizens and have stayed here for at least 12 months, are married to a Dutch national for at least 3 years, or are pensioners over 65 years of age and at least 15 years of age them are in the state;
  • children under 18 years of age who have been under the joint care of a foreign parent and a Dutch citizen since birth for at least 36 months before submitting the request, and who do not reside in their country of citizenship;
  • applicants who, before January 1, 1985, were born to a citizen mother, were adopted by a woman with a passport of this state, or married a foreigner, which caused the loss of a Dutch passport, but the union was dissolved;
  • former Dutch citizens who have automatically lost their status and have been living in the country for at least a year.

If the applicant has minor children, they can also be included in the application. Persons aged 16–17 years must be present when submitting the application and confirm their personal consent. The advantages of acquiring citizenship by choice are that the applicant does not need to demonstrate integration into society, and the fees involved are lower than for naturalization.

Naturalization

The following requirements in addition to the general ones apply to an applicant for citizenship:

  • reaching 18 years of age;
  • residence in the country for at least 5 years in general (or less under certain circumstances);
  • passing the integration exam (if there are no grounds for exemption from it);
  • renunciation of current citizenship (if there are no conditions for exemption from this requirement).

At the time of submitting the request, you must be in a country with local permanent residence. It is also possible to have a residence permit obtained in accordance with non-temporary purposes of stay (for example, independent activity, highly qualified work, investments).

If the person being naturalized has minor children, they can obtain a passport in one procedure. If a child is naturalizing with only one parent, permission will be required from the other.

How to obtain Dutch citizenship

Naturalized persons first of all apply for a residence permit on one of the available grounds (work, business, study, family reunification, investment), confirming the reason for staying in the state. The temporary resident status is renewed in a timely manner, then permanent residence is requested or the status type is changed to non-temporary if necessary, and ultimately an EU passport is issued. As part of the citizenship acquisition process, the candidate must prepare documents, undergo testing, submit a request to the authorized body, and after receiving a positive result, issue a Dutch citizen identity card.

Registration of a residence permit

A person who plans to stay in the Netherlands for more than 90 days and begin the naturalization process must apply for a residence permit and a temporary residence permit (MVV). MVV is a type D entry visa that is affixed to your passport. An application for both documents can be submitted simultaneously to the country’s diplomatic mission from abroad, or the request is made from the Netherlands by the foreigner’s sponsor (depending on the basis on which the residence permit will be obtained). Having fulfilled the requirements for the period of residence in the country as a temporary resident (5 years), the applicant has the right to request permanent residence. This status is granted indefinitely, after which, if the conditions specified by law are met, the person can prepare to receive a passport.

Passing the test

Passing the integration test is a prerequisite for being able to request citizenship through naturalization. Testing is carried out by the Education Executive Agency (DUO) and includes two testing blocks:

  • oral and written Dutch language skills (level A2 required);
  • knowledge of local society and labor market.

As a result of successful completion, the authorized body issues a certificate to the person, which must be attached to the citizenship dossier.

In some cases, the applicant may be exempt from any part of the testing – for example, the block relating to the labor market does not apply to pensioners. It is also possible to be completely exempt from confirming integration with this test – for example, if the applicant has previously fulfilled the requirements for assimilation into society and is able to confirm this fact, or for medical reasons. You can consult the local municipality on this issue – authorized persons will review the situation and inform you whether there is a need for him to obtain an integration diploma and undergo verification in order to obtain citizenship.

Collection and preparation of documents

The basic dossier for an applicant for Dutch citizenship includes:

  • foreign passport or other travel document;
  • birth certificate from the country of origin;
  • valid residence permit;
  • integration diploma or other confirmation of fulfillment of this requirement.

All documents issued by foreign government authorities require legalization and translation into Dutch, English, French or German. When naturalizing jointly with a child, the same components of the dossier must be prepared for him, with the exception of confirmation of integration. Depending on the applicant’s situation, the municipality may request additional documents – for example, certificates of exemption from testing, proof of paid fines in case of a criminal record.

Applying for citizenship

An application for acquiring Dutch citizenship is submitted to the municipality of your place of residence. It is required to prepare a dossier on the list in advance, and fill out a questionnaire, a statement of solidarity, and, if necessary, write a refusal of the current status with an employee of the authority. When filing a citizenship request, a prescribed processing fee is also paid.

The decision to obtain citizenship by naturalization is made within 12 months from the date of payment of the fee. If documents are not submitted in full, authorized persons may require more time. You can check the status of your application on the official website through the My IND service. The applicant is notified of the results of processing the dossier by letter. Within a year from the date of receipt of the decision, a naturalization ceremony is required. This is a ceremonial meeting organized by the municipality, which concludes the procedure for obtaining Dutch citizenship.

Terms and cost of obtaining Dutch citizenship

The decision to grant a person a temporary residence permit is made within a maximum of 90 days. The residence permit is valid for up to 5 years, after which the applicant receives the right to request permanent residence. Even if the first resident card is issued to a person for the maximum period, the immigrant will still have to renew or change status before filing a citizenship application in order to begin the procedure while staying legally in the country. Taking into account the fact that an application for naturalization is considered within a year, we can conclude that the overall minimum period for acquiring citizen status is about 6.5 years.

Obtaining Dutch citizenship costs 970 EUR for naturalization (1,238 with a partner and 143 for a child) and 206 EUR for choice (351 for a couple, 23 for each child). Request for a residence permit – 210–350 EUR depending on the basis (the cost of renewing the card is equal to the price of issuing the first one). There are different tariffs for investors – EUR 2,394 for initial residency and EUR 1,197 for renewal. It is also worth considering the costs of translation and legalization of documents.

Passport of a citizen of the Netherlands: how to get it after obtaining citizenship

Citizens receive two identification documents – an internal Dutch passport in the form of a plastic ID card with a photo and personal data of the owner, as well as a foreign one. The document for traveling abroad has a book format and looks traditional for an EU member state – a burgundy cover and a standardized design. The request for both documents can be made at the municipality of the place of residence by the applicant in person or at a consulate/embassy abroad. The need for pre-registration should be clarified with the government agency. One color photograph and all available travel documents should be prepared.

The standard production time for an ID card and internal passport is 5 working days, but there may be differences depending on the region. In general, documents must be ready no later than 4 weeks after submitting the request. It is also possible to coordinate urgent delivery. The amount of the fee depends on the municipality and the age of the applicant. The maximum rates that can be applied in the Netherlands are:

  • 58.89 EUR for persons under 18 years of age and 77.87 for adult applicants for a foreign passport;
  • 37.99 EUR for children under 18 years old and 70.38 for adults for an ID card.

Dual Dutch citizenship: is it possible to get a second passport?

Second citizenship (if the applicant identifies only his own citizen of each state) is allowed in the Netherlands in limited cases. Those naturalizing in this jurisdiction are required to sign a waiver of their current passport. If acquiring citizenship by choice, applicants may retain their first status. The exception is for persons who were born in the country and have lived since the age of 4 – they will not be able to obtain a Dutch passport as a second passport.

The law also defines several special cases when applicants can retain their first citizenship:

  • marriage or registered partnership with a subject;
  • availability of a residence permit issued in connection with seeking asylum;
  • obtaining a RANOV residency in 2007–2008;
  • birth and residence at the time of submission of the request in the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
  • having citizenship of a state that is not recognized by the country (for example, Taiwan).

There are countries whose legislation does not provide for a mechanism for refusing a passport. In this case, the authorized body of the Netherlands exempts the applicant from undergoing the procedure for renunciation of citizenship, and he can own two passports and dispose of them at his own discretion, using available privileges (for example, visa-free travel to countries). The authorities do not notify the person’s country of origin that they have been granted status. Dual citizenship (when countries mutually recognize two passports of a person) is impossible to obtain in the Netherlands.

Refusal and revocation of Dutch citizenship

A request for citizenship status may be rejected for the following reasons:

  • submission of an incomplete dossier or with inaccurate data or fake components;
  • failure by a person to fulfill one of the mandatory requirements to be able to apply for status;
  • there are suspicions that the applicant may pose a threat to the security of the state and the population;
  • failure on the part of the applicant to take action regarding the renunciation of his first citizenship, if in his case this is necessary.

Deprivation of a person’s legal status is possible in the following cases:

  • committing criminal offenses that entail imprisonment for 8 years or more;
  • voluntary entry into the armed forces of another state participating in hostilities against the Netherlands or alliances to which the country is a member;
  • joining organizations involved in armed conflicts, which threatens the security of the state.

To retain acquired Dutch citizenship, a person must comply with the laws and respect the national integrity of the state.

During the naturalization process, it is important to monitor the timely renewal of status, because illegal stay in the country threatens with an entry ban and deportation, which in the future may hinder the acquisition of citizenship.

How to obtain Dutch citizenship