How to Obtain Netherlands Citizenship and a Dutch Passport

Netherlands citizenship can be acquired through the standard naturalisation procedure. As a rule, an applicant must have lived legally and continuously in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for at least 5 years and meet the other statutory requirements. Certain categories may qualify to apply earlier. The Netherlands is a member of the European Union, so Dutch citizens also hold EU citizenship rights. They may live and work in other EU countries without obtaining additional residence or work permits and may conduct business there subject to national rules. This guide explains how foreign nationals can obtain Netherlands citizenship and a Dutch passport, and which conditions must be met.

Netherlands Citizenship Law

The legal framework for acquiring Dutch citizenship is set out in the Netherlands Nationality Act. Dutch law restricts multiple citizenship but provides a number of exceptions. Adult applicants who naturalise are generally required to renounce another nationality unless they qualify for an exemption.

An applicant may be allowed to retain an existing nationality, for example, if:

• the applicant holds a residence permit on asylum grounds;
• the applicant is married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen when the Royal Decree granting nationality is signed;
• the applicant was born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is living there at the time of naturalisation;
• the applicant received a RANOV residence permit in 2007 or 2008 and acquired Dutch citizenship after 1 November 2021, with a special rule applying to certain former minors;
• the applicant holds the nationality of a territory or state that the Netherlands does not officially recognise;
• renunciation of the existing nationality is legally impossible, or another statutory exemption applies.

Benefits of a Dutch Passport

After acquiring Netherlands citizenship, a person may apply for a Dutch passport, which provides a range of rights and opportunities, including:

• the right to live, work and conduct business in EU countries in accordance with EU and national law;
• access to the education system under the conditions available to Dutch citizens;
• eligibility for available scholarship programmes at Dutch and other European universities;
• visa-free or simplified travel to more than 180 destinations according to the Henley Passport Index methodology;
• access to positions for which Dutch citizenship is a legal requirement;
• the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections where the relevant eligibility requirements are met;
• access to social benefits and allowances provided by law, subject to the applicable conditions.

Routes to Netherlands Citizenship

Dutch citizenship may be acquired through one of the following routes:

• by operation of law, including by birth or adoption;
• through the option procedure;
• through the standard naturalisation procedure.

Citizenship by Operation of Law

Netherlands citizenship may be acquired automatically at birth in certain circumstances, including where:

• the child’s mother was a Dutch citizen at the time of birth;
• the father was a Dutch citizen and was married to or in a registered partnership with the mother, or acknowledged the child before birth;
• a Dutch parent died before the child was born but held Dutch citizenship at the time of death;
• the child and one parent had their principal residence in the Kingdom of the Netherlands at the time of birth, and one of that parent’s parents also lived in the Kingdom when that parent was born;
• a child found in the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten, or on a vessel or aircraft registered there, is treated as the child of a Dutch citizen unless it is established within 5 years that the child acquired another nationality at birth.

A child under 18 may also acquire Dutch citizenship automatically through adoption if at least one adoptive parent is a Dutch citizen, the adoption complies with the applicable law, and the child’s previous legal family ties are fully terminated.

Citizenship by Option

Only specific categories of applicants may acquire Netherlands citizenship through the option procedure, including:

• adults who were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and have lived there lawfully and continuously since birth;
• stateless persons who were born in the Kingdom and have lived there lawfully for at least 3 years;
• persons under 21 who were born stateless in the Kingdom, cannot reasonably acquire another nationality, and, subject to additional conditions, have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 years;
• minors acknowledged by a Dutch citizen where citizenship was not acquired automatically and the Dutch citizen has continuously cared for and raised the child for at least 3 years;
• certain minors who have been under the joint parental authority of a foreign national and a Dutch citizen for at least 3 years;
• adults who have lived continuously in the Kingdom since the age of 4;
• spouses or registered partners of Dutch citizens who have lived lawfully in the Kingdom for at least 15 years and have been in the marriage or registered partnership for at least 3 years;
• persons aged 65 or older who have lived lawfully in the Kingdom for at least 15 years;
• certain former Dutch citizens who have lived in the Kingdom for at least one year with permanent residence or a residence permit for a non-temporary purpose;
• certain persons born before 1 January 1985 to a Dutch mother and a foreign father, persons adopted by a Dutch woman before that date, and some of their descendants.

Citizenship through Standard Naturalisation

Foreign nationals may follow several residence routes before becoming eligible to apply for Dutch citizenship through standard naturalisation:

Employment. The applicant must find a suitable position with a Dutch company, submit a CV and complete the employer’s recruitment process. If hired, the applicant must obtain the required authorisation for employment where applicable and enter into an employment contract.

Starting a business. The applicant must prepare a business plan, submit it to the competent business authority for assessment and register with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The residence-permit application may be processed within up to 90 days.

Study. The applicant must enrol in a university, school or other educational institution recognised by the Dutch immigration authorities, meet the admission requirements and pay the relevant tuition fees. Proof of admission must be included in the residence-permit application. Applications for temporary residence based on study may be processed within up to two months.

Investment. The special residence scheme for wealthy foreign investors in the Netherlands has been discontinued. Since 17 April 2024, new applications under this route have no longer been accepted, so an investment of EUR 1,250,000 or more no longer qualifies an applicant for this residence permit. Previously issued permits may still be renewed where the applicable conditions continue to be met.

Family reunification. A residence permit may be available to the spouse or registered partner of a Dutch citizen or resident, provided both are at least 21 years old, as well as to eligible minor children, including adopted children. Parents may qualify in specific asylum-related circumstances, for example where the sponsor is an unmarried minor with asylum residence. The standard decision period is 3 months from the date of application.

A temporary residence permit may be issued for up to 5 years, depending on the residence category. Under the former investor route, permits were issued for 3 years with the possibility of a further 2-year extension. When a temporary permit expires, an eligible resident may apply for permanent residence or, where all nationality requirements are already met, for citizenship.

Requirements for Dutch Citizenship

To become a Dutch citizen through the standard naturalisation procedure, an applicant generally must:

• be at least 18 years old, except for children included in a parent’s application where permitted;
• have lived in the Netherlands for at least 5 years with lawful residence, with shorter periods applying to certain categories, including some spouses and adopted children of Dutch citizens;
• prepare the required application documents in accordance with the current rules;
• pass the civic integration examination;
• renounce the applicant’s previous nationality where required;
• make the declaration of solidarity at the naturalisation ceremony.

How to Obtain Netherlands Citizenship: Step by Step

Documents Required for Citizenship

An applicant for Dutch citizenship generally needs to prepare a file that includes:

• a civic integration diploma or evidence of exemption from the examination;
• a valid passport or another identity document;
• a residence permit card or other evidence of lawful residence in the Netherlands;
• a birth certificate issued in the applicant’s country of origin or previous nationality.

Parents applying together with children under 18 may need to provide a similar set of identity and civil-status documents for each child, excluding the integration diploma. Where only one parent submits the child’s naturalisation application, the consent of the other parent may be required.

Depending on the circumstances, the competent authority may also request documents such as:

• evidence explaining why a passport or birth certificate cannot be provided;
• proof that the applicant qualifies to apply for citizenship without meeting the standard 5-year residence requirement;
• documentation from the residence procedure where relevant, including for applicants with asylum status;
• evidence of living with a spouse abroad, such as a tenancy agreement, population-register extract or bank statement;
• evidence that renunciation of the applicant’s previous nationality is impossible or that an exemption applies;
• evidence that a criminal record has been cleared, community-service obligations have been completed, or a fine has been paid, where relevant.

Documents may need to be translated into Dutch, French, German or English and legalised or apostilled where required by the applicable procedure.

To apply for a Dutch passport while living in the Netherlands, the applicant must normally attend the municipality of registration in person. The standard documents generally include:

• a recent colour photograph meeting the required 35 × 45 mm format;
• all current passports and identity documents held by the applicant;
• any additional documents requested by the municipality to verify identity or entitlement to a passport.

The exact document list depends on the applicant’s circumstances. A birth certificate, marriage certificate or naturalisation decision is therefore not a universal requirement for every passport application.

Cost of Dutch Citizenship

Fees for naturalisation and the option procedure are set nationally and indexed periodically. Passport and ID-card fees depend on the applicant’s age and place of application, while municipalities may charge up to the statutory maximum. Different fees apply to applications submitted outside the Netherlands. Because tariffs are revised, applicants should check the current IND and municipal fees before filing.

Naturalisation and option-procedure fees are periodically indexed. Direct citizenship-application costs start at approximately EUR 240 for the option procedure. Standard naturalisation for one applicant costs approximately EUR 1,140 or more. Passport and ID-card fees vary by age and place of application, and different tariffs apply outside the Netherlands. Applicants should confirm the current amount before applying.

Dutch Passport and ID Card

After acquiring Netherlands citizenship, a person may apply for:

• Biometric passport. This document is used to prove identity and for international travel. Dutch passport holders can travel to more than 180 destinations without obtaining a visa in advance according to the Henley Passport Index methodology.
• National ID card. The card is used as proof of identity in the Netherlands and may also serve as a travel document for trips to most European countries and, among other destinations, Turkey and Georgia.

Refusal of Citizenship

An application for Netherlands citizenship may be refused if the applicant does not meet the statutory requirements, cannot establish identity or nationality, poses a threat to public order or national security, or where another legal ground for refusal applies. A criminal record is assessed under the applicable public-order rules and should not be treated as an automatic permanent bar in every case. If a naturalisation application is refused, the applicant may first file an objection with the IND. The objection is generally decided within up to 6 weeks, with a possible extension of up to another 6 weeks. If the objection is rejected, the applicant may have the right to bring the case before a court. Legal professionals can review the file and circumstances to reduce the risk of procedural errors.