Dutch Nationality: Become a Dutch Citizen as an Expat

This guide covers the two routes to Dutch nationality, the requirements, the civic integration exam, renouncing your current nationality, fees and the steps from application to ceremony. Sources are the IND, DUO (inburgeren.nl) and the Dutch government; the IND fees and DUO exam prices were checked on 31 October 2026.

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Who Can Apply for Dutch Nationality?

There are two main routes to Dutch nationality: naturalisation (naturalisatie) and the option procedure (optie). Which one applies to you depends on your personal situation.

Naturalisation

This is the standard route. You submit your application at your municipality, the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) decides on it, and if it is approved the King signs a Royal Decree. You become Dutch once you attend the naturalisation ceremony organised by your municipality.

According to the IND, you can apply for naturalisation if you are 18 or older and:

• you have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for at least five consecutive years with a valid residence permit and always applied for extensions on time; or
• you have lived together in the Kingdom for three consecutive years with the same Dutch partner (married, registered or unmarried), with a valid residence permit throughout; or
• you are married to, or the registered partner of, a Dutch citizen and have lived together for at least three years; in that case you do not need to live in the Kingdom; or
• you are stateless, registered as such in the BRP, and have lived in the Kingdom for three consecutive years; or
• you have lived in the Kingdom for two consecutive years immediately before applying and for ten years in total, always with valid residence.

Citizens of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland do not need a residence permit: residence under EU law counts. The municipality checks in the Personal Records Database (BRP) how long you have lived in the Netherlands continuously with valid residence. If you lived abroad for a period during those years, discuss it with your municipality before you apply.

The Option Procedure

The option procedure is faster and easier, and the fee is lower, but it is only open to specific groups. It is covered in its own section below.

Naturalisation Requirements

Besides the residence period, the IND lists these requirements.

1. Five Years of Legal Residence and the Right Permit

You count back five years from the date you submit your application. During the application, the procedure and on the day of the ceremony you must hold one of these:

• a permanent residence permit (regular or asylum);
• an EU long-term resident permit;
• a temporary residence permit with a non-temporary purpose of stay, such as highly skilled migrant, European Blue Card or family member of someone with a permanent permit;
• a residence document as a family member of an EU citizen, or a Withdrawal Agreement document for UK nationals;
• residence under EU law as an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen.

Permits for study, the orientation year, intra-corporate transfer and au pair have a temporary purpose (IND). You cannot apply on such a permit, so you need to switch to a permit with a non-temporary purpose first. For the residence history itself, the municipality uses the BRP; see the BSN registration guide for how registration works.

2. The Inburgeringsexamen (Civic Integration Exam)

To naturalise you must meet the civic integration requirement. The standard way is to pass the civic integration exam at language level A2 (IND, page updated 20 October 2026; inburgeren.nl). This exam is also called the naturalisation test.

This differs from the civic integration obligation under the Civic Integration Act 2021 (Wi2021): its B1 route, for people who are required to integrate, ends with language exams at B1, which is the Staatsexamen NT2 (inburgeren.nl). For naturalisation, a civic integration diploma at A2 under the 2013 or the 2021 Act is enough. The cabinet plans to raise the naturalisation language requirement to B1, but that is not law yet; see “Planned changes” below.

According to the IND, the exam consists of:

• reading, listening, writing and speaking skills;
• Knowledge of Dutch Society (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij, KNM);
• Orientation on the Dutch Labour Market (ONA) under the 2013 Act, or the Labour Market and Participation Module (MAP) under the 2021 Act;
• the Participation Statement Process (PVT). If you have no civic integration obligation and need the diploma only to naturalise, you are exempt from the PVT.

If you live abroad and take the exam at a Dutch embassy or consulate, it consists of KNM and the four language skills at A2. If you take it in the Netherlands, you also have to pass ONA (IND; inburgeren.nl).

Taking the exams: you register for the KNM, ONA and A2 language exams in Mijn Inburgering and choose the date and location. Register in time: according to DUO it may take more than six weeks before you can take an exam. On 31 July 2026 DUO announced that checking the Speaking A2 and Writing A2 exams takes up to 16 weeks instead of the usual 8. The ONA exam consists of a portfolio, followed by either a final interview or 64 hours of an ONA course.

Exemptions: you do not need to sit the exam if, among other things, you (IND):

• hold a Dutch diploma or certificate above primary level from a programme taught in Dutch (an English-taught Dutch degree does not count);
• hold a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma, programme I or II;
• hold a civic integration diploma under the 2013 or 2021 Act at A2 or higher;
• lived in the Netherlands for at least eight years while of school age (5 to 16);
• hold a Dutch-taught Belgian or Surinamese diploma, or a European Baccalaureate or international certificate with a pass in Dutch.

Reaching state pension age does not exempt you from the whole exam; it exempts you only from ONA. You are also exempt from ONA if, in the 12 months before your exemption request, you worked as an employee in the Netherlands for at least 48 hours a month in at least 6 of those months (IND). Medical dispensation is possible with an Argonaut advice or a DUO decision.

Cost: DUO charges €50 per exam for reading, writing, listening, speaking and KNM (€250). Under the 2013 Act ONA costs €40, making €290 for the full set (inburgeren.nl, checked 31 October 2026). Course prices differ per school; DUO advises asking the school.

Our inburgeringsexamen preparation guide covers study approaches, and the inburgering route builder tool can help you figure out which path fits your situation. If you are at the early stages of learning Dutch, see Babbel vs Duolingo for learning Dutch and our roundup of apps to learn Dutch in 2026.

3. No Danger to Public Order

You must not be a danger to public order or national security. According to the IND’s public order policy, this is the case if, among other things:

• you are a suspect in an ongoing criminal case, or you were convicted and an appeal is still possible or ongoing (unless the penalty is below the thresholds in the next point);
• in the five years before your application (or between application and decision) you were convicted, in the Netherlands or abroad, and received a custodial sentence, community service of 36 hours or more, a fine, penalty order or settlement of €900 or more, or a driving ban of 60 days or more (combinations of smaller penalties can also count).

After a sentence, a rehabilitation period of five years without a new conviction applies. Your Dutch nationality can be withdrawn later if you withheld information that would have led to a refusal.

4. Renouncing Your Original Nationality

The Netherlands wants to limit dual nationality. If you naturalise as an adult, you are normally required to renounce your current nationality, and that includes EU citizens. The exceptions are explained in the dual nationality section below.

5. The Declaration of Solidarity

You must be willing to make the Declaration of Solidarity at the naturalisation ceremony, declaring that you know the laws of the Kingdom of the Netherlands also apply to you. If your name does not consist of a first name and a surname, it will be determined together with you.

The Naturalisation Process, Step by Step

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility

Check the requirements on the IND website: the residence period, your permit, the civic integration requirement and whether you would have to renounce your nationality. At the appointment, a municipal employee discusses the requirements with you and checks whether your documents are complete; if something is missing, the municipality makes a new appointment.

If you live here on a highly skilled migrant permit, that permit has a non-temporary purpose of stay, so you can apply on it once you meet the other requirements.

Step 2: Gather Your Documents

According to the IND, you need:

• a valid passport or other travel document (a refugee or foreigner’s passport if you have an asylum permit or are stateless);
• a birth certificate from your country of origin;
• a valid residence permit or other proof of lawful residence (not needed for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens);
• your civic integration diploma or other proof of civic integration, or an exemption or dispensation.

Extra documents may be needed, for example a marriage or partnership certificate for the three-year partner route (not needed if it is registered in the BRP), proof that you lived together abroad, and the passport, birth certificate and residence permit of each child you include.

Official foreign documents must be legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German. Documents already registered in the BRP do not need to be obtained and legalised again. For how legalisation and apostilles work, see our guide on apostille and legalisation in the Netherlands.

Step 3: Submit Your Application

You submit the naturalisation application at your municipality (gemeente), not directly to the IND. You fill in the application form together with a municipal employee, pay the fee (€1,139 for one person in 2026) and sign two declarations: that you are willing to make the Declaration of Solidarity, and that you will renounce your current nationality (or which exemption applies).

The municipality then prepares an advice and sends your application, documents and advice to the IND.

Step 4: IND Assessment

The decision period is 12 months from the moment the fee is paid. You receive a letter with the date by which the IND will decide, and you can follow the application in My IND. The IND can extend the period, for example if the application is incomplete.

If the IND approves your application, it forwards the decision to the King, who signs the Royal Decree granting you Dutch nationality. If it is refused, you can object.

Step 5: The Naturalisation Ceremony

Once approved, your municipality invites you to a naturalisation ceremony, which you must attend within one year of the positive decision. The national naturalisation day is 15 December, and municipalities may hold extra ceremonies on other days (Government.nl). At the ceremony, you make the Declaration of Solidarity (verklaring van verbondenheid) in Dutch, choosing between a version with an oath and one with a promise.

Attending is compulsory for everyone aged 16 or over who is becoming Dutch. If you do not attend, you do not become Dutch and have to apply again. At the ceremony you receive the naturalisation decision (naturalisatiebesluit) as proof of your Dutch nationality.

Step 6: Apply for Your Dutch Passport

With the naturalisation decision you can apply for a Dutch passport or identity card at your municipality. In 2026 a passport for an adult costs at most €88.65 and an identity card at most €80.10; your municipality sets the exact fee within that maximum (Rijksoverheid, checked 31 October 2026).

The Option Procedure

The option procedure is open to people with a specific connection to the Netherlands. According to the IND, you can opt for Dutch nationality if, among other situations:

You were born in the Kingdom: you were born in the Kingdom, have always lived there, are now an adult and have valid residence; or you were born stateless in the Kingdom and have lived there for at least three consecutive years with a valid residence permit.

You have lived in the Kingdom for a long time: you have lived in the Kingdom since your fourth birthday with valid residence and are now an adult; or you have lived in the Kingdom for at least 15 consecutive years with valid residence and have been married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen for at least three years; or you have those 15 years and are 65 or older.

You were born to a Dutch mother before 1 January 1985: your father was not Dutch at the time of your birth. Children of such a person may also qualify.

You were acknowledged by or are under the authority of a Dutch parent: as a minor, if the Dutch parent has cared for and raised you for at least three years.

You are a former Dutch citizen: you have lived in the Kingdom for at least one year with a permanent permit or a permit with a non-temporary purpose (or EU residence rights). This route is closed if you lost your Dutch nationality because you did not renounce your other nationality.

The option statement is submitted at the municipality and costs €241 for one person in 2026 (compared to €1,139 for naturalisation). The municipality decides within 13 weeks, which it can extend once by up to 13 weeks. There is no civic integration requirement, and you usually keep your other nationality, except on the route “lived in the Kingdom since your fourth birthday”. You still have to attend the naturalisation ceremony.

If you have Dutch family or a long-term Dutch partner, check the option routes before you start a naturalisation application.

Dual Nationality: The Rules and Exceptions

The General Rule: Renounce Your Other Nationality

The IND says the Dutch government wants to limit dual nationality because it is not always clear what your rights and obligations are if you have more than one nationality; those of your other nationality may conflict with those of Dutch nationality.

When you apply, you sign a declaration that you will renounce your current nationality once you are Dutch. The IND checks that you do. After the ceremony it sends you a letter (sometimes a few months later) saying you must renounce. From that letter you have three months to send proof that you have applied to renounce, and later a copy of the official document confirming it. If you do not renounce when required, the IND can revoke your Dutch nationality. Keep your address in the BRP up to date so the letter reaches you (IND, ‘Renouncing your nationality’, page updated 8 June 2026).

Exceptions: When You Can Keep Your Original Nationality

EU citizenship is not on the IND’s list of exceptions: an EU national who naturalises must in principle renounce, unless one of the exceptions below applies. According to the IND, you do not have to renounce if:

1. You are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen on the date the Royal Decree is signed. If you marry after that date, you must renounce.

2. You hold an asylum residence permit, or an EU long-term resident permit with a note that you were granted international protection.

3. You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and live here now. You do not need to have lived here all your life.

4. You received a residence permit in 2007 or 2008 under the RANOV scheme and became Dutch after 1 November 2021 (1 June 2021 if you were a minor then).

5. Your nationality is of a country the Netherlands does not recognise, such as Taiwan or the Palestinian Territories.

6. Your country does not allow renunciation. The IND keeps a country list; in some cases you lose your old nationality automatically when you become Dutch.

Requesting an exemption. If renouncing would have serious consequences, you can ask to keep your nationality, with evidence. The IND gives examples: a large sum payable to renounce, losing rights such as an inheritance, or having to do or buy off military service first. You must request this with your application; after you become Dutch it is too late.

Minors who naturalise do not have to renounce, and most option routes do not require it either.

Losing Dutch Nationality Later

As an adult you can lose Dutch nationality again (IND, ‘Losing Dutch nationality’, page updated 18 August 2026):

• If you voluntarily acquire another nationality, you automatically lose your Dutch nationality, whether you live abroad or in the Netherlands. There are three exceptions: you were born in that country and live there when you acquire it; you lived there for at least five consecutive years before turning 18; or you acquire the nationality of your spouse or registered partner.
• If you have another nationality and live outside the Kingdom and the EU for 13 consecutive years, you lose Dutch nationality automatically. The count stops if you live in the Kingdom or the EU for more than a year, and restarts when you receive a new Dutch passport, identity card or Declaration of Possession of Dutch Citizenship.
• If you renounce it yourself with a declaration of renunciation, unless that would leave you stateless.

The government can also revoke Dutch nationality, for example if you do not renounce your other nationality when required or if you withheld information during the procedure.

Before You Apply

Think through what renouncing your original nationality means for you: your right to live and work in your home country, property, inheritance and pension. Check the IND’s country list for your nationality, because some countries do not allow renunciation and others end it automatically. Get country-specific advice if you are unsure.

Planned Changes

None of the following is law yet; the current rules apply to every application. Status as of 26 October 2026, unless stated otherwise:

• Ten years instead of five: the previous cabinet put a bill extending the naturalisation period from five to ten years out for internet consultation from 30 September to 1 December 2025. The government’s legislative calendar (wetgevingskalender) still lists it in the preparation phase; it had not been submitted to parliament.
• Six years and B1: the 2027 budget of the Ministry of Asylum and Migration says that, because the permanent residence permit is disappearing, naturalisation will be made possible on a temporary permit, in principle after six years if the temporary permit was granted twice in a row and the higher language requirement at B1 is met. It says the cabinet will work on these bills in 2027. A new Besluit naturalisatietoets with the civic integration requirements is listed as being in internal preparation.
• Dual nationality: the private member’s bill 34632 (Paternotte and Mutluer) to modernise nationality law, which would scrap the obligation to renounce, has not been voted on; the Tweede Kamer had scheduled a plenary debate for the week of 7 December 2026 (status on 30 October 2026).

Costs and Timeline

Costs

Sources: IND fee table and inburgeren.nl for the fees, Rijksoverheid for the passport and ID maxima, all checked 31 October 2026. IND fees change every year on 1 January. Not included: translation and legalisation of documents, language courses and the cost of renouncing your other nationality, which differ per provider and country.

Timeline

Required Documents Checklist

Your municipality tells you which documents apply to your situation.

Always required:

• Valid passport or other travel document
• Birth certificate from your country of origin, legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German
• Valid residence permit or other proof of lawful residence (not needed for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens)
• Civic integration diploma or proof of exemption or dispensation
• Application form and declarations, completed at the municipality

If applicable:

• Marriage or registered partnership certificate (three-year partner route; not needed if registered in the BRP)
• Proof that you lived together abroad, such as a population register extract, rental contract or bank statements in both names
• Passport, birth certificate and residence permit of each child you include
• Statement (zienswijze) of the other parent if only one parent applies for a child
• Refugee or foreigner’s passport (asylum permit or stateless)
• Documentation for a renunciation exemption

What Changes After You Become Dutch?

Freedom of Movement

As a Dutch national you are an EU citizen. You have the right to move to any EU country to live, work, study, look for a job or retire, and you generally don’t need a work permit anywhere in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland (Your Europe).

If you have used the visa permit finder tool, you will no longer need it for yourself, though it can still help if you are helping family members.

Voting Rights

Voting in Tweede Kamer and provincial elections requires Dutch nationality, so these elections become open to you once you are Dutch and 18 or older (Kiesraad).

No More Residence Permit

As a Dutch citizen you no longer need a residence permit to live in the Netherlands, so there are no IND extensions and your residence no longer depends on your job or relationship. If you work on a highly skilled migrant permit, tell your employer’s HR team that you have become Dutch.

Your Home Country

If you renounced your original nationality, check what that means for property, inheritance and other rights in your country of origin. Get local legal advice if necessary.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Applying on the wrong permit. A permit with a temporary purpose, such as study or the orientation year, does not qualify. Your permit must also still be valid on the day of the ceremony; if it expires during the procedure, apply for an extension.

Not checking your residence history. The five years must be consecutive, with valid residence and extensions applied for on time. If you lived abroad for a while, raise it with your municipality before you pay the €1,139 fee.

Ignoring the dual nationality rules. Do not assume that EU citizens are exempt: EU citizenship is not on the IND’s list of exceptions, so you must in principle renounce unless one of them applies, for example marriage to a Dutch citizen. The IND follows up after the ceremony, and not renouncing can cost you your Dutch nationality. When in doubt, consult a lawyer.

Leaving the exam too late. Registration can take more than six weeks and some results up to 16 weeks, so plan the exam well before you want to apply.

Missing the ceremony. If you do not attend within one year of the positive decision, you do not become Dutch and have to apply again.

Not including children. Minor children who live in the Netherlands with a suitable permit can be included in your application for €168 per child (2026). Otherwise they need a separate subsequent naturalisation later, which requires three years of residence for the child (a child born during your procedure is the exception: free of charge, if you apply within one year of becoming Dutch).

If you are planning the cost alongside other expenses, our cost of living in the Netherlands guide can help.

Your Next Steps

1. Check your eligibility. Count back five years and confirm your residence has been continuous and legal, and that your current permit has a non-temporary purpose. If you have Dutch family or a long-term Dutch partner, check the option routes.

2. Start collecting documents. Your birth certificate must be legalised and, if needed, translated into Dutch, English, French or German, unless it is already registered in the BRP.

3. Sort out the civic integration requirement. Check whether you already have a qualifying diploma or exemption. If not, register for the exams. Use the inburgering route builder to find the right path.

4. Understand the renunciation rules for your nationality. Check the IND country list and whether an exception applies.

5. Budget for it. In 2026 the naturalisation fee is €1,139 for one person. Translations, legalisation and a new passport come on top, and if you still have to sit the civic integration exams, so do DUO’s exam fees: €250 to €290 for the full set.

6. Book an appointment at your municipality once you meet the requirements.

If you are just starting out in the Netherlands, the complete guide to moving to the Netherlands covers the first steps, and the highly skilled migrant visa guide explains how residence permits work on the way to permanent residence and nationality.

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