Becoming a Dutch citizen: naturalisation & dual nationality (2026)

The final step for many long-term residents. Here's how naturalisation works, the truth about dual nationality, and a big proposed change you should know about.

The standard route: naturalisation

The IND (the immigration service) runs this under the Netherlands Nationality Act (Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap). You apply at your local council (gemeente), which does the first check and forwards it to the IND. If you meet the requirements, the IND proposes to the King that you be granted citizenship, and you attend a naturalisation ceremony at the town hall.

Main requirements:

• 5 years of continuous, legal residence in the Kingdom (with exceptions — see below).
• Pass the civic integration exam at A2 level (or the higher Staatsexamen at B1/B2).
• No threat to public order or national security.

Processing can take up to a year or more.

Shorter routes

The 5 years can drop in some cases — most commonly to 3 years if you're married to or the registered partner of a Dutch citizen and living together. There's also the faster option procedure (~3 months) for specific groups such as children or partners of Dutch nationals and former Dutch nationals — simpler and cheaper than full naturalisation.

Dual nationality: the real picture

The default rule is that you must give up your original nationality when you naturalise — the Netherlands is one of the few EU countries that still asks this. But the exceptions are broad, and in practice a large share of people keep both. You generally don't have to renounce if:

• Your home country doesn't permit renunciation.
• You're married to / a registered partner of a Dutch national.
• You were born in the Netherlands and have your main residence here.
• Renouncing would cause serious disadvantage (e.g. significant financial loss).
• You're a refugee.

And dual nationality acquired automatically at birth is always allowed to be kept.

The big proposed change — watch this

The current government has stated an intention to extend the standard naturalisation period from 5 to 10 years and to tighten the renunciation requirement. This is not law yet. A similar 7-year proposal was passed by the Tweede Kamer in the past but rejected by the Eerste Kamer, and 10 years is the maximum allowed under the European Convention on Nationality. If citizenship is your goal, it's worth keeping an eye on this — but for now the 5-year rule still applies.

Citizenship vs permanent residence

If you mainly want security of stay without changing nationality, permanent residence may suit you better. Choose naturalisation if you want a Dutch passport, voting rights, EU free movement, and a status that can't be lost — and you're comfortable with the nationality question.

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Verified against IND.nl and the Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap (2026). The 5-to-10-year extension is a proposal, not current law. DutchNewcomer provides information, not immigration advice — confirm your situation with the IND or an immigration lawyer.