Dutch citizenship: how to qualify through naturalisation or option

You can become a Dutch citizen through naturalisation or through the shorter option procedure. Naturalisation normally requires five consecutive years of lawful residence, a valid residence permit, a civic integration diploma and, in principle, renouncing your current nationality; the option procedure is only open to specific groups, such as people born in the Netherlands and former Dutch nationals. Whether you can keep your current nationality is explained in our article on dual citizenship in the Netherlands.

Both routes start at your municipality, and both end with a mandatory naturalisation ceremony. Only after that ceremony are you a Dutch citizen. Below we explain which route applies to you, which conditions and exceptions apply, which documents you need, what the procedure costs and what you can do if your application is refused. This article describes the rules of the Dutch Nationality Act (Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap, RWN) as they apply in October 2026.

Which routes lead to Dutch citizenship?

There are three ways to hold Dutch nationality: by operation of law, through option, and through naturalisation. Most adults who move to the Netherlands will need naturalisation, because option is reserved for people with a specific tie to the Kingdom.

A child becomes Dutch by operation of law if the father or mother is Dutch at the time of birth. A foreign minor child adopted by a Dutch national under a Dutch adoption decision, or a recognised foreign adoption, usually also becomes Dutch. Adults cannot acquire Dutch nationality automatically; they must apply.

The option procedure is a declaration that you want to be Dutch, open to a limited group. It is quicker, cheaper and has no civic integration exam. Naturalisation is the general route for foreign nationals who have lived in the Kingdom for a number of years. The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) assesses naturalisation applications, and the decision is taken by Royal Decree.

For the wider framework, including residence permits and family migration, see our overview of Dutch immigration law.

What are the conditions for naturalisation?

You must be 18 or older, have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for at least five consecutive years with a valid residence permit, have passed the civic integration exam at language level A2 or be exempt, and not pose a danger to public order or national security. In principle, you must also renounce your current nationality.

According to the IND, the main conditions are the following.

• You are 18 years or older. A minor child can be included in a parent’s application.
• You have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten, or the Caribbean Netherlands) for at least five consecutive years with a valid residence permit, unless an exception applies.
• Your residence permit is valid when you apply, during the procedure and on the day of the ceremony.
• You have passed the civic integration exam at language level A2 at least, or you are exempt.
• You are not a danger to public order or national security.
• You are prepared to renounce your current nationality, unless an exemption applies.
• You can prove your identity and nationality with valid documents.

Which residence permit counts?

Your permit must be a permanent residence permit, long-term EU resident status, a temporary permit for a non-temporary purpose of stay (such as a permit for a family member or a highly skilled migrant), or residence as an EU or EEA national under EU law. A permit for a temporary purpose, such as study, is not enough on its own at the time of your application.

Check your residence history carefully. A gap between two permits, for example because you applied for an extension too late, can interrupt the five-year period so that you have to start counting again. Long stays abroad can mean that your main residence was no longer in the Netherlands. If you are unsure, request an overview of your residence history from the IND before you apply. More information on the different permits is in our article on residence permits.

Exceptions to the five-year period

Several groups can apply sooner. According to the IND, the most important exceptions are:

• If you have been married to, or in a registered partnership with, a Dutch national for at least three years and have lived together throughout, you do not need to have lived in the Kingdom at all during that time.
• If you have lived in the Kingdom for three consecutive years with a valid permit, together with the same Dutch partner, married, registered or unmarried, you can apply after those three years.
• If you are stateless and registered as such in the Personal Records Database (BRP), a residence period of three years applies.
• If you have lived in the Kingdom for a total of at least ten years, including the last two years continuously, you can apply after those two years.
• If you previously held Dutch nationality, the residence requirement does not apply; former Dutch nationals can often also use the option procedure.

Proposed extension to ten years

In September 2025 the government announced a bill to extend the standard naturalisation period from five to ten years. At the time of writing, this is a proposal and not current law: until a change enters into force, the five-year rule applies. If you are close to five years of residence and meet the other conditions, it is sensible to apply as soon as you can and to check the status of the bill first.

Who can use the option procedure?

The option procedure is open to five groups: people born in the Kingdom, people recognised by or under the authority of a Dutch national, certain long-term residents of the Kingdom, people born before 1 January 1985 to a Dutch mother (or their children), and former Dutch nationals. Each group has its own detailed conditions under Article 6 RWN.

Examples of the conditions include an adult born in the Kingdom who has lived there since birth, an adult who has lived in the Kingdom with a valid permit since the age of four, and a former Dutch national who has lived in the Kingdom for at least one year with a residence permit for a non-temporary purpose. The exact conditions differ per category and are set out on the IND page on option. Always check them before you decide on a route: if option is open to you, it is faster and cheaper than naturalisation, and no civic integration exam is required.

You apply for option at your municipality with an option declaration (optieverklaring). The municipality handles the procedure, including the checks on your documents and on public order. As with naturalisation, you only become a Dutch national once you have attended the naturalisation ceremony.

Do you have to give up your current nationality?

For naturalisation, you must in principle renounce your current nationality. There are exemptions, for example if you are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch national, if you were born in the Kingdom and live there at the time of your application, or if the law of your country does not allow renunciation.

The list of exemptions is longer, and it includes situations in which renouncing would cause you serious financial loss. The IND assesses whether an exemption applies in your case; you must state and substantiate it in your application.

For option, the renunciation requirement is more limited. According to the IND, it applies in particular to adults who opt because they have lived in the Kingdom since the age of four; children do not have to renounce. Check the requirement for your category before you apply.

Renunciation can have consequences in your country of origin, for example for property rights, inheritance, military service or the right to live and work there. Look into this before you apply. If you are required to renounce, you usually do so after you have become Dutch, and you must send the IND proof that you did so. If you later voluntarily acquire another nationality again, you can lose your Dutch nationality.

What are the integration requirements?

For naturalisation, you must have passed the civic integration exam (inburgeringsexamen) at language level A2 at least, or be exempt. The exam covers speaking, listening, reading and writing Dutch, and knowledge of Dutch society.

You take the exam through the Education Executive Agency (DUO), which also charges the exam fees. Some people are exempt, for example because they have a Dutch diploma of a specified level from education in Dutch, or because they cannot take the exam because of a lasting physical or mental limitation. Such an exemption must be established by DUO or supported by the documents that the IND requires. A diploma obtained under a newer civic integration regime at a higher language level is also accepted.

Plan the exam well in advance. You cannot start the naturalisation procedure until you have the diploma or the exemption, and exam dates and result processing can take several weeks.

Which documents do you need?

You need a valid passport or identity document for each nationality you hold, a birth certificate, your civic integration diploma or proof of exemption, and, where relevant, your marriage or partnership certificate and documents on your children. Foreign civil status documents usually have to be legalised or provided with an apostille.

The birth certificate is often the document that causes the longest delay. It must be an official copy from the civil registry, not a hospital document, and as a rule it must be legalised or provided with an apostille. A document that is not in Dutch, English, French or German must be translated by a sworn translator. Obtaining it from your country of origin can take longer than the rest of the application put together, so start with this document, not with the form. If a document cannot be obtained at all, there are ways to establish the facts by other means, but that procedure is slow.

Keep copies of your residence permit history, your integration diploma and correspondence with the IND. The municipality will tell you which original documents to bring to the appointment and which copies it keeps.

How do you apply, and what does it cost?

You apply for naturalisation or option at the municipality where you live, by appointment. If you live abroad and qualify for naturalisation without residence in the Netherlands, for example as the spouse of a Dutch national, you apply at a Dutch embassy or consulate-general.

At the appointment, an official checks your documents and identity, completes the application with you, and you sign the required declarations. You pay the fee when you apply. The fees for 2026 are:

• Naturalisation: EUR 1,139 for a single applicant, EUR 1,454 for a joint application with your partner, and EUR 168 for a minor child who co-naturalises with a parent
• Option: EUR 241 for a single applicant, EUR 412 for a joint application with your partner, and EUR 27 for a minor child

The fees are adjusted every year on 1 January, and they are not refunded if your application is refused. A minor child who lives with you in the Netherlands can often co-naturalise with you. From the age of 12, your child can give their own view on the application (Article 2(4) of the Dutch Nationality Act). A child of 16 or 17 must explicitly agree, must have at least three years of lawful residence and must attend the ceremony (Article 11(3) RWN).

How long does it take, and what happens after a decision?

The IND must decide on a naturalisation application within 12 months. After a positive decision, you must attend the naturalisation ceremony in your municipality within one year; only then do you become a Dutch citizen.

During the ceremony, you make the declaration of solidarity (verklaring van verbondenheid), in which you declare that you respect the constitutional order of the Kingdom, its freedoms and rights, and that you will fulfil the duties of citizenship. If you do not attend the ceremony within one year, you do not become Dutch. After the ceremony, you can apply for a Dutch passport or identity card at your municipality. You no longer need a residence permit.

If the IND or the municipality needs more information, you receive a written request with a deadline. Respond on time and completely: an incomplete answer is a common reason for delay or refusal. If the IND does not decide within the statutory period, you can send a written notice of default (ingebrekestelling). If the IND still does not decide within two weeks, you can appeal to the court against the failure to decide (Article 6:12 Awb).

What if your application is refused?

You can lodge an objection (bezwaar) within six weeks of the date the decision was sent (Article 6:7 of the General Administrative Law Act, Awb). If the objection is rejected, you can appeal to the court.

In the objection, explain why the decision is wrong and add evidence that addresses the grounds for refusal, such as proof of an exemption or of an uninterrupted residence history. Refusals are often based on public order, a gap in residence or doubts about identity documents. Each calls for a different approach. If the obstacle can be removed, for example by obtaining a missing document, a new application is sometimes faster than an objection; note that a new application means a new fee.

Why are applications delayed or refused?

Most problems come from four sources: a gap in the residence history, a residence permit that expires during the procedure, doubts about identity documents, and public order. Each can usually be spotted before you apply.

A gap in residence is the most common. An extension applied for after the expiry date, a period without a valid permit after a change of employer, or a move abroad that was never deregistered can all interrupt the five-year period. Request your residence history from the IND and compare it with your own records before you book an appointment.

Your permit must remain valid until the day of the ceremony. Naturalisation takes up to a year, and the ceremony can take place up to a year after the decision, so apply for an extension of your permit in good time, even if you expect to become Dutch soon.

Identity documents must be consistent. Differences in the spelling of your name or in your date of birth between your passport, your birth certificate and the Personal Records Database (BRP) lead to questions and delay. Have them corrected at the source where possible.

Finally, public order. Recent criminal convictions, including certain fines and community service orders, can lead to refusal for a number of years, as can a conviction abroad. Traffic fines of a lower amount usually do not count. If you have any doubt, have your situation assessed before you pay the fee, because the fee is not refunded when your application is refused.

What does Dutch citizenship give you?

As a Dutch citizen you have the same rights as every other Dutch national. You can vote and stand in all elections, you receive a Dutch passport, and you are a citizen of the European Union, with the right to live and work in other EU countries.

You no longer need a residence permit and can, in principle, not be expelled from the Netherlands. Dutch nationality obtained through naturalisation can be withdrawn in specific cases, for example if it was obtained through fraud. Check before you apply what naturalisation means for your position in your country of origin.

For the conditions of the standard route in more detail, see our guide on naturalisation in the Netherlands. Looking for something else? Our index of Dutch immigration law guides lists everything we have written on this subject, ordered by topic.

What can we do for you with Dutch citizenship?

Our immigration lawyers guide applicants through the municipality and IND stage of both routes.

• We check whether you qualify for option, which is faster and costs EUR 241 instead of EUR 1,139.
• We compare your IND residence history with your own records and identify any gap in the five-year period.
• We assess whether an exemption from the renunciation requirement applies and substantiate it in the application.
• We review your birth certificate, apostilles and translations before your appointment at the municipality.
• We send the notice of default (ingebrekestelling) when the IND exceeds its 12-month decision period.
• We draft the objection (bezwaar) against a refusal and file it within the six-week deadline.

Summary

• Naturalisation normally requires five consecutive years of residence with a valid permit, a civic integration diploma at level A2 or an exemption, and in principle renouncing your current nationality.
• Partners of Dutch nationals, stateless persons, former Dutch nationals and long-term residents can often apply sooner.
• The option procedure is faster and cheaper (EUR 241 in 2026) but only open to specific groups; check it first.
• You apply at your municipality; the IND decides on naturalisation within 12 months, and you become Dutch only after the ceremony, which you must attend within one year.
• Against a refusal, you can object within six weeks.

Frequently asked questions