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Citizenship · Netherlands
For non-EU residents of the Netherlands approaching 5 years of lawful residence.
Five years of admission and main residence in the Netherlands immediately before the application, a passed civic integration exam, and in most cases giving up the nationality you hold now. We check all three before you pay the application fee.
Get a quoteFacts checked on
NetherlandsEUSchengen
How it works
Most applicants meet the 5 years. The renunciation rule is what makes them hesitate.
Article 8 of the Nationality Act, in the text in force since 1 October 2023, asks for at least 5 years of admission and main residence immediately before the application. A gap in the residence permit or a period of main residence abroad restarts the count.
Proposals to lengthen the period have been discussed politically; on our check date they are not in the law.
You must have passed civic integration: Dutch language and knowledge of Dutch society. We do not teach the language; we check that your certificate or exemption is the one the naturalisation file accepts.
Renunciation of your current nationality is generally required. Exceptions exist in law, and we check whether one applies to you before you apply, because a wrong assumption here cannot be fixed after the decision.
We reconstruct your residence history from permits and municipal records, check the integration evidence and the renunciation position, and prepare the application you file at your municipality.
What you getEUSchengen
Requirements
Three conditions from the Nationality Act; we check each against documents.
Legal basis:Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap (Dutch Nationality Act)
Registered address alone is not enough if your life is centred abroad.
Renunciation exemptions are narrow; we name the one that applies or tell you none does.
Gaps between permits and missing integration evidence cause most problems. Both show up in the residence history we build first.
Indicative prices; the final quote depends on your case. We usually reply within one business day.
Process
Four steps; the decision is taken by the Dutch authorities.
We list every permit and address period and check the 5-year chain.
Written residence timeline
You send the integration certificate; we confirm the renunciation position.
Checked evidence
We prepare the application; you file it in person at your municipality.
Filed application
Refusals
Three grounds from the conditions above.
Checked on
| Reason for refusal | What closes it | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Break in the 5-year residence chain | We build the timeline before filing and wait if a gap resets the count.5 years | Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap (Dutch Nationality Act) |
| Integration not passed or wrong certificate | We check the certificate type against the naturalisation rules. | Not published |
| No renunciation and no exemption | We confirm the exemption in writing or advise you not to file. | Not published |
Long term
Both need 5 years; only citizenship ends permit renewals for good.
Changes
Updated
Dutch citizenship by naturalisationOpen
| Date | What changed | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upcoming | ReformPlanned: expat scheme maximum reduced from 30% to 27% with higher income standard; effective date described by RVO as not yet final. | Whole country | Business.gov.nl (RVO) |
| ReformHighly skilled migrant and EU Blue Card salary thresholds indexed (30+: EUR 5,942/month; Blue Card EUR 5,942). | Whole country | Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) | |
| TransitionMiCA transitional period ended; crypto-asset service providers need an AFM licence. | Whole country | Business.gov.nl (KVK) | |
| ReformNew online gambling protection measures: default deposit limits and mandatory contact before raising them. | Whole country | Government of the Netherlands | |
| Reform30% ruling (expat scheme) reform: new rules for employees starting from 2024 and salary cap at the Top Incomes Act limit; planned reduction to 27% from 2027 (status to be confirmed). | Whole country | Business.gov.nl (RVO) |
Documents
Five documents; foreign civil records need legalisation.
Checked on
| Document | Who issues it | Apostille | Translation | Who prepares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant | ||||
| Valid passport | Country of citizenship | No | No | You provide |
| Residence permit | IND | No | No | You provide |
| Birth certificate | Civil registry of birth country | Yes | Yes | You provide |
| Civic integration certificate or exemption | Exam provider | No | No | You provide |
| Residence timeline and application form | Prepared from your records | No | No | We prepare |
Send us your permit history; we reply with the missing documents.Get a quote
Request
Your permit history and integration status give us a first answer.
The information on this site is general and is not legal advice for your specific situation.
Legal disclaimerQuestions
Answers from the Nationality Act as in force on our check date.
5 years of admission and main residence immediately before the application.
Generally no: renunciation is required unless a legal exemption applies. We check exemptions before you file.
It has been discussed politically, but on our check date the law still says 5 years.
Sources
Dutch government pages and the Nationality Act behind this page.
| Source | Publisher | Type | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laws and regulations | |||
| Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap (Dutch Nationality Act) | Overheid.nl (wetten.overheid.nl) | Laws and regulations | Checked on |