Naturalisation in the Netherlands as the partner of a Dutch citizen

If you're considering becoming a Dutch citizen through naturalisation, it is important to understand the key requirements and processes involved. If you are the partner of a Dutch citizen, some favourable rules may apply to you. Leonie Haenen from Everaert Advocaten gives you a breakdown of the main conditions and some special circumstances that could apply to your situation.

General requirements

To be eligible for naturalisation in the Netherlands, you must meet the following general criteria:

• Residency: You need to have lived in the Netherlands for at least five consecutive years with a valid residence permit.
• Residence permit: Your Dutch residence permit must be for a non-temporary purpose.
• Renunciation of other nationalities: In most cases, you are required to give up your current nationality, unless this is not possible, or you fall under an exception.
• Civic integration diploma: You must have passed the civic integration exam or have an equivalent diploma.
• Valid documentation: A valid passport and birth certificate are necessary.
• Clean criminal record: You cannot have had any criminal convictions in the past 5 years.

Naturalisation term

The standard five-year residency requirement means that you must have lived in the Netherlands continuously for this period and always had your residence permit renewed on time, without any gaps. For partners of Dutch citizens (married or unmarried) this five-year term may be shorter.

Unmarried partners

If you live in the Netherlands and have lived continuously with your Dutch partner, you may already be eligible to file your naturalisation request after three years of cohabitation. You do not need to be married or have a registered partnership. It is essential that you can provide evidence of your uninterrupted cohabitation, such as your address registration, to support your application.

Example: James (Canadian) has been living in the Netherlands for one year, when he moves in with his girlfriend Maria (Dutch). After living together with Maria for three years in the Netherlands and without being married and meeting the other requirements, James can file his naturalisation request. By then, he will have lived in the Netherlands for a total of four years.

Married partners

If you are married to, or in a registered partnership with, a Dutch national for over three years and you also have been living together for more than three years, you can apply for naturalisation from abroad. If you have been living together as unmarried partners in the Netherlands before moving abroad together, the time you lived together in the Netherlands immediately preceding your marriage or registered partnership also counts towards the three years. It is important to note that you cannot apply for naturalisation from abroad if you are living in the country of which you have the nationality.

Example 1: Jussi (Finnish) and Mark (Dutch) have been living together in the United States for three years. Jussi cannot file his naturalisation request in the United States yet, because they are not married. Jussi and Mark get married. Three years later, Jussi can file his naturalisation request at the Dutch embassy in Washington D.C.

Example 2: Mohamed (Egyptian) and Anna (Dutch) are married and are living together in Egypt for ten years. Mohamed cannot file his naturalisation request in Egypt, because he is an Egyptian citizen. Mohamed and Anna move together to France. Since they have already been married and living together for more than three years, Mohamed can file a naturalisation request at the Dutch embassy in Paris, as soon as they live in France and have secured legal residency.

Dual citizenship

The main rule in Dutch citizenship law is that anyone who becomes Dutch through naturalisation must renounce their original nationality. However, if you are married to, or in a registered partnership with a Dutch national at the time you obtain Dutch citizenship, Dutch law allows you to retain your original nationality. It is not required to have been married for three years; you simply need to be married to a Dutch national on the date of naturalisation. Whether you are allowed to keep your original nationality also depends on the citizenship law of your country of origin.

Understanding the rules and timelines for naturalisation can help you plan your path to Dutch and dual citizenship. If you need help preparing your naturalisation request or if you would like assistance with the application for Dutch citizenship in the Netherlands or abroad, don't hesitate to contact Leonie Haenen, attorney-at-law at Everaert Advocaten, at haenen@everaert.nl or +31 207 523 200.