Eligibility quiz
Was your mother a Dutch citizen when you were born?
Benefits
Benefits for youBenefits for you
Dutch passport and ID
A Dutch passport is a worldwide travel document; a Dutch identity card allows travel in the EU and certain other European countries.
Both documents last 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under 18.
Live in Netherlands for life
Dutch citizens can enter and live in the Netherlands without a visa or residence permit.
Citizenship has no expiry date, even when a passport or identity card expires.
Study in Netherlands
Dutch citizens can study in the Netherlands without immigration restrictions.
Work in Netherlands
Dutch citizens can work or be self-employed in the Netherlands without a work permit.
They also have the right to join the Dutch armed forces.
Get help abroad
Dutch consular services can help after a hospital stay or lost travel documents and may issue emergency documents.
Where the Netherlands cannot help or has no representation, another EU country's embassy or consulate may help.
Vote and run for office
Dutch citizens can vote at 18 and stand for election; a court can take away the right to vote.
Abroad, registration allows voting in Dutch and European Parliament elections and the Senate's non-resident electoral college.
In another EU country, citizens can vote and stand in local and European Parliament elections.
Use public healthcare
Dutch citizens can use healthcare in the Netherlands.
People who live or work there generally need Dutch health insurance, normally from arrival and no later than four months; the standard package covers primary and hospital care.
Receive social support
Dutch citizens can use public services without immigration restrictions.
Pensions, income support and help with housing, healthcare, childcare or care at home depend on factors such as residence, work, income and need.
How to apply
Applying at the town hallApplying at the town hall
Find your town hall
Find the town hall for the municipality where you live.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “Which town hall serves your city in the Netherlands for a Dutch citizenship option application?”
Get the application form
Get the option statement form for your situation from your town hall.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I get the Netherlands Dutch citizenship option statement form from the town hall in your city?”
Fill in the form
Fill in the option statement form. Follow the town hall’s instructions about signing it in front of an official.
Get form helpSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I fill in a Netherlands Dutch citizenship option statement form?”
Gather your documents
Prepare the required documents for the town hall.
See required documentsBook an appointment
Contact your town hall and book an appointment or follow its appointment instructions.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I book a Dutch citizenship option application appointment at the town hall in your city in the Netherlands?”
Go to your appointment
Bring your form and required documents to the town hall, and sign the statement as the official instructs. Pay the fee there when you apply; ask the town hall which payment methods it accepts.
Searches DuckDuckGo for “How do I submit and pay for a Dutch citizenship option application at the town hall in your city in the Netherlands?”
Wait for the decision
Wait for the town hall to tell you its decision, and answer any requests for more information or documents. If it refuses your application, follow the instructions in the decision if you want to challenge it.
See what happensSearches DuckDuckGo for “What happens after I submit a Dutch citizenship option application to a town hall in the Netherlands?”
Attend your ceremony
If you are required to attend, go to the naturalisation ceremony and make the declaration of solidarity. You can then apply for a Dutch passport.
Find ceremony detailsSearches DuckDuckGo for “How do I attend a naturalisation ceremony after a Dutch citizenship option application in the Netherlands?”
Documents needed
Family certificates and recordsFamily certificates and records
Birth certificates
Get a complete copy of your birth certificate or an extract from the birth register showing your place of birth and both parents’ full names. Bring the original and a photocopy; a hospital certificate is not enough.
Parents' citizenship records
Get records showing that your Dutch parent was Dutch when you were born, such as a historical population-register record or a Dutch passport valid on that date. If you are applying through the option procedure as a child born before 1985 to a Dutch mother, also bring records showing that your father was not Dutch when you were born, such as his historical population-register record. Bring originals and photocopies; records already registered in the Dutch population register normally do not need to be obtained again.
Marriage certificates *
Get your parents’ marriage certificate from the office that issued it. Bring the original and a photocopy, along with any records needed to explain a name change.
* Only if your parents' marriage or name history needs to be established.
May need translationMay need apostille/legalisationConsiderations
Things to think aboutThings to think about
Citizenship can be lost
With another citizenship, you can lose citizenship after 13 years outside the EU, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten without a new Dutch passport, ID or nationality certificate.
For children, the clock starts at 18; some official postings are exempt.
You can also give it up or lose it for fraud, certain convictions, security or joining forces fighting the Netherlands or an ally from 16; rules differ if left stateless.
Discuss
Online communitiesOnline communities
Netherlands/ Dutch Nationality Law - Questions and Answers
English Facebook group for people interested in Dutch citizenship
Request to joinExpats in The Netherlands
English Facebook group for people living in the Netherlands interested in Dutch local life
Join on FacebookExpats Netherlands | housing | work | Amsterdam | Utrecht | Den Haag |
English Facebook group for people living in the Netherlands interested in Dutch local life
Join on FacebookConsultation
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