Applying for Dutch citizenship

Do you want to become a Dutch citizen? This is possible by option or naturalization. You apply for this at the municipality.

You can also make an appointment to video call.

Call 045-5605040

Approach

This is how you apply for Dutch citizenship:

You go to the municipality.
You bring:
- your valid ID
- a valid residence permit or other proof of lawful residence
  (this is not required if you are from a country of the EU, EEA or Switzerland )
- your birth certificate
- When applying for naturalization:
  - your integration certificate
  - if you have one: your marriage certificate
  - if you have one: a report of initial or further hearing
You pay at the time of application.
You will receive a letter with the decision and possibly an invitation to the naturalization ceremony.

An option request is handled by the municipality itself. With a naturalization request, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) decides whether you will become a Dutch citizen.

Your documents, such as the birth certificate, must be in Dutch, English, French or German. Is the document written in another language? If you are from the European Union, request a multilingual model form in your country of birth. Are you not from the European Union? Have the document legalized and translated.

Have your passport or identity card handy.

Phone appointment for image calling

Call 045-5605040. Tell them you would like an appointment for a video call. The call can take place from your home or another place you feel comfortable. What do you need and how does it work.

Cost

The option process costs:

for you alone: €217.00 (2024) / €231.00 (2025)
For a married couple or registered partners: € 370.00 (2024) / € 395.00 (2025)
For a minor for whom you also make a request immediately: €24.00 (2024) / €26.00 (2025)

Naturalization costs:

for you alone: €1,023.00 (2024) / €1,091.00 (2025)
For a married couple or registered partners: €1,305.00 (2024) / €1,393.00 (2025)
for a minor for whom you also make a request immediately: €151.00 (2024) / €161.00 (2025)

Are you stateless? Or do you have an asylum residence permit (document III or IV)? Then naturalization costs:

for you alone: €760.00 (2024) / €811.00 (2025)
For a married couple or registered partners: €1,044.00 (2024) / €1,114.00 (2025)

You pay this at the time of your application.

(Rates 2024/2025)

Description

You can apply for Dutch nationality in 2 ways: by option or naturalization. By option is the fastest way. Not everyone can obtain the Dutch nationality through option. The municipality checks whether this applies to you.

Can't get the Dutch nationality through option? Then you can get the Dutch nationality through naturalization. With naturalization, you must first integrate.

Has your application to become a Dutch citizen been approved? Then the municipality will invite you to a naturalization ceremony. After that ceremony, you will be a Dutch citizen. You can then apply for a Dutch passport or identity card.

Terms

Conditions for applying for Dutch citizenship are:

You are of age.
You have a residence permit. Or you are from an EU , EEA or Swiss country .
You have not had a sentence for a crime in the past 5 years.
You meet the conditions for option or the conditions for naturalization.

Are you making an application for your child? The requirements for this include:

At the time of application, your child is living in the Netherlands.
Your child has a residence permit.
Is your child 16 or 17 years old? If so, your child must have lived continuously and legally in the Netherlands for at least 3 years prior to the application.

Term

In the case of an option request, the municipality decides. The municipality decides within 13 weeks after receiving your request. Is this not possible? Then the municipality may extend this period 1 time.

For a naturalization request, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) decides. A maximum of 2 years is needed for the assessment and approval of your request. Usually it succeeds within 1 year.

Objection and appeal

You can object to the decision on your option request. Do this within 6 weeks. Do you then disagree with the decision on the objection? Then file an appeal with the court.

You can appeal the decision on your naturalization request to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).