How to Get Netherlands Citizenship (2026): Routes, Years, Requirements

Key facts

Based on GLOBALCIT data, not yet verified by our team

Residence for naturalisation: 5 years1 change not yet in force and not applied: see the timeline.
Language: Test or certificate
Dual citizenship: Not accepted

Civic test: Required, with a test or certificate
Criminal record: A criminal record or good character condition applies
Income condition: No income condition in the law
Dual citizenship in detail: Not acceptedNew citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions.Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically, with exceptions.
Available routes: Naturalisation (residence)Marriage or civil partnership Descent (citizen parent)Birth in the country Child of a new citizen Adoption Former citizens (reacquisition)Residence during childhood Very long residence Refugees Stateless persons Special achievements
Region: Europe
Law in force as of: 1 January 2024
Last checked: 5 November 2026

What changed since 2024

29 September 2025Proposal
Government bill to raise the naturalisation residence requirement from 5 to 10 years; in the legislative process, not law.
Secondary source (law firm or media). Source: dutchnews.nl

The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. The changes in the timeline above are not in force and are not applied.

12 routes in the law of the Netherlands.

Naturalisation (residence)

Entitlement

This route covers foreign residents who seek citizenship after living in the Netherlands, subject to the conditions below. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Proposal, 29 September 2025: Government bill to raise the naturalisation residence requirement from 5 to 10 years; in the legislative process, not law.

Residence: 5 years
Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 5 years immediately before the application and there are no objections against indefinite residence in the country.
Previous citizenship: New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
Renunciation or automatic loss of citizenship of another country (with exceptions).
Language: Required, with a test or certificate
Proficiency in Dutch language (certification) required.
Civic knowledge: Required, with a test or certificate
Knowledge of Dutch society (citizenship test) and declaration of solidarity required.
Criminal record: A criminal record or good character condition applies
Person may not be a threat to public order, public decency or safety.
Income or economic resources: No income condition in the law

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 8(1)

Marriage or civil partnership

Entitlement

This route covers people married to a citizen of the Netherlands, subject to the conditions below. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Person has been the spouse of a citizen, with common household, for 3 years. Person must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years in case of sustained relationship other than marriage or registered partnership. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 8(2), 8(4)

Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years (only for marriage and registered partnership).

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(g)

Descent (citizen parent)

Automatic

Descent from a citizen parent is the basis of this route in the Netherlands. No authority decides this matter, since citizenship follows directly from the law of the Netherlands.

Descent (born in country)

Person is born in the Netherlands to a citizen.

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 3(1)

Descent (born abroad)

Person is born abroad to a citizen.

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 3(1)

Birth in the country

AutomaticEntitlement

For people born in the Netherlands, the rules below show when birth there leads to citizenship.

Birth in country (two generations)

Person is born to a parent who is resident in the Netherlands at the time of the person's birth and who was him/herself also born to a parent who was resident in the Netherlands at the time of his/her birth. Person must also be resident in the Netherlands at the time of birth.

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 3(3)

Birth in country (acquisition after birth)

Person is born in the Netherlands and has been resident there since birth.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(a)

Child of a new citizen

EntitlementAutomatic

For children whose parent becomes a citizen of the Netherlands, the rules below set out what applies.

Transfer to a child

Person is a minor who is put under joint custody of 2 persons at least one of whom is a citizen who has raised the child for 3 years, and the child's residence is not in another country of which the child is a citizen.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(d)

Child coacquisition

Person is a minor whose parent is acquiring citizenship by naturalisation and the child is mentioned in the naturalisation decree (if child is 16 or 17: only with explicit consent). Child must have been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years immediately before the application. No language and integration requirements. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 11(1)(2)(3)

Child coacquisition

Person is a minor whose parent is acquiring citizenship by declaration and the child is mentioned in the declaration (if child is 16 or 17: only with explicit consent). Child must be resident in the Netherlands.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(8)

Adoption

AutomaticDiscretionary

Adoption by a citizen of the Netherlands is the basis of this route.

Person is a minor who has been adopted by a citizen (acquisition 3 months after judicial decision).

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 5, 5(a), 5(b)

Person is an adult who is adopted by a citizen. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.

DiscretionaryNationality law: Art. 8(2)

Former citizens (reacquisition)

Entitlement

For former citizens of the Netherlands, the rules below show when citizenship can be reacquired. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Person is a former citizen who lost citizenship other than by failure to renounce citizenship of another country (mode L10) and there are no objections to indefinite residence in the Netherlands.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 8(2)

Person has been resident in the Netherlands for 1 year and there are no objections to indefinite residence in the Netherlands.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(f)

Person lost Dutch citizenship and Union citizenship by operation of lawt and at the time it was reasonably foreseeable that this would lead to disproportionate consequences from the point of view of EU law. Reacquisition is retroactive.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(p)

Residence during childhood

Entitlement

This route covers people who lived in the Netherlands during childhood, subject to the conditions below. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Person is an adult and has been resident in the Netherlands since the age of 4.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(e)

Very long residence

Entitlement

This route covers people with an extended period of residence in the Netherlands, subject to the conditions below. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Person is 65 years old and has been resident in the Netherlands for 15 years.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(h)

Refugees

Entitlement

For recognised refugees in the Netherlands, the rules below set out what applies. The Netherlands requires an application, after which citizenship must be granted if conditions are fulfilled.

Person is a recognised refugee and has been resident in Netherlands for 5 years. No requirement to renounce previous citizenship. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 9(3)(d)

Stateless persons

AutomaticEntitlement

This route covers stateless people and children who would otherwise be stateless, subject to the conditions below.

Foundlings

Person is a minor who is found in the Netherlands or aboard a ship or aircraft from the country and is of unknown parentage.

AutomaticNationality law: Art. 3(2)

Otherwise stateless (born in country)

Person (minor or adult) is born in the Netherlands, has been stateless since birth and resident there for 3 years.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)(b)

Otherwise stateless (born in country)

Person has not reached the age of 21, is born in the Netherlands, has been stateless since birth and cannot reasonably acquire any other nationality, and has physically resided in the Netherlands for 5 years (regular or irregular residence).

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 6(1)q)

Stateless persons

Person is stateless and has been resident in the Netherlands for 3 years immediately before the application.

EntitlementNationality law: Art. 8(4)

Special achievements

Discretionary

Special achievements, or a national interest in granting citizenship, are the basis of this route in the Netherlands. The Netherlands allows authorities to refuse an application, even where conditions have been met.

Person is a special case (e.g. the spouse of a diplomat, a sportsman or a person who deserves special treatment on humanitarian grounds). Possibility to waive residence and other requirements. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.

DiscretionaryNationality law: Art. 10

Not available in the Netherlands: Other family members of citizens, Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Public or military service, Investment. This follows the GLOBALCIT coding, with in-force changes applied.

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is coded as not accepted in the Netherlands, for new citizens and for citizens who naturalise abroad.

New citizens: New citizens must give up their previous citizenship, with major exceptions
Citizens who naturalise abroad: Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically, with exceptions
Person voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country. Provision does not apply if person is born and resides in another country, or resided in another country for 5 years before majority, or is married to a citizen of another country (adults), or his/her parent is citizen of the Netherlands (minors), or acquired citizenship by birth in the Netherlands. No exception to main rule if Article 1 of 1963 Strasbourg Convention applies.

Compare with neighbours

Under the law of the Netherlands, 5 years applies, in line with the usual requirement across Western Europe.

Check where Netherlands sits in the full residence ranking

Countries in Western Europe with the closest residence requirement
Country	Residence	Language	Dual citizenship
Austria	10 years	Test or certificate	Not accepted
Belgium	5 years	Test or certificate	Accepted
France	5 years	Test or certificate	Accepted
Germany	5 years	Test or certificate	Accepted
Liechtenstein	10 years	Test or certificate	Citizens abroad only
Luxembourg	5 years	Test or certificate	Accepted

Official sources

Becoming a Dutch national through naturalisation

This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.

Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 8(1).

Cite this page

APA citation

TravelDecl. (2026, November 5). How to Get Netherlands Citizenship. https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/netherlands/

HTML link

<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/netherlands/">How to Get Netherlands Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, last checked 5 November 2026)

Sources and licence

Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.

Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.

GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.

FAQ

How many years to become a Dutch citizen?

Ordinary naturalisation in the Netherlands requires 5 years of residence, plus the other conditions in the law. A change that is not yet in force may affect this: see the timeline above.