Nearly 48,000 people gained Dutch citizenship through naturalization this year

Until December 1 this year, 47,890 people became Dutch citizens through naturalization - almost 35,000 adults and about 13,000 children. That is more than in the same period last year when 44,170 people became Dutch through naturalization, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) reported ahead of Nationalization Day on Friday.

The number of naturalizations has been high for several years. In 2022, there were 51,480 and 55,930 in 2021. For comparison, the IND made 27,090 naturalization decisions in 2019.

The increase results from the high number of asylum seekers who fled to the Netherlands in previous years. Migrants who have been living in the Netherlands lawfully for five years can apply for naturalization if they meet all the conditions. A large proportion of this year’s naturalizations were people with refugee status (12,400) or a residency permit to live with a family member (14,020). The most common nationality of applicants is Syrian.

After five years of lawful residency, migrants can submit a naturalization request to their municipality. The IND assesses the request and, if successful, submits a proposal to grant Dutch citizenship to the King. The King makes the formal decision.

The municipality then invites the applicant for a naturalization ceremony, after which they are officially Dutch. That means they can vote in Dutch elections and fulfill all public functions, among other things.