Dutch people abroad disappointed that they can still automatically lose nationality

SNBN, a foundation that represents the interest of Dutch people living abroad, said it was incredibly disappointed that Dutch people abroad could still automatically lose their Dutch nationality. The Cabinet’s new bill to amend the Dutch Nationality Act does nothing to prevent that, the foundation said.

According to SNBN, Dutch people living abroad can automatically lose their Dutch nationality if they fail to apply for a new Dutch passport in time while living outside the EU or if they apply for nationality in another country. The new legislative proposal offers a recovery scheme for people who lost their Dutch citizenship between 2003 and 2023 due to the first reason but does nothing to prevent that from happening in the future.

“The government appears to have blinders on. The main rule that you lose your Dutch nationality automatically, immediately, without warning, and without the right to appeal upon acceptance of another nationality remains in effect,” SNBN chairman Eelco Keij said. He also pointed out that the government is doing nothing for the thousands of Dutch people who lost their Dutch nationality before 2003.

The bill is currently in its consultation phase, during which citizens and organizations can comment on it. The SNBN filed an objection and said it was happy to cooperate on a “better, comprehensive version that actually keeps an eye on the interest of all (involuntarily former) Dutch people outside the Netherlands.”