Cabinet to make 10 years minimum to obtain Dutch citizenship
According to the government, the Dutch cabinet plans to double the minimum residency requirement for naturalization from five to 10 years, extending the time foreigners must live legally and continuously in the country before they can apply for Dutch citizenship. The Council of Ministers approved a proposal from Junior Justice and Security Secretary Arno Rutte on Friday to move forward with draft legislation.
Currently, foreign residents can file a naturalization request after five years of legal residence. Under the proposal, applicants would need 10 years of uninterrupted legal stay in the Kingdom and must be "fully integrated" before becoming eligible.
Arno Rutte said the longer period is meant to ensure that Dutch nationality is granted only after a lasting connection has been established. “By lengthening the naturalization period from five to 10 years, we are making sure that people have a stronger bond with our Kingdom and are well integrated and able to fully participate in society before becoming Dutch citizens,” he said.
According to the government, the change would give applicants more time to become part of Dutch society and to demonstrate a durable relationship with the Netherlands or the other parts of the Kingdom.
The proposal will now enter a two-month online consultation period, during which individuals and organizations can submit feedback. The government said these responses will be used to improve the legislation before it is sent to the Council of State for advice and later submitted to the Tweede Kamer.
