Naturalized Dutch citizens often have to renounce their current nationality

The Daily Herald asks attention for naturalization issues. People who have opted to become a naturalised Dutch citizen must be prepared to renounce their current nationality by giving up their existing (non-Dutch) citizenship. This requirement has been in force for some years now.

When applying for naturalization, the applicant has to sign a statement indicating that they will give up their existing nationality after acquiring Dutch citizenship. There are a number of exceptions to this requirement.

An applicant does not have to renounce their current nationality if he/she automatically loses the original nationality when becoming a Dutch citizen, if the applicant can only
renounce existing nationality after having acquired Dutch citizenship or the applicant’s country’s legislation does not allow giving up one’s nationality.

Renouncing an existing nationality is not required if the applicant is married to or is the registered partner of a Dutch citizen and applicant is a recognised refugee.

Applicants born in the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao or St. Maarten and still living there when application was submitted for Dutch nationality do not have to give up their existing nationality.

Applicants do not have to give up existing nationality if they cannot be expected to contact the authorities in the country of which they are a national, if they have special and objectively assessable reasons for not renouncing their nationality and are nationals of a state that is not recognised by the Netherlands.

No renouncing is needed if the applicant has to pay a large sum of money to the authorities in their country of origin to renounce current nationality. Applicant must be able to demonstrate this.

If an applicant for Dutch nationality will lose certain rights when giving up their current nationality leading to serious financial losses, for example with respect to laws of succession, he/she will not be required to give up their current nationality. This fact will need to be fully demonstrated to Dutch authorities.

If an applicant either has to fulfil or buy out their military service before being able to renounce their nationality, no renouncement of current nationality is required. This fact will need to be fully demonstrated to Dutch authorities.

If one of the exceptions relate to an applicant, he/she must inform his/her local municipality (or governor in St. Maarten’s case) of this upon submitting application. The Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Department (IND) will then assess whether the exception indicated is indeed applicable. Once Dutch citizenship has been acquired, Dutch passport holders will no longer be able to claim that one of the exceptions is applicable to them, according the Dutch IND website.

For more information, visit https://ind.nl/en/individuals/residence-wizard/dutchcitizenship/naturalisation/Pages/default.aspx.