Becoming a Dutch national: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence

Last update: 21 February 2023

You would like to become a Dutch national. You can become a Dutch national if your residence in the Netherlands is non-temporary. Find out which residence permits are temporary and non-temporary.

In order to become a Dutch national, you must have one of these residence permits.

  • Permanent regular or permanent asylum residence permit
  • Temporary regular residence permit with a non-temporary purpose
  • Residence permit as a long-term EU resident
  • Residence permit EU/EEA family member (including stay with minor Dutch child, ruling Chavez-Vilchez)
  • Residence document under Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

In a number of exceptional situations, you can also become a Dutch national with a temporary asylum residence permit.

Temporary regular residence permit

The temporary regular residence permit has a specific residence purpose. The residence purpose is the reason why you came to live in the Netherlands. A residence purpose is temporary or non-temporary. The residence purpose is on the back of the residence document.

Non-temporary purposes of residence

You can become a Dutch national with these non-temporary residence purposes.

  • Work as non-privileged military personnel or non-privileged civilian personnel
  • Work as a self-employed person
  • Work in paid employment if you are free on the labour market to work
  • European Blue Card
  • Highly skilled migrant
  • Non-temporary humanitarian grounds
  • Researcher within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/801
  • Residence as a family member or relative. The family member you are staying with is a Dutch national or has one of these residence permits.
    •  Permanent regular or permanent asylum residence permit
    • Residence permit as a long-term EU resident
    • Temporary regular residence permit with a non-temporary purpose
  • Residence in accordance with an order from the Secretary of State for Justice and Security, if the decision says that your residency is non-temporary
  • Wealthy foreign national (foreign investor)

Temporary purposes of residence

You cannot apply for Dutch nationality with a temporary residence permit. In that case you must apply for a non-temporary residence permit first, for example a permanent residence permit. These residence purposes are temporary.

  • Looking for and performing work, whether or not in paid employment (Orientation year highly educated persons)
  • Waiting for an application under Section 17 of the Netherlands Nationality Act (in Dutch: Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap or RWN)
  • Cross-border services
  • Gaining work experience
  • Medical treatment
  • Intra-corporate transfer
  • Temporary humanitarian grounds
  • Seasonal work
  • Study
  • Exchange
  • Residence as a family member or relative. The family member with whom you live has one of these residence permits.
    • Temporary asylum residence permit
    • Temporary regular residence permit for a temporary purpose
  • Residency by order of the State Secretary for Justice and Security, if the decision says that your residence is temporary.

Asylum residence permits

The temporary asylum residence permit is a temporary residence permit. In order to become a Dutch national, you need a permanent asylum residence permit. There are exceptions. These are the situations in which you can become a Dutch national with a temporary asylum permit.

  • You are stateless and an adult. If your nationality is 'unknown' you are not stateless.
  • You came to the Netherlands as the family member of a refugee. The family member you live with is a Dutch national or has one of these residence permits.
    • Permanent asylum residence permit
    • Temporary regular residence permit with a non-temporary purpose
  • You are a minor and your father or mother has a permanent asylum residence permit. Your father or mother wants to become a Dutch national and is also applying for naturalisation for you.
     

Residency under EU or EEA law

Citizens of the EU, EEA or Switzerland do not need a residence permit to live in the Netherlands. After 3 months, their residency in the Netherlands is non-temporary. You do have to meet the requirements for stay as a citizen of the EU, EER of Switzerland.

Family members of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens

Your residence as a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen is non-temporary if you have one of these documents.

  • Family member EU/EEA (including stay with minor Dutch child, ruling Chavez-Vilchez)
  • Permanent residence EU/EEA

Your residence is temporary in these situations.

  • You are staying with a minor or adult child who is studying (under Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 492/2011).
  • You are staying with a minor Union citizen as the parent caring for them (under Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or TFEU).
     

United Kingdom Withdrawal Agreement

Are you British or a family member of a British national? And do you have residency under the Withdrawal Agreement? Your residency is non-temporary if you have one of these residence permits.

  • Residence document Article 50 TEU explaining: Residence Document Withdrawal Agreement 18(1)
  • Residence permit Article 50 TEU explaining: Permanent Residence Document Withdrawal Agreement 18(1)