Becoming a Dutch national: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence
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.
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
- 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).
- You are staying with a minor Dutch child (Chavez).
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)