Becoming a Dutch national outside the Netherlands or in the Netherlands Caribbean

Are you living in the country of your nationality? It is not possible to apply for Dutch nationality from that country.

You can only apply for naturalisation if you have had Dutch nationality before and want to regain it, or if you are married to, or the registered partner of, someone with Dutch nationality.  You must also meet the conditions for a Dutch residence permit, for example for staying with a partner, or re-entry for former Dutch citizens who wish to return to the Netherlands. You do not have to apply for the residence permit before you apply for naturalisation.

• Find out more about a residence permit for your partner
• Find out more about residence permits to return to the Netherlands

Do you want to apply for Dutch citizenship through naturalisation? And are you living in the Netherlands Caribbean? Then, this additional language requirement applies to civic integration: 

Are you living in Aruba, Curaçao or Bonaire? Besides Dutch you need to be able to speak, read, write and understand Papiamento.

Are you living in Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius or Saba? Besides Dutch you need to be able to speak, read, write and understand English.

You must not be a danger to public order if you want to become a Dutch citizen. Do you live in the Netherlands Caribbean?  And are you suspected of a crime or have you been convicted of a crime? Then you are a danger to public order in the following situations.

Suspected of a crime

You are suspected of a crime and your criminal case is still ongoing.

Either you have been convicted of a crime and can still appeal or your appeal is ongoing. This does not apply in the following cases:

• You have been convicted and you have received a fine, transaction, penalty order or measure against financial advantage of less than Afl. 1.000,-, $ 560.- or Naf. 1000,- for this crime.
• You live on Bonaire, Saba or Sint-Eustatius and have been given community service order of less than 36 hours.
• You live in Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten and you have been given community service of less than 40 hours.

Convicted of a crime

You have been convicted of a crime in the 5-year period before your application for naturalisation or option. Or you were convicted after the application, but before the decision on the application was made. You have received a conditional or unconditional sentence for this crime in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or abroad. You have received one of the following sentence:

• A custodial sentence, for example a prison sentence or a placement under a hospital order (in Dutch: TBS).
• A community service of 36 hours or more. Do you live in Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten? Then this involves a community service of 40 hours or more. Unless you had to do this community service because you could not pay a fine of less than Afl. 1.000,-, $ 560.- or Naf. 1000,-.
• Multiple community service orders of 18 hours or more each. And in total,  you have received 54 hours of community service or more. Do you live in Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten? Then this involves multiple community service orders of 20 hours or more each. And in total, you have received 60 hours of community service or more. 
• A fine, penalty order or transaction of Afl. 1.000,-, $ 560.- or 
  Naf. 1000,- or more.
• A measure of Afl. 1.000,-, $ 560.- or Naf. 1000,- or more against the financial advantage that you have received as a result of a criminal offense (unlawful advantage). For example, you have received money or goods as a result of the crime. You must pay this money or the value of these goods to the government.
• Multiple criminal orders, transactions, fines or measures against the financial advantage of Afl. 500,-, $ 280,- or Naf. 500,- each or more. And the total amount is Afl. 1500.-, $ 840,- or 
  Naf. 1500.- or more.

Is your sentence completed? Then you can only become a Dutch citizen again after a period of 5 years. During this period you may not be convicted of a crime. We call this the rehabilitation period. The rehabilitation period starts after the end of your sentence or after you have paid the amount in full.

Do you want to apply for Dutch citizenship outside the Netherlands through option? You are only eligible for option if you used to have Dutch nationality and wish to regain it. There are also certain situations if you are a minor and paternity has been acknowledged by a Dutch citizen after 1 April 2003 but before 1 March 2009. Read information about becoming Dutch through option.