Becoming a Dutch national outside the Netherlands or in the Netherlands Caribbean
Who can apply for Dutch nationality abroad?
The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes the European part of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the public bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. If you have a residence permit to live in the Netherlands Caribbean: in Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba, or if you live in another country outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and you wish to apply for Dutch nationality, this information will be useful to you.
Requirements
To become a Dutch national you need to apply for Dutch nationality. You can do this by means of a naturalisation application. It may be possible to obtain Dutch nationality more quickly by means of an option application.
- Requirements and process for Dutch nationality through naturalisation
- Requirements and process for Dutch nationality through option
Additional requirements application outside the Netherlands
Are you applying for Dutch nationality outside the Netherlands or in the Netherlands Caribbean? Please, take into account these possible additional requirements:
Applying for naturalisation and option outside the Netherlands
The authority to which you apply for naturalisation or option depends on where you live.
- Abroad: Dutch embassy or consulate.
- Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten: Cabinet of the Governor.
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius or Saba: counter of the IND Carribean Netherlands.
Decision on your application
Are you applying for naturalisation? Your application will be sent to the IND in the Netherlands. Are you applying in Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten? Then the authority to which you apply will also give an advice to the IND about the assessment. The IND will process the application and makes a decision.
Are you applying for option? Your application will be processed by the Dutch embassy or consulate, the Cabinet of the Governor or the IND Caribbean Netherlands unit. The relevant organisation will make a decision. The IND in the Netherlands will not be involved in the assessment of your application.
A positive decision means approval of your application for becoming Dutch. A negative decision means rejection of your application for becoming Dutch.
See also
- Brochure How to become a Dutch citizen abroad (only available in Dutch)
- Brochure
- Brochure How to become Dutch. The procedure in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (only available in Dutch)
- Brochure How to become Dutch. The procedure in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten (only available in Dutch)
- Brochure Civic Integration Exam: requirement for naturalisation abroad (only available in Dutch)
- Brochure You become Dutch. What do you may and need to know? (only available in Dutch)
- 7 questions and answers on Dutch nationality (Dutch government)
Rules and regulations
- Chapter 3 Netherlands Nationality Act (in Dutch: Hoofdstuk 3 Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap) (only available in Dutch)
- Chapter 4 Netherlands Nationality Act (in Dutch: Hoofdstuk 4 Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap) (only available in Dutch)
- Article 28 Netherlands Nationality Act (in Dutch: Artikel 28 Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap) (only available in Dutch)
- Implementation Guidelines for option/naturalisation requests abroad (in Dutch: Circulaire voor Optie/Naturalisatieverzoeken in het buitenland) (only available in Dutch)
- Implementation Guidelines Netherlands Nationality Act 2003 for Aruba (in Dutch: Handleiding Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap 2003 toegespitst op het gebruik in Aruba) (only available in Dutch)
- Implementation Guidelines Netherlands Nationality Act 2003 for Curaçao and St Maarten (in Dutch: Handleiding voor de toepassing van de Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap 2003 toegespitst op het gebruik in Curaçao en Sint Maarten) (only available in Dutch)
Responsible organisation
Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
Questions?
