OFFICIAL MATTERS BECOMING A DUTCH CITIZEN LEGAL MATTERS

Transcription

1 OFFICIAL MATTERS BECOMING A DUTCH CITIZEN LEGAL MATTERS 2018

2 ARE YOU READY TO BECOME A DUTCH CITIZEN? For a smooth transition to obtaining the Dutch citizenship, we have prepared this brochure to give you some pointers about the process. However, please keep in mind that in this document we only provide key information and useful links. In order to know if you re eligible, we recommend to: First and foremost, READ the information carefully! We have provided useful sources at the end of this brochure. Contact the responsible authority(ies) with sufficient time and/or visit us at the IWCN for further orientation. RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY - Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie en Naturalisatie Dienst, IND). - Municipality (Gemeente) where you live at.

3 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND A foreign national can become a Dutch citizen by following one of the following procedures: 1. Option procedure 2. Naturalization You must fully comply with the residence periods established for each case (verify exceptions closely). You must comply with all the conditions established for each procedure and present all the requested documents on time. By becoming a Dutch citizen, you will acquire the same rights and obligations as other Dutch citizens. Depending on your situation, you might be requested to give up your original nationality or nationalities. If you have stayed illegally in The Netherlands, regardless of the amount of time, you might not be eligible to become a Dutch citizen. You cannot have had in the 4 years previous to your application any offenses for which you had to serve prison time, perform community service or pay high fines ( 810 or more). The procedures have a cost. This costs are mostly updated every year and can be found on the website of the IND: The costs are not refunded in case the application is rejected. Please verify your eligibility and documents before applying! WHICH DOCUMENTS WILL YOU NEED? Depending on the procedure, additional documents might be necessary. However, the following documents will always be requested: 1. A valid passport 2. A valid Dutch residence permit (verblijfsvergunning) for a non-temporary purpose at the moment of applying, and which is still valid until the naturalization ceremony. Please note that student and orientation year (zoekjaar) permits have a temporary purpose. 3. A legalized or apostilled birth certificate and its translation, as applicable.

4 You must be of legal age (18 years old or older.) If married, a legalized or apostilled marriage certificate. You can consult information about legalization and apostilles in our website under the section Official Matters. 4. A Civic Integration Examination diploma (A2 level) or a comparable diploma, for example, a NT2 Level I or II certificate. This condition has a few exceptions. See the section on Civic Integration below for additional information. ADVANTAGES AND CONSEQUENCES You will be included as a Dutch citizen in the Netherlands Municipal Administration (Basisregistratie Personen, BRP) and therefore removed from the Aliens Administration System. Upon payment, you will receive a Dutch passport and become a European Union national, with all its benefits and obligations. You will no longer need to apply for residence permits. You will acquire the right to vote in national and regional (provincial) elections. You will become eligible for appointment to certain public functions held exclusively by Dutch citizens. HOW LONG DOES THE PROCESS TAKE? For the Option procedure, the waiting time is approximately 3 months from the date in which the Burgermeester has verified your documentation. Option Declaration 1. Contact the Department of Civil Affairs (Burgerzaken) of your municipality. 2. Complete the option declaration form. Municipality assessment by Burgermeester Invitation to naturalization ceremony OR Written notice of refusal Ceremony Compulsory attendance

5 For the Naturalization procedure there is no fixed waiting time, but it can take approximately 12 months. Contact the Gemeente, Embassy or Consulate The Department of Civil Affairs of the Gemeente will complete the application for you. If in other countries, this will be done by an employee of the Dutch embassy or consulate. Assessment by the Gemeente, Embassy or Consulate Any of these authorities, depending on your case, will assess your application and submit an advice to the IND. Assessment by the IND The IND will review the advice of the Gemeente, assess the application and make a decision regarding your request. Submission to The King In case the IND makes a positive assesment of your request, it will submit your case to The King. The King, if He so considers, will sign the proposal to grant you Dutch citizenship. Invitation to Naturalization Ceremony The Gemeente will send you an invitation to a naturalization ceremony, to which you are obliged to attend. The ceremony focuses on the significance of being a Dutch citizen and is naturally carried out in Dutch.

6 CIVIC INTEGRATION The website Inburgeren ( contains all the information you need to know about the Civic Integration requirement. We advise you to read the website carefully so that you understand the requirements. Make sure to take into consideration that the exams are given at various times during the year and that the time to correct the exams can occasionally be longer than the usual six weeks. You must have obtained your Civic Integration Diploma before you submit an application to become a Dutch citizen. USEFUL LINKS We recommend you to read the information provided in the following links from the website of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (

7 NOTE

8 You can always contact us by , phone or in person: Gedempte Zuiderdiep HL Groningen The Netherlands Monday through Friday, 10:00-17:00 call: +31 (0)