Readmission for former Dutch Nationals and reacquisition of Dutch Citizenship

Have you lost your Dutch citizenship at some point in your life and would you like to regain it?

One of the simplest ways to regain Dutch citizenship is by living in the Netherlands for one year on a residence permit. After one year, you may regain your Dutch citizenship through the option procedure while retaining your current nationality. But how to obtain a residence permit? In practice, this is not always easy to arrange. For many former Dutch nationals, the permit for readmission is a good option (in Dutch: wedertoelating, a residence permit based on non temporary humanutarian grounds).

Eligibility requirements

You may qualify for a readmission residence permit if you:

• were born in the Netherlands as a Dutch national
• were raised in the Netherlands. This means you completed at least primary school in the Netherlands
• do not pose a threat to public order or national security.

Please note: This category is only available if you were both born and raised in the European part of the Netherlands.

If you were not born and raised in the European part of the Netherlands, you may still be eligible for a readmission residence permit as a former Dutch national if you:

• are at least 18 years old
• have special ties with the Netherlands (for example through education, upbringing, your social position, or employment)
• reside in a country other than the country of your current nationality

Regaining Dutch Citizenship

After living in the Netherlands for one year on a readmission residence permit, you may regain your Dutch citizenship through the option procedure.

When regaining Dutch citizenship through this procedure:

• you do not have to renounce your current nationality
• you are not required to pass the civic integration examination beforehand.

The procedure is as follows:

• You submit your option application to the municipality where you are registered as a resident.
• A decision will be made within a maximum of 13 weeks after your application has been submitted.If your application is approved, you will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony. Attendance at this ceremony is mandatory in order to regain your Dutch citizenship.

Want to Know More?

Our immigration lawyers can assist you with obtaining a readmission residence permit and guide you through the process of regaining your Dutch citizenship.