What does the proposed extension of the naturalisation period from 5 to 10 years mean for me?
Friday 24 October 2025
The Dutch government recently proposed extending the minimum residence period for naturalisation from five to ten years. This has caused quite a stir among expats in the Netherlands. What exactly does this entail? Will there still be exceptions? And what does this mean for you? In this article, experienced solicitor Arend van Rosmalen LL.M., partner at Orion Immigration Law and specialist in Dutch nationality law, sets out the facts.
Why extend the naturalisation period?
According to State Secretary Arno Rutte of Justice and Security, the aim of the proposed extension is to ensure that people build stronger ties with the Netherlands and can participate fully in society before obtaining Dutch citizenship. This has already been criticised by academics. Although we fully endorse this criticism, we will limit ourselves here to a concrete discussion of the draft bill and how it is relevant to you as an aspiring Dutch citizen.
What will change in concrete terms?
The most important change concerns the extension of the general naturalisation period:
- Current situation: At present, you can submit a naturalisation application after five years of uninterrupted legal residence in the Netherlands, provided that you also meet the other conditions, such as the integration requirement. You must also retain your residence permit (and therefore renew it if necessary) for as long as your naturalisation procedure is still ongoing.
- Proposed situation: If the proposal is adopted unchanged, you would have to live in the Netherlands for ten years before you could submit a naturalisation application. The other conditions remain the same. Regardless of this proposal, the language requirement for naturalisation will probably be raised to level B1.
What does this mean for you in concrete terms?
We foresee the following immediate consequences that are relevant to you as a prospective Dutch citizen.
- Longer wait: This is self-explanatory. If you have not yet lived in the Netherlands for five years (or more), you may have to wait longer before you can submit a naturalisation application.
- More legal disputes and proceedings concerning so-called “residence gaps”: Your residence must have been lawful for an uninterrupted period of ten years. This makes so-called “residence gaps” – short interruptions between two valid residence permits – much more troublesome than they already are. You therefore have more reason not to accept a residence gap and to take legal action against it, provided that this is feasible.
- Applying for a permanent residence permit: In line with this, if you cannot prevent the new law from applying to you but still want to become a Dutch citizen (after ten years of residence), applying for a permanent residence permit becomes very important. Even if this proposal is adopted, you can still apply for a permanent residence permit after a period of five years. This will prevent a “residence gap” from occurring afterwards.
- Current period remains in force for naturalisation applications already submitted: As it is currently formulated, the proposal will not be implemented with so-called “immediate effect”. This means that if you have already submitted a naturalisation application, or do so before the new law comes into force, you will be subject to the current rules. Bear in mind that this could lead to a rush for available naturalisation appointments at various local authorities.
- Possible rush for integration and naturalisation appointments: It is to be expected that the mere fact that this change has been proposed will lead to a wave of naturalisation applications, particularly from expats who have been living in the Netherlands for between five and ten years and who still want to apply for Dutch citizenship before this change in the law comes into effect. This could lead to a backlog in integration exams and in the appointment calendars of municipalities.
Are there any other relevant changes?
In addition to the general extension of the naturalisation period, the bill also amends a number of other points in the Dutch Nationality Act.
- No more naturalisation from abroad: Currently, former Dutch nationals and spouses of Dutch nationals can naturalise abroad. If adopted without amendment, the proposal would put an end to this possibility. Here too, applications submitted before the law comes into force will still be assessed under current law.
- Longer period of residence in the Netherlands for spouses and life partners of Dutch nationals: Currently, if you live in the Netherlands with a Dutch national, or if you are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch national (and also live together), you can naturalise after only three years of residence in the Netherlands. As mentioned above, married couples can even naturalise abroad. The three-year period of residence will be extended to five years in the proposal. Here too, the current legislation will continue to apply to applications submitted before the new law comes into force.
- Abolition of a current exception to the five-year period: At present, there is an exception to the requirement of five years of lawful residence in the Netherlands. If you have resided lawfully in the Netherlands for a total of ten years, you only need to have completed the most recent two years without interruption immediately prior to your naturalisation application. This exception will be abolished in the proposal. This is logical given the general extension, but if you are currently able to make use of this exemption, it is very important that you are aware of this and that you submit your application before the new law comes into force.
- Closing a loophole to dual nationality: At present, as a prospective Dutch citizen, you can circumvent the requirement to renounce your current nationality by instead renouncing your Dutch nationality acquired through naturalisation. You will then qualify as a former Dutch citizen and, after one year of legal residence in the Netherlands, you can regain your Dutch citizenship through an option procedure specifically for former Dutch citizens. This will remain possible, but if you renounce your Dutch citizenship after naturalisation, you will again be faced with a renunciation requirement. It is important to note that this measure will also apply to applications submitted before the new law comes into force but on which no decision has yet been taken. It is conceivable that local authorities will hold on to applications pending the new legislation.
How can you prepare?
Do you want to become a Dutch citizen? Here's how you can prepare now for the possible change in the naturalisation period:
- Stay informed: The proposal is currently under consultation and still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives. It will therefore be at least several months before this change takes effect. Keep an eye on developments so that you know when the new rules will come into force. For example, you can sign up for the Orion Immigration Law newsletter.
- Start your integration process early: If you have not yet started your integration process, it is wise to do so as soon as possible. This will allow you to meet the language requirement and other conditions in time. If you submit your naturalisation application before the new law comes into effect, the current rules will continue to apply.
- Plan your naturalisation application well in advance: As mentioned above, there may be a rush for naturalisation appointments. It is therefore advisable to plan your naturalisation appointment well in advance. This is particularly recommended if you live in one of the major cities.
- Consult a solicitor: If you have any questions about your personal situation, you can contact a solicitor or solicitor who specialises in immigration law and nationality law. Would you like to schedule a consultation with Orion Immigration Law right away? You can do so here.
How likely is it that this proposal will be adopted?
At this point, the government has only published the proposal on an internet consultation website. The proposal has not yet been submitted to the House of Commons ("Tweede Kamer"). To give you an idea of the further legislative process, below are the steps that still need to be taken before this proposal can become law.
- Internet consultation (now until 1 December 2025): The proposal is now open for comments from the public, organisations and experts. Anyone can submit a comment via Internetconsultatie until 1 December 2025. These comments will be used to further amend the bill.
- Advice from the Council of State: After the consultation period, the proposal will be submitted to the Council of State for advice. The Council of State will assess whether the proposal is legally and practically feasible and may make recommendations for improvement.
- Submission to the House of Commons: Only after the consultation and the advice of the Council of State will the proposal be formally submitted to the House of Commons. Within the House of Commons, the proposal will probably first be discussed by a committee. This will be followed by a debate and a vote. Amendments may also be discussed at this stage. If the House of Commons ultimately agrees, the proposal will be forwarded to the House of Lords ("Eerste Kamer").
- House of Lords and entry into force: The House of Lords will discuss and vote on the proposal. Unlike the House of Commons, the House of Lords does not have the right to adopt amendments. If both Houses agree, the new law will enter into force. This entire process can take months or even years, depending on political priorities and any changes that may be made along the way.
Important: The proposal comes from a caretaker cabinet. After the House of Commons elections on 29 October 2025, the future of this proposal will depend on the new government and Parliament. It is therefore still uncertain whether and when the new rules will actually come into effect.
Conclusion: if you want to become a Dutch citizen, prepare thoroughly!
The proposal to extend the naturalisation period and abolish existing exceptions is still at an early stage. The political process will take months or even years, and the final outcome will depend on the new government and parliament. For aspiring Dutch citizens, it is important to stay well informed about developments and, if possible, to speed up your naturalisation process before the new rules come into effect.
Arend van Rosmalen LL.M.
Arend van Rosmalen LL.M. is a partner and co-founder of Orion Immigration Law. He advises both business clients and private individuals. Arend advises and assists with applications, but is also a highly experienced litigator. Arend has represented clients in Dutch objection and (higher) appeal cases, and has even appeared before the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
