In the naturalisation procedure you have to file a request to become a Dutch citizen. You should send this request to the municipality. The municipality will take an overall look at whether you meet the conditions and may advise you not to apply, or not to apply yet. It is the INS in the end that takes the final decision. The INS should take this decision within one year.

After five continuous years of lawful residence in the Netherlands, you will be able to apply for naturalisation as a Dutch national. In some cases, a period of three years will be enough. This situation can apply to foreign nationals who are married to a Dutch national or who have cohabited as a registered partner with a Dutch national. 

The main rule is that you must have passed the Civic Integration examination. Moreover, if you want to become a Dutch national, you must renounce your original nationality, unless the nationality legislation of your own country does not allow this.

If you have been married for three years to a person who has the Dutch nationality at the time of the application for naturalisation, you do not have to renounce your Dutch nationality.

The most common reason the INS has for rejecting a request for naturalisation is public order problems.

The INS will reject a request for naturalisation if there has been a conviction for a crime in the period of five (5) years prior to the request to become a Dutch citizen. Any conviction that lead to a prison sentence or a community service is disastrous for a request to become a Dutch national. Only if the conviction resulted in a fine of less than € 810.00, it is not a public order problem.

Please note that the five-year period only starts after you served the prison sentence, completed the community service or paid the fine. If a probationary period has been imposed as well, the five-year period starts after the probationary period has ended.

If, after submitting your request, you come into the picture as a suspect, or if you are convicted of a crime after submitting the request, the INS will reject the request, or, in the event of a suspicion, may not take a decision until there is more clarity.

If the INS has rejected your application to become a Dutch citizen, you can object the decision. If you would like more information about your opportunities in an objection procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will give you honest advice, even if there are no opportunities.