There are three possibilities of acquiring Dutch nationality.
- By law (automatically)
By birth
Every child born of a married Dutch father or mother automatically acquires Dutch nationality, even if he or she is born outside the Netherlands, as does the child of an unmarried Dutch mother.
By adoption subject to certain conditions - Through the option procedure
You may acquire Dutch nationality by making a declaration that you wish to become a Dutch citizen. This procedure is open to certain groups of people living in the Netherlands. Abroad, only certain former Dutch nationals and, as of April 2006, foreign minors who were acknowledged on or after 1 April 2003 by a Dutch citizen can make use of the procedure. - Through naturalisation
Naturalisation is the third way for foreign nationals to acquire Dutch nationality. Some former Dutch citizens can apply abroad to have their nationality restored through naturalisation. And foreign nationals who have been married to or in a registered partnership * with a Dutch citizen for at least three years and who live with this partner at the same address may apply abroad for naturalisation. The foreign national may not live in the country of which he/she is a national and in most cases he/she will have to have passed the ‘naturalisation test’ before submitting an application.
* (The partnership must be registered in the Netherlands (civil register).
For further information visit the site the following sites:
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs - www.minbuza.nl
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The site of IND - Becoming a Dutch national
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How can you acquire Dutch citizenship?
