Netherlands is currently reviewing the country’s nationality law as part of an effort to allow dual citizenship by the spring of 2019, as most EU member states prepare for Brexit in March 2019, according to Neweurope.eu.
There are approximately 87,000 UK nationals living in Netherlands and 100,000 dutch nationals living in the UK.
According to Justice Minister Mark Harbers, the plan is to widen the Netherlands’ criteria for dual nationality. At present, naturalised Dutch citizens must renounce the nationality of their country of origin, unless they are married to a Dutch national.
The new law will allow first-generation migrants in the Netherlands to be holders of more than one passport.
Currently, according to Government, Dutch citizens who acquire a new nationality can automatically lose their Dutch nationality. Dutch citizens with multiple nationalities who live outside the European Union for more than ten years and don’t apply for a Dutch passport in that time, can also lose their Dutch nationality automatically. This means they are no longer citizens of the Netherlands.
Further, Brexit will not have any impact on dual nationals. People who hold dual Dutch-British nationality will not be treated any differently by the Dutch government, either during the negotiations or afterwards. They have the full rights and privileges of any other Dutch national.
According to Dutch Government, You might automatically lose your Dutch nationality if you acquire another nationality, but there are exceptions in one of the following situations:
- Your country’s legislation does not allow you to give up your nationality (page only available in Dutch).
- You are married to or are the registered partner of a Dutch citizen.
- You are a minor, meaning younger than 18 years.
- You have an asylum residence permit.
- Upon submitting the application for naturalisation you are living in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. You are also born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
- You are a national of a state that is not recognised by the Netherlands.
- You will have to pay a large sum of money to the authorities in your country of origin in order to renounce your nationality.
- You will lose certain rights when giving up your current nationality. You stand to lose a lot of money, for example, because the laws of succession no longer apply to you.
- You have to fulfil (or buy out) your military service before being able to renounce your nationality.
Greek and Iranian nationals, for example, cannot give up their nationality: it is not legally possible. In Morocco giving up your nationality is not accepted in practice.
Since 6 January 2014, second or multiple nationalities are no longer recorded in the Personal Records Database. If you have another nationality besides Dutch nationality, this will no longer be noted when you register.
