Becoming a Dutch national through option (2024)

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• You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands

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  • You are an adult. You are an adult once you reach the age of 18 or from the age you got married. You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and you have been living in the Netherlands since birth. At the time of your option application you have a valid residence permit.
  • You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. You have been stateless from birth. This means that you do not have a nationality. You have been living in the Netherlands for at least 3 consecutive years with a valid residence permit.

  From 1 October 2023, you can also make an option statement in the following situation:

  • You are younger than 21 years old and you were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. You have been stateless from birth. This means that you have no nationality. You cannot reasonably obtain another nationality. Immediately before you make the option statement, you have had a stable main residence in the Kingdom for at least 5 consecutive years. We speak of a stable main residence if you meet all of the following 3 points:
    • You have actually lived in the Kingdom for at least 5 years in a row.
    • You and your parents have always actively participated in the departure process.
    • You and your parents have always remained visible for the Dutch State.

• You are a minor

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  You are a minor if you are younger than 18. If you are younger than 18 but you are married, you are no longer a minor.

  One of the following situations apply to you.

  • You have been acknowledged by a Dutch national. You have been continuously cared for and brought up by that Dutch national for at least 3 years. That period of at least 3 years must run until the day of your option application. You are not yet a Dutch national by birth or by means of paternity acknowledgement. Or because a judge has determined the fact that the Dutch national is your parent. Find out more about being a Dutch national by birth or paternity acknowledgement.
  • Since birth you have been under joint parental authority exercised by one of your parents who is non Dutch together with a Dutch national. Joint parental authority has been established automatically (by law) or is the result of a court ruling in the Netherlands. You have been cared for and brought up by that Dutch national for a period of at least 3 years since establishment of the parental authority. You do not live in the country of your nationality.

• You are an adult

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  You are an adult once you reach the age of 18. Or from the date you got married if you married before your 18th birthday.

  • You have been living in the Kingdom of the Netherlands from the age of 4. You have always had a valid residence permit and you still have a valid residence permit.
  • You are a former Dutch national. You already have been living in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for at least 1 year. You have a permanent residence permit or a temporary residence permit with a non-temporary purpose of stay. Find out more about temporary and non-temorary purposes of stay. If your Dutch nationality has ever been revoked because you did not renounce your other nationality when you should have, you cannot make an option application.
  • You have been married to a Dutch national, or have been the registered partner of a Dutch national, for at least 3 years. The marriage or registered partnership has been for a continuous period of time and with the same Dutch national. And you have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for a continuous period of at least 15 years with a valid residence permit immediately prior to confirmation that you have acquired Dutch nationality.
  • You are 65 years or older. And you have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for a continuous period of at least 15 years with a valid residence permit immediately prior to confirmation that you have acquired Dutch nationality.

• You were born, adopted or married before 1 January 1985

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  • You were born to a Dutch mother before 1 January 1985. At the time of your birth, your father did not have the Dutch nationality.Are you – or have you become – the child of a person who has become or could have become a Dutch national through option? You may also be able to become a Dutch national by option. By ‘child’ or ‘becoming a child’ we mean through birth, paternity acknowledgement, adoption or court ruling. Please contact your municipality for more information.
  • You were adopted before 1 January 1985 by a woman who had Dutch nationality at that time. You were a minor at that time. The adoption was declared by a court within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Are you – or have you become – the child of a person who has become or could have become a Dutch national through option? You may also be able to become a Dutch national by option. By ‘child’ or ‘becoming a child’ we mean through birth, paternity acknowledgement, adoption or court ruling. Please contact your municipality for more information.
  • You were married to a non-Dutch man before 1 January 1985 and have therefore lost your Dutch nationality. You are a recent divorcee or widow. You can make an option application within 1 year of the dissolution of your marriage.

• You are a former Dutch citizen and you automatically lost your Dutch nationality and EU citizenship

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  You are a former Dutch citizen. You automatically lost the Dutch nationality and European Union (EU) citizenship. This means that you are no longer Dutch or a citizen of the EU. At the time, the impact of losing Union citizenship was disproportionate for you. Disproportionate means that the consequences of this loss are so severe that this should not have happened.

• Other

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  Do the listed situations not apply to you?Then, you cannot apply for option. However, you may be able to obtain Dutch nationality through naturalisation. Find out if you are eligible to become a Dutch national through naturalisation.