Dual citizenship in the Netherlands: who can keep two passports
The renunciation rule, its exceptions, and how Dutch citizens can lose their nationality
Short answer: the Netherlands allows dual citizenship only in specific cases. An adult who naturalises normally has to give up their other nationality, unless an exemption applies, the most common being marriage to a Dutch citizen. A Dutch citizen who voluntarily takes another nationality normally loses Dutch nationality, with three exceptions.
For many expats this is the deciding question about naturalisation. Giving up a nationality can cost you rights in your home country, such as inheritance or property rights, so it is worth knowing exactly where the exemptions lie before you apply.
This page covers nationality only. For the naturalisation process itself, the €1,139 fee and the A2 exam, see our Dutch citizenship guide. If you mainly want to stay without becoming Dutch, permanent residency lets you keep your nationality.
Table of contents
The rules at a glance
| Your situation | Can you have two nationalities? |
|---|---|
| You naturalise as an adult | Normally no, unless an exemption applies |
| You naturalise and are married to or a registered partner of a Dutch citizen | Yes |
| You become Dutch through the option procedure | Yes, except if you opt as someone who has lived here since age 4 |
| You are Dutch and voluntarily take another nationality | Normally no: you lose Dutch nationality, with three exceptions |
| You are Dutch, have a second nationality and live outside the Kingdom and EU | Yes, but you lose Dutch nationality after 13 consecutive years unless you renew your passport or ID in time |
Becoming Dutch: when can you keep your nationality?
After naturalisation an adult must renounce their other nationality. You do not have to if, on the date the Royal Decree is signed, one of these applies:
- You are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen. Living together unmarried does not count.
- You have a residence permit for asylum, or a long-term EU residence permit noting that you were granted international protection.
- You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and live here now.
- You have the nationality of a country the Netherlands does not recognise, such as Taiwan or the Palestinian Territories.
Asking for an exemption
You can also ask for an exemption when renouncing would cause serious problems: for example when you would have to pay a large sum to your country to give up its nationality, when you would lose inheritance or property rights, or when you would first have to complete or buy off military service.
When renouncing is impossible
Some countries do not let you go. The Dutch government gives Iran as an example where giving up citizenship is legally impossible, and Morocco as one where it is not accepted in practice. Other countries end your nationality automatically when you become Dutch, such as Suriname and China; then there is nothing to renounce.
If you must renounce
The IND sends you a letter after naturalisation. You then have 3 months to send proof that you have asked your country to end your nationality, and later a copy of the document confirming it, translated and legalised if needed. If you do not do everything you can to renounce, the IND can revoke your Dutch nationality.
Sources: IND, renouncing your nationality and Government.nl, dual citizenship.
The option procedure
Some people can become Dutch through option instead of naturalisation, for example people born in the Kingdom and some long-term residents. Option has no civic integration exam and a municipality decides within 13 weeks, extendable once by 13 weeks.
For nationality, option is usually the better route: only people who opt because they have lived in the Kingdom since the age of 4 must renounce their other nationality. Check whether you qualify on the IND option page before you start a naturalisation.
Dutch citizens taking another nationality
A Dutch citizen who voluntarily acquires another nationality automatically loses Dutch nationality. This matters if you naturalised here and later move on, or if you are Dutch and settle in another country. You keep your Dutch nationality if:
- you were born in the country whose nationality you take;
- you lived in that country for at least 5 consecutive years before you turned 18; or
- you take the nationality of your spouse or registered partner.
Children can lose Dutch nationality along with a parent who takes another nationality, unless the other parent is Dutch.
Source: IND, losing Dutch nationality.
The 13-year rule for Dutch citizens abroad
If you are Dutch and also have another nationality, you lose Dutch nationality after living outside the Kingdom and the EU for 13 consecutive years. Until 1 April 2022 this was 10 years, and many sources still say 10.
The count stops or restarts when:
- you get a new Dutch passport or identity card, or a declaration of Dutch nationality, before the 13 years have passed: the count starts again;
- you move back to the Kingdom or the EU for more than 1 year: the count stops;
- you work for the government of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten.
Practical tip: if you leave the Netherlands with two passports, keep a valid Dutch passport or ID card and renew it before the 13 years are up: each new document restarts the count. Our leaving the Netherlands guide covers the rest of the move.
Proposed changes in 2026
Two different proposals are often confused, and neither is law:
- Longer wait for naturalisation. The cabinet has proposed raising the residence requirement from 5 to 10 years of continuous legal residence. The bill went into public consultation in September 2025 (Rijksoverheid, Dutch). It does not change the dual nationality rules, but it changes when you can apply.
- Keeping Dutch nationality. An initiative bill by members of parliament would let Dutch citizens keep their nationality when they acquire another one. It has been before parliament for years without being passed.
Until a law is passed, the rules above apply. If you are close to 5 years of residence, the timing of your application may matter; our citizenship guide follows the bill.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Netherlands allow dual citizenship?
Only in specific situations. As a rule, an adult who naturalises must give up their other nationality, and a Dutch citizen who voluntarily acquires another nationality loses Dutch nationality. Both rules have exceptions, and a Dutch citizen with a second nationality can also lose Dutch nationality after 13 years living outside the Kingdom and the EU.
Can I keep my nationality if I become Dutch?
Yes, if an exemption applies. The main ones are: you are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen on the date the Royal Decree is signed, you have an asylum residence permit, or you were born in the Kingdom and live here now. You can also request an exemption if renouncing would cost a large sum, make you lose inheritance or property rights, or require military service first.
Do I keep my nationality if I am married to a Dutch citizen?
Yes. If you are married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch citizen on the date the Royal Decree on your naturalisation is signed, you do not have to renounce your other nationality. Being unmarried partners is not enough.
What if my country does not let me give up my nationality?
Then you are not expected to do the impossible. The Dutch government gives Iran as an example of a country where giving up citizenship is legally impossible and Morocco as one where it is not accepted in practice. Some countries, such as Suriname and China, end your nationality automatically when you become Dutch.
Will I lose my Dutch nationality if I become a citizen of another country?
Usually yes, automatically. You keep it if you were born in that country, if you lived there for at least 5 consecutive years before you turned 18, or if you take the nationality of your spouse or registered partner.
What is the 13-year rule?
A Dutch citizen who also has another nationality loses Dutch nationality after living outside the Kingdom and the EU for 13 consecutive years. The period was 10 years until 1 April 2022. Getting a new Dutch passport or ID card, or a declaration of Dutch nationality, before the 13 years are up starts the count again.
Is the Netherlands changing its dual nationality rules?
There are proposals but no new law. The cabinet has proposed raising the residence requirement for naturalisation from 5 to 10 years; it was in public consultation from September 2025. A separate initiative bill to let Dutch citizens keep their nationality when they acquire another one has been before parliament for years. Until a law is passed, the current rules apply.
Nationality cases depend on the law of two countries. If an exemption is not clear-cut for you, ask the IND or a specialised lawyer before you apply; our immigration lawyers guide explains how to find one.