Obstacles in Allowing Foreigners to Keep Home Citizenship After Becoming a Dutch Citizen

Living in the Netherlands as a non-citizen is one thing. Becoming a Dutch citizen is another. A major step is getting a Dutch passport. Yet many people are told to give up their original nationality first. A plan pushed by D66 and the Labour Party (PvdA) was meant to change that. It would broaden dual nationality. For expats, though, the timetable keeps slipping. Lawmakers have delayed the full parliamentary debate on the bill until December 7.

Background

The bill was first shaped several years ago. It was brought back last year. The goal was to replace an older approach. Under the plan, Dutch people living abroad could retain Dutch nationality even after obtaining a second passport. At the same time, foreigners living in the Netherlands could keep their home citizenship when they became Dutch. But a discussion in The Hague, hosted by the Foundation for Dutch Nationals Abroad (SNBN), highlighted the extent of the pushback the bill has faced.

Read Also: Do You Suffer from Multiple Nationality Disorder?

A Political Split in the Coalition

Some VVD leaders say they will not support dual nationality for people who are not Dutch by birth. VVD MP Bente Becker made that view clear at the panel. She argued that people with two passports could raise security issues. She also suggested they could act as outside agents. In her words, “If you come to the Netherlands, you have to really opt for the Netherlands… Being a Dutch citizen is something very special.”

The CDA tends to agree. They want to remove the part that helps foreign residents. They argue that dual nationality should be granted only to native Dutch who move and live abroad.

D66’s Response

D66 has not shown much enthusiasm for this. When asked, they said they’d accept a compromise and narrow the bill so that only the section on Dutch nationals abroad remains. D66’s Jan Schoonis stayed cautious. He said lawmakers will focus on “Dutch people abroad” first and foremost, then return to the other parts later.

Where We Are

With the above, it seems limited options are now possible:

Maybe some space for broader exceptions to renunciation, specialized routes for long-term residents (notably those who arrived as children), dual nationality for high-skilled workers, and a possible closer alignment with norms or reciprocal deals with EU countries that allow dual citizenship.

Legal Risks

The idea runs into legal hurdles. The Council of State, the government’s highest legal adviser, has raised concerns. It says that a system that treats Dutch citizens differently from naturalized residents (those becoming Dutch citizens) could violate citizenship rights.

Put simply, once you’re Dutch, you’re supposed to be Dutch. Equally. A law that allows one group to have two passports while denying that privilege to others would violate this principle.

How It Works Now

Around half of applicants keep their original passports when becoming Dutch citizens. Many qualify for an exception under the standard naturalization process instead. Examples of ways of becoming a Dutch citizen are:

• Being married to a Dutch citizen for more than 15 years
• Turning 65
• Meeting post-Brexit rules

The other half go through the standard naturalization process. They must surrender their original passport. There is no substitute option. Your nationality depends heavily on the path you qualify for. And not just on how long you’ve been here.

The Double Standard in Public Opinion

This debate reflects a broader tension in Dutch society. Research suggests many people support native Dutch emigrants keeping their citizenship when they settle abroad. But views on foreign residents who want the same right are much stricter.

In other words, a Dutch person moving to Canada is widely seen as someone who deserves to keep both identities. A Canadian moving to the Netherlands often isn’t given the same.

As the parliamentary debate on December 7 approaches, the international community is watching. It remains unclear whether the Netherlands will follow the broader European view on dual nationality. Or whether native-born citizens will still be treated as more equal than others.