the embassy organizes 3 information evenings on changes in the Dutch nationality law

News article | September 19, 2011

Are you a former Dutch national who voluntarily obtained New Zealand citizenship prior to 1 April 2003? Do you hold besides the Dutch nationality another nationality like for example New Zealand citizenship?

Were you born before 1985 out of a Dutch mother and a non-Dutch father?Are you thinking of taking on the New Zealand citizenship in the near future? If you respond 'yes' to any of the questions above, we recommend you read the information below and invite you to attend the special information evenings the embassy organizes on changes in the Dutch nationality law.

Announcement for former Dutch citizens who voluntary obtained another nationality prior to 1 April 2003

Normally every Dutch citizen who voluntary obtains the citizenship of another country loses Dutch nationality.
However on 1 April 2003 a statutory regulation took effect in which under specific circumstances people can regain their Dutch nationality if they obtained the nationality of another country.

To take advantage of this change per 1 April 2003 you must fall within one of these three exceptions:
- You are born in the country of which you obtain the nationality and you reside in this country at the time of naturalisation, or
- You have lived during an uninterrupted period of five years before you became an adult in the country from which you obtained citizenship, or
- You are married to a person with citizenship of the country on the day that you obtained the nationality of that same country.
However if you lost your Dutch nationality prior to 1 April 2003 and one of the above mentioned exceptions is applicable, you may apply to have your Dutch nationality restored by starting the ‘option procedure’.
This option procedure ends on 1 April 2013

Announcement for Dutch citizens with dual nationality:

From 1 April 2003 automatic loss of Dutch nationality applies if you possess, besides the Dutch nationality, at least one other nationality and after becoming an adult (18), reside ten years outside of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the European Union.

You can prevent the loss of Dutch nationality by:

- having your main residence for at least one year in either the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao or Sint Maarten or in the areas where the Agreement of the European Union is applicable; or

- having obtained a valid Dutch passport (or a declaration of proof of Dutch nationality) within ten years after reaching the age of 18 and have it renewed at least every ten years.

Another period of ten years starts on the date of issue of the new passport or declaration of proof of Dutch nationality or from the moment you no longer reside in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or the European Union.

It may be that you are already a Dutch citizen but do not realize it. This could be the case for Dutch citizens who naturalized before 1985 as a minor independent from their parents (i.e. are not mentioned on the naturalization certificate of any of the parents).

People born in New Zealand who obtained a Dutch passport between 1 January 1990 and 31 March 2003 and are still eligible, will have to be issued a new one (or proof of Dutch nationality) before 1 April 2013. Otherwise they will lose Dutch nationality on this date.

Where to from here?

… if you wish to start the ‘option procedure’
if you wish to start the option procedure, please contact the embassy in Wellington by sending an e-mail to wel-opt@minbuza.nl

… if you want more information
The Embassy organizes information evenings regarding the above, as well as the new option procedure for ‘latent Dutch’ (born prior to 1985 of a Dutch mother and a non-Dutch father).
The evenings will also be used to provide you with a preview on new draft law changes, that might become applicable from 1 April 2013.
The dates are: Christchurch 16 November, Wellington 17 November en Auckland 8 December 2011

If you wish to attend, please register via this button