Netherlands dual citizenship: key rules and exceptions for expats

Deciding to take on Dutch nationality is a major milestone, but the fear of having to surrender your original passport stops many expats in their tracks. While the Netherlands strictly limits dual nationality as a general rule, key legal exceptions mean you may not actually have to choose between your old home and your new one.

Official Dutch authorities use the terms dual nationality and dual citizenship interchangeably. This guide uses dual citizenship, and if you need the wider background on routes to becoming Dutch, start with Citizenship in the Netherlands: how to become a Dutch citizen.

Just keep in mind that this guide is for information only. Before you renounce a nationality, apply for Dutch citizenship, or take another passport, confirm your position with the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND), your gemeente (municipality), and the relevant embassy or consulate.

Key takeaways
Can you have dual citizenship in the Netherlands?
Who can usually keep another nationality?
When can you lose Dutch citizenship?
How to check your route before you apply
What dual citizenship means in practice for expats
Useful resources

Key takeaways

Question	Short answer	What to verify
Is dual citizenship generally allowed?	Usually not for adults naturalising in the Netherlands.	Check whether you must renounce your current nationality.
Does marriage change the outcome?	Sometimes, but marriage does not create dual citizenship by itself.	Check your relationship status, route, and supporting documents.
Are children treated differently?	Often yes. Dual citizenship can arise automatically for children in some cases.	Check birth, descent, acknowledgement, adoption, or a parent’s route.
Can Dutch citizenship be lost later?	Yes, in some cases, especially after taking another nationality or living abroad for years.	Check loss rules before any second passport or long stay abroad.
Where should you check first?	Start with your municipality and IND, then your embassy or consulate.	Verify both Dutch law and your other country’s law.

Can you have dual citizenship in the Netherlands?

Yes, but only in limited situations. You cannot apply for dual citizenship as a separate Dutch process, and the outcome depends on how Dutch nationality is acquired or changed.

How Dutch naturalisation usually works

One thing worth knowing is that there is no standalone Dutch application called dual citizenship. For most adults, the default naturalisation step is to:

Build the required lawful residence record, often through one of the routes explained in Dutch visas: how to immigrate to the Netherlands in 2026
Apply through your municipality, which works with the IND
Renounce your other nationality if Dutch law requires it, unless an exception applies

Current fees, eligibility rules, and timelines can change, so always check the latest official pages before you book.

When dual citizenship can happen automatically

Dual citizenship can happen automatically through birth, descent, acknowledgement of parentage, or adoption, depending on both legal systems involved. This does not mean the Dutch government granted a special exemption. It simply means two distinct legal systems applied their rules simultaneously, recognising both nationalities at the same time.

Who can usually keep another nationality?

The safest way to read this topic is through exceptions, not assumptions. Even if an exception seems to fit, you must still verify it against both Dutch rules and your other country’s nationality law.

Marriage or registered partnership with a Dutch citizen

If you are married to a Dutch citizen, or in a registered partnership with one, Dutch rules may let you keep your other nationality when you naturalise. Marriage does not automatically grant Dutch citizenship or dual citizenship, and timing matters. You still need the correct citizenship route, proof of the relationship, and confirmation that your other country will not cancel your nationality.

Love, Marriage & Partnership

Dutch weddings: how to get married in the Netherlands

Refugees and people who cannot renounce their nationality

Recognised refugees may usually keep their original nationality under Dutch rules. Other people may also fall under an exception if renunciation is legally impossible, unsafe, or not accepted in practice in their other country.

Do not rely on old forum posts or broad country lists for this step. Check IND guidance first, then ask your embassy or consulate what renunciation involves, whether it is possible, and what proof they can issue now.

Children and option procedure routes

Children may be treated differently from adults. Dual citizenship can arise automatically for a child through birth, descent, adoption, acknowledgement, or through the way a parent acquires Dutch nationality.

Visas & Immigration

Family and partner visas in the Netherlands

Some adults should also check the option procedure, a simplified route for people with a strong link to the Netherlands. You may want to investigate this option more closely if you are:

A former Dutch national
A long-term resident in a category listed by IND
A child or young adult whose status is tied to a Dutch parent or a parent’s case

Expatica tip

Long-term residents often focus only on naturalisation, but some expats with a strong link to the Netherlands may have an option route that is faster, cheaper, and easier to document.

If you are weighing citizenship against long-term settlement rights, compare it with Permanent residence in the Netherlands.

When can you lose Dutch citizenship?

This is the part many readers miss. The real risk is not only whether you can keep two citizenships now, but what could trigger loss later.

Taking another nationality after becoming Dutch

If you are already a Dutch citizen, voluntarily acquiring another nationality can trigger the automatic loss of your Dutch citizenship. This is widely considered the single biggest legal trap for expats, as people can easily invest years into gaining Dutch citizenship only to forfeit it later by taking on a new passport without reviewing the loss rules first.

Use this order before you act:

Check for exemptions: Confirm whether a Dutch exception (such as marriage or birth country rules) applies to your situation.
Review the foreign application process: Confirm exactly how the other country grants citizenship, including any oath, registration, or passport step.
Confirm the legal impact on your Dutch status: Verify whether completing that final step will automatically terminate your Dutch citizenship before you commit.

Living abroad and document renewal risks

Another overlooked risk affects dual nationals who live outside the EU and outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands. After turning 18, living there for more than 13 years without renewing a Dutch passport or getting a declaration of Dutch citizenship can lead to automatic loss.

To protect your status, set clear reminders for document expiry dates well in advance and view renewals as a key citizenship safeguard rather than routine travel admin.

Visas & Immigration

Getting a Dutch passport

How to check your route before you apply

Taking the next step toward citizenship is much easier when you have all your paperwork organised upfront. You do not need to become an expert in immigration law overnight, but having the right facts ready makes your conversations with official authorities much more productive.

Documents and questions to verify with both countries

Use this checklist before you book an appointment:

Your residence history in the Netherlands, including permit type or EU residence basis.

Your current passports, birth certificate, and any older nationality documents.

Your relationship and family status, including marriage, registered partnership, divorce, children, and adoption records where relevant.

Your BRP entry, because the Basisregistratie Personen is still used to confirm core personal data even though second nationalities are no longer recorded there.

Your other country’s rules on renunciation, automatic loss, fees, waiting times, legalisation, and translations.

For example, an expat married to a Dutch citizen may assume marriage settles the issue. However, they still need to confirm their Dutch route, the evidence their municipality will ask for, and what their own country will do if they naturalise.

Where to apply, costs and timelines

Most people start with their municipality, because municipalities receive naturalisation and option applications and check whether a file is complete. The IND then advises or decides depending on the route, while some overseas cases run through embassies or consulates.

Fees and waiting times change, so check the current official pages before booking. The IND states that option decisions usually take 13 weeks, with one possible extension of up to 13 more weeks.

If you have DigiD, some municipalities let you book appointments or start parts of the process online.

Expatica tip

In cities with expat support desks, such as The Hague International Centre, readers can often get signposting on nationality paperwork before a formal municipality appointment, which may save a wasted visit or the wrong booking type.

What dual citizenship means in practice for expats

Beyond the initial legal eligibility, managing two nationalities directly shapes your daily routines and long-term planning. Navigating border checks, family documentation, tax ties, and residence goals all require a clear understanding of how both countries view you.

Travel, voting, military service, and family administration

Life as a dual citizen extends beyond having a backup passport for holidays. Your legal status influences which immigration lanes you use, where you can cast a ballot, whether another government can call on you for military service, and how legal citizenship passes down to your children.

Second nationalities are no longer registered in the Dutch BRP database. While this administrative change keeps your municipal profile simpler, it does not wipe away your legal obligations or rights under another flag. Keep your certificates orderly and stay up to date on both legal systems so you avoid unexpected surprises down the road.

Managing money across borders

Legal status and money are separate issues, but dual nationals often still need to pay consular fees abroad, move savings, support family, or keep euros alongside another currency. If you split everyday banking between Dutch institutions such as ING, Rabobank, or ABN AMRO and an account overseas, planning transfers matters.

Wise is one practical option for international bank transfers and a multi-currency account. It does not affect citizenship eligibility, legal status, or government processing, but it can make cross-border admin simpler. A Wise account lets you hold and convert 40+ currencies in one place, so you can see fees and exchange rates upfront before you send or spend.

Discover the Wise Account

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Netherlands dual citizenship

Can I apply for dual citizenship in the Netherlands?

No. There is no separate Dutch application called dual citizenship. Dual citizenship may result from naturalisation with an exception, the option procedure in some cases, or automatic acquisition by birth, descent, acknowledgement, or adoption.

Can I have dual citizenship if I marry a Dutch citizen?

Sometimes, but marriage does not automatically give you dual citizenship. It can affect the renunciation rule in some cases, so you still need to check your Dutch route and your other country’s law before you act

Will I lose Dutch citizenship if I get another passport?

You may. Many Dutch citizens who voluntarily take another nationality risk losing Dutch citizenship automatically, although some exceptions apply. This is why you should check the official loss rules before any oath, registration, or passport application in another country.

Can my child have dual citizenship in the Netherlands?

Yes, in some cases. A child’s position may depend on birth, descent, adoption, acknowledgement, or the parent’s route to Dutch citizenship, so official verification is still important.

Where do I check whether I must renounce my nationality?

Check the latest IND guidance and then confirm the position with your embassy, consulate, or other official nationality authority in your other country. Blogs and social posts are not enough when the outcome may be irreversible.

Useful resources

Information checked 29th July 2026

Government.nl guide to Dutch dual citizenship: Official government rules and exceptions.
IND guidance on dual nationality: Immigration authority status guidelines.
IND option procedure guidance: Details on the simplified citizenship route.
Government.nl guidance on automatic loss of Dutch citizenship: Rules regarding potential loss of status.
Netherlands Worldwide information for Dutch nationals abroad: Guidance for Dutch citizens living overseas.

Moving

Netherlands dual citizenship: key rules and exceptions for expats

Table of contents

Key takeaways