DutchCalc

Dutch citizenship calculator: when can you apply?

Enter when your residence started and we count the years the way the IND does, then show what still stands between you and a Dutch passport.

Enter the start date of your residence to see your date.

The two routes most people use

The standard route needs 5 years of uninterrupted lawful residence in the Netherlands, right before you apply. The partner route needs 3 years: if you are married to, in a registered partnership with, or living with a Dutch national, you can apply once you have lived together for 3 years and, if you live here, held a residence permit for 3 years.

The partner routes are not identical. Married and registered partners keep their own nationality and can apply from abroad. Unmarried partners must live in the Netherlands and must give up their nationality.

What resets the clock

  • A gap between two residence permits, for example after a late renewal.
  • More than 6 months in a row abroad.
  • More than 4 months in a row abroad in 3 consecutive years.
  • Deregistering from your gemeente (BRP) when you leave, which the IND treats as moving abroad.

If any of these happened, use the date your residence started again in the calculator.

What you need besides the years

  • An inburgering diploma at A2, or a higher Dutch language diploma such as Staatsexamen NT2. If you still need to pass it, a tutor on italki or Preply is the fastest way most expats get from zero to A2.
  • A non-temporary residence status on the day you apply and until the ceremony.
  • A valid passport and a birth certificate, legalised and translated if needed.
  • No serious criminal record in the last 5 years, such as a fine of €900 or more.
  • Being 18 or older. Children can be included in a parent's application.

What it costs in 2026

ApplicationFee
One person€1,139
Two partners applying together€1,454
Each child included€168

Fees go up every 1 January. You pay at the gemeente when you hand in your application.

From application to passport

  1. Make an appointment at your gemeente, hand in your documents, sign the renunciation statement and pay.
  2. The gemeente checks your file and sends it to the IND with its advice.
  3. The IND decides within 12 months, or up to 24 with extensions. A yes goes to the King for a Royal Decree.
  4. You are invited to a naturalisation ceremony, usually about 12 weeks later. You become Dutch there.
  5. Apply for your Dutch passport or ID card at the gemeente.

Questions people ask

Do my years on a student permit count toward the 5 years?

Yes. Any residence permit counts toward the term, including study, au pair and orientation year. But on the day you apply, and until the decision, you need a non-temporary status, such as a work, highly skilled migrant, partner or permanent permit.

Do I need a permanent residence permit first?

No. A temporary permit with a non-temporary purpose, such as highly skilled migrant, Blue Card, employment or partner of a Dutch national, is enough. EU citizens do not need a permit.

When does the 5-year clock start?

On the start date printed on your residence permit, not the day you arrived. All 5 years must come right before you apply. An application filed even a day early is refused, and the time the IND takes does not count.

My permit renewal was late. Does that reset the clock?

Yes, if it left a gap between permits. A renewal requested before your permit expired leaves no gap. A gap restarts the term from zero.

How long can I be abroad without losing my residence?

More than 6 months in a row abroad breaks your main residence, unless it was beyond your control. So does more than 4 months in a row abroad in each of 3 consecutive years. Separate trips are not added up.

Has the term changed to 10 years, and is B1 required now?

No, as of October 2026. The bill for a 10-year term never reached parliament and is not in the current coalition agreement. The legal language level is still A2. B1 is a stated plan with no start date.

Can I keep my current passport?

Usually not: you promise to give up your other nationality after the ceremony. Married and registered partners of a Dutch national are exempt, as are people whose country does not allow renunciation, and a few other groups. Unmarried partners are not exempt.

How long does it take from application to passport?

The IND has 12 months by law, which it can extend twice by 6 months. The ceremony invitation usually follows about 12 weeks after a positive decision. You become Dutch at the ceremony and can then apply for a passport at your gemeente.

Sources, checked 9 October 2026