The changes to the Dutch citizenship law that were approved earlier this year will take effect on October 1st, 2010. People born outside the Netherlands before 1985 to a Dutch mother and a non-Dutch father may now be eligible for Dutch citizenship. Citizenship is not granted automatically, these "Latente Nederlanders" need to file an application to gain Dutch nationality.

The Royal Dutch Embassy published information on the procedure and assessment forms. The application can be filed starting October 1st at all Dutch diplomatic missions in the US that handle passport applications or at any city hall in the Netherlands.

Applicants are reminded that citizenship laws are complicated, and that many countries have restrictions on dual citizenship. Seek information from the officials of every country of which you may be a citizen.

Background

While children born to a Dutch father and a foreign mother have always been eligible for Dutch citizenship, people born outside the Netherlands before 1985 to a Dutch mother and a foreign father were not. This strange distinction was a legacy from an old law from 1892, which was revised in 1985. Children born on or after January 1, 1985 to either a Dutch mother or a Dutch father have been eligible for a Dutch passport.

There was a grace-period in the late 1980’s where people in this situation could apply for Dutch citizenship but this did not reach everybody on time.

Overhaul Dutch citizenship laws

The proposal is part of a larger overhaul of the law on Dutch citizenship, including more measures to prevent dual citizenship and additional rules to revoke citizenship of terrorists in certain cases. More information on this and other changes can be found on the website of the Dutch House of Representatives.