Naturalization Periods and Dutch Politics

The, already twice fallen, Dutch government is still trying to get their coalition plans moving forward. Part of the agreement was increasing the minimum period one needs to wait before being allowed to apply for naturalization, from 5 to 10 years.

I have recently reached this 5 years mark, and I plan to eventually naturalize, since I do want to be able to vote in the country where I live. Since the process takes quite some time and the next elections are very soon, there’s no rush. In addition, the Netherlands still is against double nationality and I’d need to give up my Portuguese nationality, unless I’m married to a Dutch person. If that wasn’t the case, I would have already done it.

At the same time, because I live abroad, my vote for the Portuguese parliament barely counts. Since being able to vote, my vote has almost been a silent one, not proportional, at all. It’s weird, right? Most of my tax money has been paid to The Netherlands, most of my adult has happened while I was in The Netherlands, most of the government elections I have ever actively been more aware of happened… in The Netherlands. And yet, I have no voice.

There’s another law proposal to modernize the Dutch citizenship law. Part of this is to remove the constraints regarding double nationality, but the current government is mostly opposed. Nevertheless, research shows that allowing double nationality actually helps with integration and does not bring any loyalty - a word Dutch politics love to use in this context - conflicts.

This proposal exists since 2016, but in the last months it seems to have gotten some movement and I feel like after the new government is formed - hopefully within a few months - it will be debated. However, the chances that this will be made into law seem quite small to me, especially considering the current political climate.

Going back to the naturalization period being doubled, I think the chances that this will be made into law soon are very low. Elections are happening in a few weeks, and even if the same sort of government forms, this law proposal is still going through an online consultation, where anyone can give their opinion and is going to take two months. And so did I:

Hierbij maak ik bezwaar tegen het verlengen van de naturalisatietermijn van vijf naar tien jaar. Dit plan is de verkeerde aanpak om betere integratie te bereiken, en zou alleen maar een negatieve impact op onze maatschappij hebben.

De regering benadrukt dat vreemdelingen die naturaliseren beter moeten integreren. Daar ben ik het helemaal mee eens. Echter is de verlenging van de naturalisatietermijn niet de juiste aanpak. Dat gaat alleen maar de echte integratie en het leren van de taal verder uitstellen.

Dé juiste aanpak zou de taaleis van A2 naar B1-niveau (of zelfs B2) verhogen. Taalvaardigheden zijn veel belangrijker en essentiëler voor een succesvolle integratie en constructieve bijdragen aan de samenleving, dan het aantal jaren dat iemand in het rijk heeft gewoond.

In contrast tot Nederland, heeft Duitsland in 2024 de naturalisatieperiode van acht naar vijf jaar verlaagd. Mensen die exceptioneel goed hebben geïntegreerd (taalniveau C1, bijzondere bijdragen aan de Duitse samenleving) mogen al na drie jaar een naturalisatie aanvraag indienen. Duitsland kiest ervoor om échte bijdragers sneller te verwelkomen.

Bovendien staat Duitsland nu dubbele nationaliteit toe. Er is veel onderzoek gedaan naar dubbele nationaliteit en hoe het toestaan van dubbele nationaliteit een positieve invloed op integratie en loyaliteit naar het nieuwe land heeft (zie wetsvoorstel 34632-(R2080) van Paternotte en Mutluer).

Tien jaar wachten lost het integratieprobleem niet op, maar zou het juist verergeren door daadwerkelijke integratie uit te stellen. Ik pleit ervoor dat de naturalisatietermijn vijf jaar blijft, maar dat de taaleis wordt verhoogd naar B1- of zelfs B2-niveau. Bovendien zou ik willen pleiten voor het toestaan van dubbele nationaliteit, waarvoor ik verwijs naar wetsvoorstel 34632-(R2080) van Paternotte en Mutluer.

At this time, there’s already over two hundred eighty reactions. I have never seen an Internet consultation with so many reactions, especially in just a single day. In two months, these reactions will be brought back to the government, and hopefully taken into account.

Just like I mention above, I am quite against this change. If the issue is integration, doubling the waiting period doesn’t solve anything, it probably just worsens it. Increasing the language level from A2 to B1, maybe B2, would be a better step.

That, and removing the double nationality ban, which has so many exceptions, that mostly affect Dutch people moving abroad and losing their Dutch nationality automatically when they become a citizens of another country, or people like me, that move to the country, want to integrate, want to participate, but are left with a dilema.

Just look at Germany: so long against double nationality, but it changed last year. The naturalization period shortened from 8 to 5 years, and the language level increased. For people exceptionally well integrated, with C1 language level and a notorious impact in the community, they can naturalize in 3 years.

If you live in the Netherlands, whether you’re Dutch or foreign, please give your opinion.