Netherlands Announces Category of Foreigners Who Can Get Citizenship After 2 Years

• The Netherlands immigration authority published the conditions under which foreigners can apply for citizenship in as little as 2 years
• The standard naturalisation requirement in the Netherlands is 5 years of continuous legal residence, but specific groups qualify for shorter timelines
• Foreigners married to or in a registered partnership with a Dutch national may qualify for a faster route to citizenship under the 3-year rule

The Netherlands has published details of the specific categories of foreigners who can qualify for Dutch citizenship in as little as two years, well below the standard five-year requirement that applies to most applicants.

The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) of the Netherlands outlines two accelerated pathways on its official website, covering the two-year and three-year routes to naturalisation for eligible residents.

Citizenship: Who qualifies after 2 years in Netherlands?

Foreigners who have lived continuously in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for a minimum of two years, holding a valid residence permit or valid residency under EU law throughout that period, may be eligible to apply for naturalisation ahead of the standard timeline.

However, the two-year period alone is not sufficient. At the time of application, the person must have lived in the Kingdom for a cumulative total of at least ten years, all of which must have been covered by a valid residence permit or EU residency entitlement.

This route is therefore designed for individuals who may have previously lived in the Netherlands, left, and returned, rather than newcomers completing a continuous two-year stay for the first time.

3-year route for Dutch citizens' partners

A separate pathway exists for foreigners who have lived continuously in the Netherlands for three years with a valid residence permit. To qualify under this route, at least one of several conditions must be met.

The most common qualifying situation involves being married to, or in a registered partnership with, a Dutch national. The couple must have lived together in the Kingdom for three consecutive years at the time of application, and they must remain partners and continue living together for the entire duration of the naturalisation process. The Dutch partner must hold Dutch nationality at the point the application is submitted, though they do not need to have held it throughout the preceding three years.

If the couple lived together in the Netherlands before formalising their relationship through marriage or a registered partnership, that earlier period of cohabitation may also count towards the three-year requirement. Similarly, time spent living together outside the Netherlands as married or registered partners can be included in the calculation.

An additional scenario covers couples who have been living together for three years without being married or in a registered partnership. In this case, both individuals must have held valid residence permits and lived together continuously in the Netherlands during that period. The same requirement applies: the couple must continue living together throughout the naturalisation process, and the partner must be a Dutch national at the time of application.

Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.

Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.

Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.

The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.

Source: Legit.ng