Municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul: applying for Dutch citizenship by naturalisation

Conditions for applying for Dutch nationality:

• You are an adult.
• You have a residence permit, or you come from one of these European countries.
• You have not been convicted of a crime in the past 5 years.
• You meet the requirements for option or the requirements for naturalization.

If you are applying for your child, the conditions include:

• At the time of application, your child lives in the Netherlands.
• Your child has a residence permit.
• Is your child 16 or 17 years old? Then your child must have lived continuously and legally in the Netherlands for at least 3 years before the application.

Please bring the following to your appointment:

• Your valid identity document
• A valid residence permit or other proof of legal residence
  (this is not required if you come from one of these European countries)
• Your birth certificate

For a naturalization request:

• Your civic integration diploma
• Your marriage certificate, if applicable
• A report from the first or additional hearing, if applicable
• Any other necessary supporting documents, if applicable

If you meet the conditions, you can make an appointment for your naturalisation application. See how to do this at www.valkenburg.nl.

You pay a fee for this service. Check the current fees at www.valkenburg.nl.

• The municipality assesses whether you meet all conditions for naturalisation and provides the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst – IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) with advice. The municipality sends your file to the IND.
• The IND checks whether you meet all conditions and takes a decision. The IND must take a decision within 12 months. If you have any questions about the application in the meantime, you can contact the IND.
• You officially become a Dutch citizen only after the naturalisation ceremony.
• You can apply for a Dutch travel document 1 week after the naturalisation ceremony.

You can file an objection to the decision regarding your option request. Do this within 6 weeks. If you still disagree with the ruling on your objection, you can appeal to the court.

You can file an objection to the decision regarding your naturalization request with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).