Municipality of West Betuwe: applying for Dutch citizenship by naturalisation

• Valid passport.
• Valid verblijfsvergunning (residence permit) from the Netherlands.
• You have passed the civic integration exam or you have been exempted from the civic integration exam, on the grounds that you can already read, write, speak and understand Dutch to a sufficient level.
• You have graduated from a Dutch, Belgian or Surinam secondary school.

If you meet the conditions, you can make an appointment for your naturalisation application.

You pay a fee for this service. For more information, contact the municipality.

• 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.