1.2 million Dutch nationals have a second nationality: CBS
Monday 19 March 2012
At least 1.2 million Dutch nationals hold a second nationality but the number of people becoming Dutch citizens is falling, according to new figures from the national statistics office CBS.
In total, the number of dual nationals rose 40,000 during 2010, reaching 1.2 million by January 2011, the CBS said.
Almost half the dual nationals also hold Moroccan or Turkish nationality. Germans, British nationals and Belgians are next on the list of people entitled to more than one passport.
Dutch passports
Half the increase is due to children being born to a mixed nationality family.
However, the number of people taking Dutch nationality fell to 18,000 in 2010, the lowest figure since the mid-1990s, the CBS said. Of them, 16,000 kept their original nationality as well.
The government said last week it plans to press ahead with controversial proposals to stop people keeping their original nationality if they become Dutch. Dutch nationals who take another nationality will also lose their Dutch passports.
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© DutchNews.nl
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Reading this number makes me wonder what it will cost us taxpayers to have the current cabinet fix something which is not broken.
By Bill | 19 March 2012 4:01 PMEven though I've recently applied for the Dutch nationality (and will therefore have to give up my own) if anyone asks me what (nationality) I am, I will always reply the nationality/country where I was born. I don't understand all the fuss about dual citizenship. It has NOTHING to do with loyalty....
By Michael K | 19 March 2012 5:03 PMDuring 1997, the law changed but only for about 3 months.I was informed that (After 17 years in NL) I could apply for Dutch citizenship, but without rejecting my UK citizenship. It took only a few days & cost me then about 600 guilders. I have family & friends in the UK and in NL: my loyalty is with them, and not with a bunch of power-crazy career politicians!!
NL is not the French Foreign Legion, right?
By The visitor | 19 March 2012 6:27 PMI was born in the Netherlands. Have lived in South Africa and New Zealand and have NEVER been permitted to have dual nationality. I would have had to lose my Dutch nationality to have obtained either of them. This was an issue with the last company I worked for in NZ. I did find that NZ born (ie Citizens ) that were entitled to Dutch citizenship, were allowed to have both. Always considered this a little bit incongruous.
By A van Breuegl | 19 March 2012 6:43 PMI cannot stop from being puzzled by the mixed message of this piece. The CBS says in 2010 there were 40000 people which got dual nationality of which 20000 thousand were new born children that are actually forced into the statistic. Therefore, there are only 20000 new dual-nationality people. This number is extremely similar with the 18000 (the number of Dutch that acquired new nationality in 2010). My question is who has something to gain from presenting the facts darker than they actually are. And what?
By Ada | 20 March 2012 6:36 AMAda, dual nationality works both ways. Dutch citizens get a second natiotality by marriage or residence abroad, and the contrary as well.
If they made the law extremely tough on granting naturalization (like requiring 10 years residence, level 3 on NT exam), this would be less than an issue.
By Andre L. | 20 March 2012 12:16 PMWhen will the Dutch Gov't realize that Morrocan citizens are not allowed to give up their nationaliy, and therefore undder Dutch law they can keep their dual nationality, while Dutch born citizens will have to give up their other nationality.
By John Anthony | 20 March 2012 6:22 PM