DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

23 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Uncertainty prompts hundreds of Brits go Dutch after Brexit vote

February 6, 2018

The number of British passport holders applying for Dutch nationality has soared since the UK voted to leave Europe, figures from the immigration service IND show.

In 2015, before the Brexit vote, 40 British nationals went through the process to get a Dutch passport but in the six months after the June 2016 referendum, 80 people made the switch. And in the first eight months of 2017, the total soared again to 150.

In Amsterdam itself, 15 British nationals became Dutch in 2015 but by last year, the number had rocketed to 102.

Some 86,000 people with British nationality currently live in the Netherlands, of whom 47,000 are first generation migrants, according to figures from the national statistics office CBS.

Tracy de Jongh Eglin, who is married to a Dutchman and has lived in the Netherlands for nearly 26 years, took Dutch nationality in 2017.

Emotional

‘When the civil servant explained to me what it involved, including a ceremony in which I have to swear or promise to respect the Dutch way of life, norms and mores, I became slightly emotional,’ she told DutchNews.nl ‘

“Are you doing this because of Brexit?” she asked. “Yes,” I replied.  “Don’t worry,” she said. “You are not the only one. Councils throughout the country have become busier”.’

De Jongh Eglin said she had taken the step because she cannot live on assumptions that she is safe. ‘I just want to live here, with my husband and children.  As I have done for the last 25 years.’

Procedures

People can apply to become Dutch after living in the Netherlands for five years, or three years if married to a Dutch citizen – if they have gone through the correct integration procedures.

Those who are not married to a Dutch national are currently required by law to renounce their birth nationality when making the change.

The new coalition has said it will modernise the law on Dutch nationality, which includes ‘expanding the option of first-generation immigrants and emigrants to hold more than one.’ However, no concrete steps have yet been made to amend the current rules.

Ceremony

Rachel Percival became Dutch in her home town of Weert in December last year. ‘It was a very nice ceremony and we were all given flowers and a small gift by the mayor,’ she told DutchNews.nl.

‘I’ve lived here for 26 years and I feel more Dutch than British,’ she said. ‘My husband has an EU passport and I could not imagine going on holiday and having to stand in different queues at the airport.’

The Guardian said last October at least 17,000 Britons had sought the citizenship of another EU member state in the year after the Brexit vote. The greatest number – 9,000 – was from Britons who wanted to become Irish.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Europe
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Dutch forensic experts develop deepfake video detector
Troubled Vitesse Arnhem faces losing its pro licence again
Fewer international child abductions by parents last year
Weekend brings showers and cooler weather, sun still possible
Many "new" homes on Funda were already on the market for months
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now