Dutch expats abroad say they are extremely disappointed in government plans to allow some of them to regain their Dutch passports, describing the measure as half-baked and ineffectual.

The draft legislation, which is currently out to consultation, would allow some Dutch nationals who lost their right to a Dutch passport because they have lived out of the country for more than 10 years, and have taken a second nationality, the right to reclaim it.

But the rules are still based on the concept of ‘automatic loss unless’ and that, says the foundation for Dutch nationals abroad SNBN does not go far enough.

‘The main rule that you lose Dutch citizenship automatically, immediately, without warning and without the right of appeal when you accept another nationality, remains,’ said chairman Eelco Keij. ‘In addition, once again, nothing is being done for all those thousands of Dutch citizens who also lost their Dutch citizenship involuntarily before 2003.’

The Netherlands has extremely strict rules on dual nationality. In order to become Dutch most people have to renounce their original nationality, unless they are married to a Dutch citizen.

As yet, the government has no plans to change this.