The IND makes a decision on your naturalisation request
The Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) assesses whether you meet all the conditions and makes a decision about your naturalisation request. In this article you can read how the IND makes the decision.
The IND checks whether you meet all conditions and may become a Dutch citizen
The IND usually makes a decision within a year
The IND assesses your request to become a Dutch citizen. They must make a decision within 12 months. You will receive a letter from the IND informing you that your application has been received. This letter will also state the date by which you can expect a decision. The 12 months start from the moment you have paid the costs for the application.
For complicated applications or applications that are incomplete, it may take longer for the IND to decide. If you have to wait longer than 12 months, you will receive a letter about this.
If the IND approves your application you will receive an invitation to a special meeting
If the IND approves your request to become a Dutch citizen, you will receive a letter about it. This letter from the IND states who exactly is allowed to become a Dutch citizen. This is important if you have made a request not only for yourself, but also for your children, for example.
Your children also only become Dutch citizens if they are mentioned in the letter from the IND. Make sure that the letter also includes your children. If the IND approves your application, you will not immediately become a Dutch citizen. You will only become a Dutch citizen when the official 'Naturalisatiebesluit' (naturalisation decision) is given to you personally. This is the document with the decision and the signature of the King.
The municipality will also receive a letter from the IND
The municipality will invite you and your partner and children - if they also become Dutch citizens - to a special festive gathering where you will receive the document signed by the King. This gathering is called the naturalisation ceremony.
Your children aged 16 or older who are co-naturalising are invited themselves because they must also pronounce the 'verklaring van verbondenheid' (declaration of commitment) during the meeting. For your children who were younger than 16 when you made the application, the municipality will invite you. Because you made the request for them.
The naturalisation ceremony usually takes place within 6 weeks after the invitation is sent to you.
If the IND rejects your application, you can object to the decision
If the IND decides that you cannot become a Dutch citizen, you will receive a letter from the IND. This letter is called a 'beschikking' (decision). This decision states why your application has been rejected. You can lodge an objection against this decision by the IND with your lawyer. Your lawyer will explain in a 'bezwaarschrift' (notice of objection) why you do not agree with the negative decision. The decision of the IND will tell you before which date you have to file an objection.
If your objection is also rejected, you can still appeal to the court with the help of your lawyer. The court will then decide whether the IND's decision is correct.