Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

I am deeply concerned about the proposed extension of the naturalisation period from five to ten years. Many expats, myself included, made life-changing decisions to move to the Netherlands on the understanding that after five years of legal residence, we would be eligible to apply for Dutch citizenship. This expectation shaped our long-term plans — from building careers and families here to integrating into Dutch society in good faith. Changing the rules retroactively places expats in an unfair position: we have invested years of our lives under one legal framework, only to find the goalposts suddenly moved. Such a drastic extension undermines trust in the consistency and reliability of Dutch law and risks discouraging skilled migrants who want to commit to the Netherlands.

A more balanced approach would be to grandfather existing residents under the current five-year term, ensuring fairness while still allowing the government to pursue its new policy direction for future arrivals.