Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

I am writing to strongly object to the proposal of extending the naturalisation period in the Netherlands from 5 to 10 years. Such a change would have multiple negative consequences, not only for individuals like myself but also for Dutch society as a whole.

Impact on international students and young professionals
Many international students, including myself, chose the Netherlands as a study and work destination precisely because of the fair and reasonable 5-year naturalisation period. Extending this to 10 years will break the expectations under which we made our decisions and will lead many students to abandon their plans of staying in the Netherlands after graduation.

Loss of international talent
The Netherlands is competing globally for talent. Other European countries offer clearer and faster pathways to citizenship. Making the Dutch process longer and more uncertain will drive skilled workers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to other destinations, weakening the Dutch knowledge economy.

Negative effect on integration and social cohesion
Citizenship is not only a legal status; it is also an important symbol of belonging. When people have to wait excessively long for this recognition, they may feel excluded from society. This can harm integration and prevent newcomers from fully committing themselves to Dutch society.

Unfair treatment of current residents
Applying this new law retroactively to people who already moved to the Netherlands under the 5-year rule would be unjust. These individuals—including myself—have invested years of our lives, energy, and resources into building a future here. Changing the rules halfway undermines trust in Dutch institutions.

Reputation of the Netherlands
The Netherlands has long been admired for its openness and inclusiveness. Introducing a stricter and less welcoming policy risks damaging this international reputation and making the country less attractive as a destination for study, work, and investment.

For all of these reasons, I respectfully urge the government to reconsider this proposal. At the very minimum, I strongly request that the new rule should not apply to those who are already living in the Netherlands under the current 5-year naturalisation condition.