Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

The proposal to double the naturalization period from five to ten years is unjustified and harmful. Citizenship is not a privilege to be withheld indefinitely but the foundation of equal participation in Dutch society. Five years already allows residents to prove stability and commitment; stretching this to a decade excludes people who work, pay taxes, and raise families here, leaving them outsiders for far too long. Research shows that timely access to citizenship strengthens integration and cohesion, while long delays create frustration, alienation, and inequality.

Removing exceptions to the waiting period adds further harm, punishing families and vulnerable individuals who depend on them for fairness and compassion. Misuse of the process should be tackled through enforcement, not by penalizing everyone. With this bill, the Netherlands would become an outlier in Europe, undermining its reputation as open and just, and discouraging skilled migrants who contribute to its prosperity. The five-year rule strikes the right balance — it should be preserved, not dismantled.