Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

While I understand the government’s intention to regulate naturalization more strictly, I believe this proposal would have serious negative consequences for the Netherlands, both socially and economically.

1. Economic and Educational Impact
This law would make the Netherlands less attractive to international students and highly skilled migrants, many of whom come with the prospect of settling long-term. For example, a non-European student at TU Eindhoven pays approximately €20,000 per year for a master’s program. If talented students and young professionals see that citizenship is being pushed further out of reach, they may choose to study and work in other countries instead. This would mean a significant loss of income for Dutch universities and the economy, as well as a drain of innovation and talent.

2. Unfairness to Current Residents
There are already thousands of people who have built their lives in the Netherlands under the expectation of a five-year naturalization term. Many have invested years of study, work, and financial resources with the goal of applying for Dutch nationality within this established timeframe. Suddenly extending the term to ten years for those already on this path would not only feel unjust, but would also disrupt lives, careers, and family plans. It would undermine trust in the fairness and reliability of Dutch laws and institutions.

3. Risk of Talent Loss to Other Countries
Highly skilled workers, researchers, and students are highly mobile. If the Netherlands raises the barrier to naturalization so drastically, it risks losing exactly the people it aims to attract: young, motivated, and educated individuals who could contribute to Dutch society for decades. Other European countries with shorter naturalization paths may become more attractive, and the Netherlands could lose its competitive edge.

For these reasons, I urge you to reconsider this amendment and to preserve the five-year naturalization term, or at the very least, to ensure that those who are already living in the Netherlands under the current rules are not retroactively affected.

The Netherlands has long benefited from openness, fairness, and its ability to attract talent from across the world. Extending the naturalization term to ten years would threaten these strengths and have long-lasting negative consequences.