Verlenging naturalisatietermijnen

Reactie

Vraag1

I would like to suggest some amendments to this bill, as it will significantly affect holders of highly skilled migrant visas (myself) and our partners. I moved here on 1 August of 2025 with such a visa, and am in the process of facilitating my partner's relocation as well. We are both learning Dutch and already spreken een beetje. We are excited to contribute to the Dutch community both financially (via higher taxes than in our home country, even after the 30% ruling) and via our volunteering and civic engagement. By extending this time frame for residency from 5 to 10 years, our ability to remain in the Netherlands remains more uncertain because it is dependent on work sponsorship for a longer period of time, rather than a personal choice to remain as a resident with rights that are independent of employment.

I would strongly recommend that residency requirements remain 5 years for those who have entered the country when those rulings were in place, but that we give future immigrants the same opportunity. Because the stated concern is that 5 years is too short of a time for full integration, perhaps the naturalization exams can be raised from an A2 level to a B1 level so that prospective residents can demonstrate a deeper engagement with Dutch culture and language.