The Netherlands welcomes a large number of migrants every year. The country is known to have a good work-life balance, low crime rate and great social life. If you’re planning to migrate to the Netherlands and becoming a citizen, you will need to pass the Dutch civic integration exam. Read on to find out more about becoming a Dutch citizen.
The Netherlands is the most densely populated country in Europe. A significant percentage of its population is made up of immigrants from other European countries as well as non-European countries.
Read: Netherlands Startup Visa – How To Get A Dutch Startup Visa
In 2017, around 234,957 people migrated to the Netherlands from around the world. This was more than twice the number of migrants in 2007. Migrants in the Netherlands can be broadly classified as western and non-western migrants.
| Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Origin Migrants | 52,809 | 52,211 | 47,469 | 52,046 | 60,071 | 78,489 | 95,136 | 87,103 |
| Non - Western Origin Migrants | 101,623 | 110,751 | 110,905 | 112,726 | 122,878 | 126,126 | 135,603 | 147,854 |
Source – CBS
Foreign nationals can become Dutch citizens by naturalization after having legally lived in the country for at least 5 years. The process for naturalization takes about 1 year. To be eligible to apply, the following criteria must be met.
If you are planning to migrate to the Netherlands, you need to take this exam. The Dutch Civic Integration Exam may be taken at any Dutch consulate.
Before taking the test, the applicant must register himself/ herself and pay a fee of EURO 150. A self-study pack is available online but applicants are not obligated to use this to study.
The Dutch civic integration exam has six sections:
The results of the test will be emailed to the applicant within 8 weeks of taking the exam. A PDF attachment to the email will state the sections cleared. A separate certificate of passing the exam is not sent.
Applicants who fail the test may retake the test after paying the fees and registering again. On the other hand, applicants who have passed the test may submit an application to be naturalized with a copy of the email and PDF.
Citizenship Tests
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