Quick answer
- Dutch mother
- Child is Dutch from birth
- Dutch father
- Married to the mother, or acknowledged before birth
- Acknowledged after birth
- Under 7: automatic; 7–17: DNA test
- Option procedure
- €241
On this page
When a child is Dutch from birth
A child born on or after 1 January 1985, in any country, is Dutch from birth if at the time of birth:
- the mother is Dutch;
- the father is Dutch and married to, or in a registered partnership with, the mother; or
- the father is Dutch, not married to the mother, and acknowledged the child before birth.
A co-mother is treated like a father.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Dutch nationality by birth or acknowledgement, IND — Dutch citizen by birth, acknowledgement or adoption
Unmarried fathers: acknowledgement
- Acknowledgement after birth, before the child turns 7: the child becomes Dutch on the date of acknowledgement.
- From 7 to 17: the father must prove he is the biological father with a DNA test from an accredited laboratory, within 1 year of the acknowledgement and together with the application for a Dutch travel document.
- From 18 acknowledgement no longer gives Dutch nationality.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Dutch nationality by birth or acknowledgement, NetherlandsWorldwide — Registering a birth abroad
Registering the birth
- Register the birth with the Vietnamese authorities first.
- Optional: have the Vietnamese birth certificate converted into a Dutch one by the Municipality of The Hague (online form, originals by post, postage only). The certificate needs an apostille and a translation.
- Conversion does not register the child in the RNI or give a citizen service number (BSN). For a BSN, register in person at one of 19 municipalities with an RNI desk; it is free and the child must attend.
Apostille and translation: legalisation of Vietnamese documents.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Registering a birth abroad, NetherlandsWorldwide — Converting foreign documents, NetherlandsWorldwide — Registering in the RNI
The child's first passport
A child who has never held a Dutch passport or ID card cannot get a Dutch nationality certificate; apply for a passport instead, with both parents' consent and the apostilled, translated birth certificate. See Dutch passport in Vietnam.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Dutch nationality certificate in Vietnam
Option procedure
The option procedure is a quicker route to Dutch nationality in specific cases, for example people born before 1985 to a Dutch mother married to a non-Dutch father, their children, and children acknowledged or legitimated between 1 April 2003 and 1 March 2009.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Option procedure: single | €241 |
Updated: Sources: Official fee table, NetherlandsWorldwide — Bộ Ngoại giao Hà Lan
- Book online at the embassy in Hanoi or the consulate-general in Ho Chi Minh City; sign and pay in person.
- Adults and children aged 16 or older need a certificate of conduct.
- A decision usually takes 13 weeks, extendable once by up to 13 weeks. A naturalisation ceremony follows within 1 year.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Option procedure abroad
Keeping Dutch nationality
Dual nationals who live outside the EU for 13 consecutive years lose Dutch nationality unless they get a new passport, ID card or nationality certificate in that time. For children the 13 years start at age 18.
Updated: Sources: NetherlandsWorldwide — Losing Dutch nationality