Article 16
in forceLoss of Dutch nationality
Dutch nationality is lost by a minor:
by judicial determination of parenthood, acknowledgement, legitimation or adoption by a foreign national, if he thereby acquires the nationality of the latter, or already possesses it;
by making a declaration of renunciation, if he possesses the nationality of his father, mother or adoptive parent as referred to in Article 11, paragraph 8;
if his father or mother voluntarily acquires another nationality and he shares in this acquisition or already possesses this nationality;
if his father or mother loses Netherlands citizenship pursuant to Article 15, paragraph 1, under b, c or d, or pursuant to Article 15A;
if he independently acquires the same nationality as his father or mother.
For the purposes of subparagraphs (c), (d), and (e), father or mother shall also include the adoptive parent from whom the minor derives Netherlands citizenship, and the person who exercises joint authority over the minor and from whom he derives Netherlands citizenship. The renunciation declaration referred to in subparagraph (b) shall have no legal effect until the minor who has reached the age of twelve and, upon his petition, the parent who is not a legal representative, have been heard in respect thereof. No renunciation is possible if the child and that parent have objections thereto. The minor who has reached the age of sixteen shall make the renunciation declaration independently and cannot be represented therein.
The loss of the Dutch nationality, as referred to in the first paragraph, shall not occur:
if and for as long as a parent possesses Dutch nationality;
by the death of a parent after the time at which, pursuant to the first paragraph, the loss of Netherlands nationality would occur;
if a parent has died as a Dutch national before the time at which, pursuant to paragraph 1, the loss of Dutch nationality would occur;
if the minor satisfies Article 3, paragraph 3, or Article 2, under (a), of the Act of 12 December 1892 on Dutch Nationality and Residency (Stb. 268), except in the case referred to in the first paragraph under (b);
if the minor was born in the country of the nationality acquired by him and has his habitual residence there at the time of acquisition, except in the case referred to in paragraph 1, under (b);
if the minor has or has had his habitual residence in the country of the nationality acquired by him for a continuous period of at least five years, except in the case referred to in paragraph 1, under (b); or
if, in the case referred to in paragraph 1, under (e), a parent is a Dutch national at the time of the acquisition.
For the purposes of items a, b, c and g, a parent shall also be understood to include the adoptive parent as referred to in Article 11, paragraph 8, and the person who jointly exercises joint authority over the minor and from whom the minor derives Dutch nationality.
Het Nederlanderschap gaat voor een minderjarige verloren:
door gerechtelijke vaststelling van het ouderschap, erkenning, wettiging of adoptie door een vreemdeling, indien hij diens nationaliteit daardoor verkrijgt, of deze reeds bezit;
door het afleggen van een verklaring van afstand, indien hij de nationaliteit bezit van zijn vader, moeder of adoptiefouder als bedoeld in artikel 11, achtste lid;
indien zijn vader of moeder vrijwillig een andere nationaliteit verkrijgt en hij in deze verkrijging deelt of deze nationaliteit reeds bezit;
indien zijn vader of moeder het Nederlanderschap verliest ingevolge artikel 15, eerste lid, onder b, c of d, of ingevolge artikel 15A;
indien hij zelfstandig dezelfde nationaliteit verkrijgt als zijn vader of moeder.
Voor de toepassing van de onderdelen c, d en e wordt onder vader of moeder mede verstaan de adoptiefouder aan wie de minderjarige het Nederlanderschap ontleent, en de persoon die mede het gezamenlijk gezag over de minderjarige uitoefent en aan wie hij het Nederlanderschap ontleent. De in onderdeel b bedoelde verklaring van afstand heeft geen rechtsgevolg dan nadat de minderjarige die de leeftijd van twaalf jaar heeft bereikt en, op diens verzoek, de ouder die geen wettelijk vertegenwoordiger is, daarover zijn gehoord. Geen afstand is mogelijk indien het kind en die ouder daartegen bedenkingen hebben. De minderjarige die de leeftijd van zestien jaar heeft bereikt, legt de verklaring van afstand zelfstandig af en kan daarin niet worden vertegenwoordigd.
Het verlies van het Nederlanderschap, bedoeld in het eerste lid treedt niet in:
indien en zolang een ouder het Nederlanderschap bezit;
door het overlijden van een ouder na het tijdstip waarop krachtens het eerste lid het verlies van het Nederlanderschap zou intreden;
indien een ouder als Nederlander is overleden vóór het tijdstip waarop krachtens het eerste lid het verlies van het Nederlanderschap zou intreden;
indien de minderjarige voldoet aan artikel 3, derde lid, of artikel 2, onder a, van de wet van 12 december 1892 op het Nederlanderschap en het ingezetenschap (Stb.268), behoudens in het geval bedoeld in het eerste lid onder b;
indien de minderjarige in het land van de door hem verkregen nationaliteit is geboren en daar ten tijde van de verkrijging zijn hoofdverblijf heeft, behoudens in het geval bedoeld in het eerste lid onder b;
indien de minderjarige gedurende een onafgebroken periode van tenminste vijf jaren in het land van de door hem verkregen nationaliteit zijn hoofdverblijf heeft of gehad heeft, behoudens in het geval bedoeld in het eerste lid onder b; of
indien in het geval in het eerste lid, onder e, bedoeld een ouder op het tijdstip van de verkrijging Nederlander is.
Voor de toepassing van de onderdelen a, b, c en g wordt onder een ouder mede verstaan de adoptiefouder als bedoeld in artikel 11, achtste lid, en de persoon die mede het gezamenlijk gezag over de minderjarige uitoefent en aan wie hij het Nederlanderschap ontleent.
Decisions of the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State (ABRvS) — the highest court in immigration cases — applying this article. Annotations are unofficial translations.
By decision of 14 February 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs refused to confirm the declaration made by [appellant] for the acquisition of Dutch nationality. [appellant] was born on [date of birth] 1989 in [place of birth], South Africa. At birth, he acquired Dutch nationality in addition to South African nationality, because his mother possessed Dutch nationality at that time. She was born in South Africa to Dutch parents, who emigrated to South Africa in 1952. The father of [appellant] was in possession of South African nationality. On 1 January 1995, the mother of [appellant] lost her Dutch nationality by operation of law pursuant to Article 15, paragraph 1, opening words and under (c), of the Kingdom Act on Dutch Nationality, as that Act read between 1 January 1985 and 1 April 2003 (hereinafter: the RWN (old)), because she had her principal residence continuously in South Africa from 1 January 1985 to 1 January 1995. She possessed, in addition to Dutch nationality, also South African nationality.
Decision on rechtspraak.nlBy decision of 20 January 2022, the Minister has stayed the consideration of an application by [appellant] for a Dutch passport. [appellant] was born on [date of birth] in the United States. Her parents held Dutch nationality at that time. Upon her birth, she acquired both Dutch and American nationality. On 10 August 2021, [appellant] submitted an application for a Dutch passport at the Dutch embassy in Washington. As the basis for staying the consideration of the application, the Minister stated that [appellant] lost her Dutch nationality by operation of law on 19 February 2021 pursuant to Article 16, paragraph 1, opening words and under (c), of the Kingdom Act on Dutch Nationality, because her parents voluntarily acquired American nationality and renounced their Dutch nationality on that date.
Decision on rechtspraak.nlBy decision of 23 November 2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs did not process the application of [appellant] for a Dutch passport. [appellant] was born on [date of birth] 1998 in the United States. At birth, she acquired Dutch and Canadian nationality through her father and American nationality through her mother. Her father lost his Dutch nationality by operation of law on 1 April 2013 pursuant to Article 15, paragraph 1, opening words and under (c), of the Kingdom Act on Dutch Nationality (Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap, hereinafter: RWN). As a consequence thereof, according to the Minister, [appellant] as a minor also lost her Dutch nationality pursuant to Article 16, paragraph 1, opening words and under (d), of the RWN. On 20 December 2019, [appellant] applied for a Dutch passport at the Dutch embassy in Washington D.C. [appellant] contends that the court misinterpreted the statutory text of Article 16, paragraph 2, opening words and under (e), of the RWN.
Decision on rechtspraak.nlBy decision of 7 December 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has stayed the consideration of an application by the [opposing party] for the issuance of a Dutch passport. The [opposing party] was born in the Netherlands on [date of birth] 2007 and acquired Dutch nationality simultaneously with his parents in 2012. On 29 March 2013, the [opposing party] moved with his parents to the United Kingdom, where he currently resides. On 23 June 2022, the [opposing party] acquired British nationality. Because his old passport has expired, the [opposing party] applied for a new Dutch passport. The Minister stayed the consideration of the application because, according to him, the [opposing party] does not possess Dutch nationality. The Minister declared the objection lodged against this decision unfounded. The court (de rechtbank) has ruled that the Minister must provide the [opposing party] with a Dutch passport.
Decision on rechtspraak.nlBy decision of 30 January 2017, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has declined to process an application by [appellant] for a Dutch passport. [appellant] was born on [date of birth] 1996 in the Netherlands and acquired both Dutch and Swiss nationality by birth. The mother of [appellant] acquired Dutch nationality at birth. On 30 May 1984, she acquired Swiss nationality as a minor through naturalisation. From that moment, she held dual nationality. The father of [appellant] has always held only Swiss nationality. On 2 July 1996, a Dutch passport was last issued to [appellant] and to his mother. From October 1996 to August 1998, the family was established in Belgium, after which the family moved to Switzerland. On 5 September 2016, [appellant] submitted an application for a Dutch passport. The Minister declined to process this application because [appellant] was not in possession of Dutch nationality.
Decision on rechtspraak.nl