The number of Britons who have been naturalized to the Dutchman has increased almost tenfold in four years, probably because of the Brexit. Their number increased from 19 in 2015 to 169 in the first eleven months of 2018. For the British it is a far-reaching step: in most cases they give up their own nationality.

The effect of the approaching Brexit is clearly visible. The number of naturalisations rose from 19 (2015) to 41 (2016) to 125 (2017) to 169 (up to and including November 2018). The number of Britons who opted for Dutch citizenship last December is not yet known at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND), but the total for 2018 is therefore even higher.

Many of the 46,000 Britons living and / or working in the Netherlands have no idea what their status is in our country after the Brexit has become reality, especially if the deal that Prime Minister Theresa May concluded with the European Union does not come through the British House of Commons . By taking a Dutch passport and surrendering their British, they are rid of that uncertainty.

In addition to naturalization, people can also become Dutch citizens by option. That is easier and happens much more often. This involves people who already have a connection with the Netherlands in a certain way, for example because they were born here or have a Dutch parent. The number of Britons who receive a Dutch passport through an option is also rising sharply. In 2017, 1128 Britons became Dutch nationals through this route, whereas in 2010 there were only 140, according to Statistics Netherlands figures.

In naturalization, someone naturally has no Dutch background. It is an extra drastic process, because the Netherlands basically demands that someone who takes this step surrender his other passport. That means that they can no longer vote in their homeland, just to name a few. Naturalization is concluded with a special ceremony, in which someone makes a declaration of solidarity with his or her new country.