The Netherlands/Colombia: Whether an adult who was born in Colombia to a Dutch mother would be entitled to Dutch nationality; if yes, what are the steps, and would The Netherlands allow dual nationality
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 14 October 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ42027.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, The Netherlands/Colombia: Whether an adult who was born in Colombia to a Dutch mother would be entitled to Dutch nationality; if yes, what are the steps, and would The Netherlands allow dual nationality, 14 October 2003, ZZZ42027.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/403dd22810.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The information that follows was provided by a consular officer at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Ottawa during a 10 October 2003 telephone interview. It adds to the information provided in ZZZ40198.E of 1 November 2002 and earlier Responses.
A person born in Colombia to a Dutch mother could be entitled to Dutch citizenship and allowed to hold dual nationality, but it would depend mostly on whether the person was born before or after 1985 and, if born after 1985, whether the mother was a Dutch citizen at the time of birth.
If the person was born before 1985, he or she would be entitled to Dutch citizenship only if the father was Dutch at the time of birth. The law was changed in 1985, entitling children born from a Dutch mother to Dutch citizenship, albeit not retroactive to those born from a Dutch mother before that year.
In general, the step to be taken to obtain Dutch nationality by a person outside the Netherlands and born abroad to a Dutch mother after 1985, is to present before a Dutch consular authority his or her birth certificate (a long-form birth certificate that includes the full name of the mother), and the mother's Dutch passport or other document that would prove that the mother was Dutch at the time of birth. In brief, the requirement is to prove that the person was born after 1985, and his or her mother was Dutch at the time of birth. With such evidence presented before a Dutch consular authority, the government of the Netherlands would evaluate the request and decide on the case.
Please note that the above applies to a person who is outside the Netherlands; different authorities have to be approached if applying for Dutch citizenship inside the Netherlands or in a Dutch territory. For example, ANT41978.E of 6 October 2003 refers to the authorities responsible for receiving and deciding on Dutch citizenship applications in Curaçao. The document attached to ANT41978.E also explains the circumstances in which dual nationality could be allowed or disallowed by the Dutch government.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Royal Netherlands Embassy, Ottawa. 10 October 2003. Telephone interview with consular official.
