What is in the library, and what it is for

The law library holds statutes, judgments, translations and explanations that we have collected, translated or written over the years. Some of it is official text. Some of it is our reading of that text. Some of it is the only English translation we know of.

Four things worth knowing before you read

First, this is information, not advice. Advice is what we give once we know your facts, inside an agreed engagement. A statute cannot tell you what it means for you, because it does not know about you.

Second, law changes, and nationality law changes often. Dutch nationality law alone has been amended dozens of times since 1850. Where a page was written at a particular moment we say so at the top, and point you to the page that carries the current position.

Third, more than one country is usually involved. Whether you may hold two nationalities is decided by every country involved, not one. That is why the library carries statutes from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, Myanmar, Ukraine and South Africa alongside the Dutch material.

Fourth, translations can be wrong, including ours. Where a translation is not ours we say so and we do not vouch for it. If you find a mistake anywhere in the library, tell us and we will fix it. So far no one, great!

If the words are the obstacle

Start with nationality, citizenship — what is the difference? The two words do not mean the same thing everywhere, and occasionally the difference matters a great deal. The rest of the plain-language material sits under definitions and self-help.