Becoming Dutch at what cost?: increasing application fees and naturalisation rates of EU immigrants in the Netherlands

In Europe there is substantial variation in the costs associated with applying for citizenship both between countries and over time. Yet how the costs of applying for citizenship affect naturalisation rates among immigrants remains remarkably understudied. In the Netherlands, application fees increased markedly in recent years from 336 euro in 2003 to 901 euro in 2020 for a single application, with significant hikes in the fee in 2010 and 2011. While simultaneous policy changes in civic integration requirements for long-term residence obfuscated the effects of higher fees and likely resulted i... Mehr ...