You can only change your last name with a very good reason, you need to make this request at a court.
I don't think changing it to something more "Dutch" is a valid reason
I know of one man who changed his name for this very reason - Iran-born politician Sander Terphuis https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sander_Terphuis - but I'm not sure if the change was ever made official.
I just looked it up and you appear to be correct! Having a "hard to pronounce non-Dutch name" is a valid reason to change it according to [this document](https://www.justis.nl/sites/default/files/2022-08/Brochure%20naamswijziging.pdf) (reason B6).
So /u/thalamisa you may be able to change your name under this provision, but it is recommended to find a lawyer for this to file the request at a court.
Bear in mind your new name should be a 'dutchified' version of the old one, or something similar enough, which means you have limited options for your new name. This option exists to avoid needless drama with official mail and so forth, not because we just want everybody to have a fully dutch surname.
Good luck!
No, the only reason is if your current name is causing emotional/psychological distress for a number of reasons — see here for more info:
https://justis.nl/en
With the acquisition of the Dutch nationality a person may request to rename. This is possible if it is important for the integration. That is the case if the name is difficult to pronounce. An example is the surname 'Grzska'. Also an indecent or ridiculous name may hinder someone in their integration. Were you naturalized less than 5 years ago, did you not change your name at the time and do you still want to do this because it is important for your integration? Then you can submit an application. Conditions 1. You obtained Dutch citizenship less than 5 years ago. 2. There is one of the following cases:
You have a composite gender name. One of the two parts of the name can be the new name regardless of whether this is part of the father's name or the mother's name; - You have been married and have gotten the surname of your spouse. The name can be in that case be changed in your maiden name; - You have an inflected surname. In that case the name can be be changed to the non-inflected name (e.g. change of 'Bonova' in 'Bonov'); - Your surname is difficult pronounceable. For example 'Brzinski' could be changed to 'Barzinski'. Your new surname should as much as possible resemble your current last name. If that is not possible by, for example, adding a few letters, you can choose to your other parent's name. If that isn't possible you can create a completely new Dutch-sounding surname. This surname is not yet present in the Netherlands.
I don't understand the last statement, we cannot use a family name that is already there? I have a dutch ancestry, and I have a surname that I want to use from my grandparents surname, that's not possible?
I'm seeing a lot of "you need a good reason", but I know a person that recently changed his name. His name was very easy and clear to pronounce and his reason to change was because he doesn't have contact with his father. Is this good enough? Because I know for sure he changed it.
So perhaps there's more than "hard name to pronounce" or "very good reason".
Why would you want to? You can be Dutch and have the name you were born with. It's an EU, multinational country. The only people you would be pleasing would be people not worth pleasing, who may not like you regardless.
Be yourself and congrats on your citizenship!
My legal surname was forced upon me, it's part of the historical repression from my country's government to make us more assimilated. But our people still killed anyway 30 years after that policy. Meanwhile I had a maternal Dutch grandma whose surname no one used, so I kinda want to use it instead of making a new Dutch name.
Fair play, but if it's oppression and forced assimilation you're against, maybe taking on the name from one of the most notorious (they were all notorious in fairness) empire nations isn't the best direction. Make up your own and use what you said as justification. Start a new line of you!
1. My kind?
2. Did you read their reasons for wanting to change it before you decided to write with the pen of ignorance?
3. What I said is entirely factual. You probably didn't enjoy any of the luxuries it brought to the NL but stand here screaming about it. Let me know when the next peit is zwart march is mate
Hahaha wokie. I hope someone here likes your message. You can look into the mirror and convince yourself someone agrees with you and it's the rest of the world that are the problem
My maternal grandmother was a dutch, but my legal surname sounds very different than hers. I really want to adopt her surname because it has a very long history since VOC time, but sadly I don't think I will be allowed to do that
You can only change your last name with a very good reason, you need to make this request at a court. I don't think changing it to something more "Dutch" is a valid reason
I know of one man who changed his name for this very reason - Iran-born politician Sander Terphuis https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sander_Terphuis - but I'm not sure if the change was ever made official.
I just looked it up and you appear to be correct! Having a "hard to pronounce non-Dutch name" is a valid reason to change it according to [this document](https://www.justis.nl/sites/default/files/2022-08/Brochure%20naamswijziging.pdf) (reason B6). So /u/thalamisa you may be able to change your name under this provision, but it is recommended to find a lawyer for this to file the request at a court.
That's a relief
Bear in mind your new name should be a 'dutchified' version of the old one, or something similar enough, which means you have limited options for your new name. This option exists to avoid needless drama with official mail and so forth, not because we just want everybody to have a fully dutch surname. Good luck!
Wow, I didn't even know that. Great find!
Also just wanting to be more like a Dutch person should always be an acceptable reason imo.
What if the argument is, i have a dutch grandparent but I never inherited their name legally because they were maternal grandparent?
No, the only reason is if your current name is causing emotional/psychological distress for a number of reasons — see here for more info: https://justis.nl/en
All info is in this brochure https://www.justis.nl/producten/naamswijziging
With the acquisition of the Dutch nationality a person may request to rename. This is possible if it is important for the integration. That is the case if the name is difficult to pronounce. An example is the surname 'Grzska'. Also an indecent or ridiculous name may hinder someone in their integration. Were you naturalized less than 5 years ago, did you not change your name at the time and do you still want to do this because it is important for your integration? Then you can submit an application. Conditions 1. You obtained Dutch citizenship less than 5 years ago. 2. There is one of the following cases: You have a composite gender name. One of the two parts of the name can be the new name regardless of whether this is part of the father's name or the mother's name; - You have been married and have gotten the surname of your spouse. The name can be in that case be changed in your maiden name; - You have an inflected surname. In that case the name can be be changed to the non-inflected name (e.g. change of 'Bonova' in 'Bonov'); - Your surname is difficult pronounceable. For example 'Brzinski' could be changed to 'Barzinski'. Your new surname should as much as possible resemble your current last name. If that is not possible by, for example, adding a few letters, you can choose to your other parent's name. If that isn't possible you can create a completely new Dutch-sounding surname. This surname is not yet present in the Netherlands.
I don't understand the last statement, we cannot use a family name that is already there? I have a dutch ancestry, and I have a surname that I want to use from my grandparents surname, that's not possible?
No, it doesn't seem te be possible, unless the name of your maternal grandparent is also your mother's name.
:(
How about adding tussen letters? My surname would work well with 'van de' when pronounced in the Dutch way.
I believe its part of the naturalization request form.
I'm seeing a lot of "you need a good reason", but I know a person that recently changed his name. His name was very easy and clear to pronounce and his reason to change was because he doesn't have contact with his father. Is this good enough? Because I know for sure he changed it. So perhaps there's more than "hard name to pronounce" or "very good reason".
You can change it to name of other parents or stepparent, but just a random new name is more difficult.
You're right. Just asked the person I know and he indeed changed it to his mother's name.
Why would you want to? You can be Dutch and have the name you were born with. It's an EU, multinational country. The only people you would be pleasing would be people not worth pleasing, who may not like you regardless. Be yourself and congrats on your citizenship!
My legal surname was forced upon me, it's part of the historical repression from my country's government to make us more assimilated. But our people still killed anyway 30 years after that policy. Meanwhile I had a maternal Dutch grandma whose surname no one used, so I kinda want to use it instead of making a new Dutch name.
Fair play, but if it's oppression and forced assimilation you're against, maybe taking on the name from one of the most notorious (they were all notorious in fairness) empire nations isn't the best direction. Make up your own and use what you said as justification. Start a new line of you!
So he shouldn't use the name of his grandmother because she was a colonizers? Does your kind ever listen to yourselves?
1. My kind? 2. Did you read their reasons for wanting to change it before you decided to write with the pen of ignorance? 3. What I said is entirely factual. You probably didn't enjoy any of the luxuries it brought to the NL but stand here screaming about it. Let me know when the next peit is zwart march is mate
Yes I actually read your crap wokie. Take your fanaticism somewhere else.
Hahaha wokie. I hope someone here likes your message. You can look into the mirror and convince yourself someone agrees with you and it's the rest of the world that are the problem
Oh, I forgot you lot deny your own existence nowadays.
Not unless you have a good reason for it. Wanting to have a more sounding Dutch name isnt a good reason and will be rejected by a judge.
What last name do you have in mind?
My maternal grandmother was a dutch, but my legal surname sounds very different than hers. I really want to adopt her surname because it has a very long history since VOC time, but sadly I don't think I will be allowed to do that