A scene during the ceremony.
HARBOUR VIEW--A total of 74 people representing 18 different nationalities obtained Dutch citizenship during the fourth naturalisation ceremony of 2026, held at the Cabinet of the Governor of St. Maarten.
The ceremony took place on Tuesday, August 11, in two separate ceremonies. The 74 individuals took the declaration of allegiance before Governor Ajamu G. Baly and formally obtained their Dutch citizenship.
Of the 74 new Dutch citizens, 16 were born and raised in St. Maarten. The youngest was three years old, while the oldest was 81.
In his address, Governor Baly spoke of the significance of Dutch nationality and highlighted the core values of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and St. Maarten as a democracy and a country governed by the rule of law.
He pointed to the Kingdom Charter and the Constitution of St. Maarten as the core constitutional documents establishing those principles. The Governor also highlighted the rights and responsibilities that accompany citizenship, as well as the connection with the St. Maarten community and the kingdom as a whole.
He urged the individuals who obtained Dutch nationality to embody the Friendly Island spirit in their daily lives. Dutch nationality can be obtained in several ways. These include automatically at birth if at least one parent is Dutch, through adoption or acknowledgment, or through formal procedures such as the option and naturalisation processes.
Of the 74 people who obtained Dutch citizenship on August 11, 60 acquired citizenship through the option procedure, while 14 did so through naturalisation.
The procedures are governed by stringent requirements under the Kingdom Act on Dutch Nationality, or “Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap”.
To mark the completion of this milestone, the Governor’s Cabinet organises naturalisation ceremonies for people who obtain Dutch nationality through the option or naturalisation procedure.
Attendance at a naturalisation ceremony is mandatory and must take place within one year of the decision being rendered. The ceremonies are held across the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Through the ceremonies, the Cabinet aims to promote awareness and understanding of the process of acquiring Dutch citizenship.
