Dutch citizenship test questions: 10 examples with answers

Last checked: 29 October 2026

The Dutch citizenship test is the civic integration exam, so its questions come from KNM (40 multiple-choice questions on Dutch society in 45 minutes) and four A2 language exams. The real questions are confidential. Below are 10 example questions we wrote in the KNM style, with answers, two example language tasks, and where to find DUO's free official practice.

Sources: inburgeren.nl, KNM, inburgeren.nl, language exams, DUO practice exam.

More Dutch is not affiliated with DUO or the IND. Every example on this page was written by us. None are real or leaked exam questions. The real exam is in Dutch. We wrote the examples in English so you can focus on the content.

Is there a separate naturalisation test?

No. To naturalise, you need to have passed the civic integration exam at A2 or higher, or have an exemption (ind.nl). There is no extra quiz and no interview about Dutch history at the IND. What each part involves, and who is exempt, is explained in the Dutch citizenship test.

10 example KNM questions

Each example covers a different theme. Our KNM exam questions article has six more, on other topics.

1. Politics

How often are there normally elections for the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives)?

• A. Every 2 years
• B. Every 4 years
• C. Every 6 years

Answer: B. Elections for the Tweede Kamer are normally held every 4 years. They can come sooner if the government falls. More in politics and the state.

2. Voting as a foreigner

You are not Dutch. You have lived in the Netherlands legally for 6 years. In which election may you vote?

• A. The election for the municipal council
• B. The election for the Tweede Kamer
• C. You may not vote

Answer: A. After 5 years of legal residence, non-Dutch residents may vote in municipal elections. Voting for the Tweede Kamer is only for Dutch citizens.

3. The constitution

What does the first article of the Dutch constitution say?

• A. The king is the head of the government
• B. Everyone in the Netherlands must be treated equally in equal cases
• C. Dutch is the official language

Answer: B. Article 1 bans discrimination, for example on religion, belief, political opinion, race or sex. See norms and values.

4. Making your own choices

Your adult sister wants to marry a man your parents do not like. Who decides whom she marries?

• A. Her parents
• B. Her oldest brother
• C. She does

Answer: C. Adults choose their own partner. Forcing someone into a marriage is a crime. Women's right to make their own choices got extra attention in the exam from 1 July 2025 (rijksoverheid.nl).

5. History

In which year did Germany invade the Netherlands?

• A. 1914
• B. 1940
• C. 1945

Answer: B. Germany invaded in May 1940. The occupation lasted until 1945. The Netherlands was neutral in the First World War. Study this period well in Dutch history, because the renewed exam asks more about the Holocaust.

6. The Holocaust

Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis in a house in which city?

• A. Amsterdam
• B. Rotterdam
• C. Utrecht

Answer: A. They hid in a building on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. Today it is the Anne Frank House museum.

7. Health insurance

You have just come to live in the Netherlands. Do you have to take out basic health insurance?

• A. No, it is optional
• B. Yes, it is compulsory
• C. Only if you have children

Answer: B. Basic health insurance (basisverzekering) is compulsory for people who live or work in the Netherlands. See health and healthcare.

8. School

Your son is 16. He has no diploma from havo, vwo or mbo level 2 yet. Does he still have to go to school?

• A. No, school is compulsory only until 16
• B. Yes, until he has such a diploma or turns 18
• C. Only if he wants to

Answer: B. After compulsory schooling (leerplicht) comes the qualification duty (kwalificatieplicht). It lasts until a young person has a basic qualification or turns 18. See education and upbringing.

9. Work and pay

How much holiday allowance (vakantiegeld) do employees get at least?

• A. 8% of the gross annual salary
• B. One extra month of salary
• C. Nothing, it is a gift from the employer

Answer: A. By law, employees get at least 8% of their gross annual salary as holiday allowance, usually paid in May or June. A collective labour agreement can only set other rules for higher salaries. See work and income.

10. Appointments

You have an appointment at the gemeente (municipality) at 10:00. You will be 15 minutes late. What is the most normal thing to do?

• A. Just arrive late, it is fine
• B. Call or send a message to say you are late, or make a new appointment
• C. Do not go at all

Answer: B. Being on time matters in the Netherlands. If you cannot make it, you let people know. See government services and money.

Example language tasks

The language exams test Dutch at A2, a basic level. Two tasks we wrote in the exam style:

Writing (A2). Uw buurvrouw heeft uw pakje aangenomen. Schrijf haar een kort briefje. Bedank haar en zeg wanneer u het komt halen. (Your neighbour took in your parcel. Write her a short note. Thank her and say when you will pick it up.)

Speaking (A2). U ziet een filmpje van een man in de supermarkt. Hij zoekt de melk. Wat vraagt hij aan de medewerker? (You see a short film of a man in a supermarket. He is looking for the milk. What does he ask the shop worker?) A good short answer: Pardon, waar staat de melk?

DUO's own practice exams for all parts are free on inburgeren.nl.

If you are Dutch by descent or can use the option procedure

Some people searching for a "citizenship test" may not need one at all:

• You may already be Dutch. A child born after 1984 is Dutch by law if the mother was Dutch at the birth, or the father was Dutch and married to the mother or had acknowledged the child before birth. Where the child was born makes no difference (ind.nl). Born before 1985 to a Dutch mother and a non-Dutch father? Then you can become Dutch through the option procedure.
• The option procedure is a faster route for people with strong ties, for example adults who have lived in the Kingdom since age 4, or people who have lived here 15 years and have been married to a Dutch citizen for at least 3 years (ind.nl). With option you skip the integration exam (ind.nl).

If neither applies, you take the naturalisation route with the exam. All requirements are in Dutch citizenship requirements.

How to practise

1. Do DUO's two free KNM practice exams, one at the start and one near the end.
2. Study one theme at a time with our KNM chapter guides.
3. Drill short sets of questions until you score well above half every time.

Try a free 15-question KNM drill. If you want more, More Dutch Plus has 450 practice questions and mock exams. You can also sign up for one KNM question a week.

For study tips, read how to pass the KNM exam. Wondering how long the whole process takes? See how long it takes to get Dutch citizenship.

Frequently asked questions

Are these the real Dutch citizenship test questions?

No. We wrote them to show the style. The real questions are confidential, and candidates sign a form not to share them.

How many questions are on the Dutch citizenship test?

The KNM part has 40 questions in 45 minutes. The four language exams each have their own tasks and time.

What is the pass mark?

DUO does not publish one. Its exam rules say you do not need every answer right. Aim well above half on practice exams.

Is the citizenship test in English?

No. All parts are in Dutch.

Is there an interview when you apply for Dutch citizenship?

No test interview. At the end you attend a naturalisation ceremony and make a declaration of solidarity, which is a statement, not a test.

Do I need the test if one of my parents is Dutch?

Maybe not. You may already be Dutch by law, or able to use the option procedure, which has no integration exam.