Who are considered citizens of the European Union?

Citizens of the European Union are individuals with the nationality of:

• A member state of the European Union (EU)  

Also treated as Union nationals are:

• subjects of a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) 
• subjects of Switzerland 
• family members and relatives of citizens of the European Union.  

  
Dutch nationals 

In principle, Dutch nationals are not regarded as citizens of the European Union in their own country. Therefore, the rules for citizens of the European Union  do not apply to them.
There is one exception to this rule, namely when the Dutch national has previously made use of the right to free movement of people in another EU/EEA member state (see also 'frequently asked questions’).

Important 
You wish to move to the Netherlands as a (family member or relative of a) citizen of the European Union. The Dutch government requires personal information, which is subject to the Personal Data Protection Act to ensure these data are handled with care. For more information go to www.cbpweb.nl.