The Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe that is 41,865 km² and has a population of approx. 18 million. Dutch and West Frisian are the official languages.

12/26/20251 min read

Government website for immigration: https://www.government.nl/topics/immigration-to-the-netherlands



LGBT+ specific immigration programs (if available): The Netherlands does not appear to have a specific program for LGBT+ refugees, but LGBT+ people can apply for asylum there
https://help.unhcr.org/netherlands/where-to-seek-help/lgbti/

https://www.government.nl/topics/asylum-policy/asylum-procedure



Additional resources for LGBT+ asylum seekers:

UNHCR: https://help.unhcr.org/netherlands/where-to-seek-help/lgbti/

LGBT World Beside: https://www.lgbtworldbeside.org/plan

Other sites pertaining to relocation/citizenship:
The Netherlands is part of the EU, and individuals with citizenship to a country within the EU may have additional avenues for immigration https://european-union.europa.eu/live-work-study/immigration-eu_en

Is same-sex marriage legal: yes
Are trans identities legally recognized and protected: yes

Are more than two genders legally recognized: yes

Is conversion therapy legal: currently yes, though there are efforts to potentially ban it in the future

Are there laws protecting LGBT+ people from discrimination: yes

https://www.government.nl/topics/human-rights/human-rights-worldwide/equal-rights-for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-and-intersex-lgbti

See Equaldex for a chart with more specifics: https://www.equaldex.com/region/netherlands


Are there any laws preventing discrimination based on other factors (e.g. religion, age, sex, ethnicity): yes

https://www.government.nl/topics/discrimination/prohibition-of-discrimination