What specific steps remain in NATO accession after a formal invitation to start talks?
Executive summary
After a formal NATO invitation to begin accession talks, the remaining steps are: [1] the invited government formally accepts NATO obligations in a letter of intent; [2] NATO members and the invitee conduct accession talks and draft Accession Protocols; [3] all NATO members sign the Accession Protocols; and [4] each member ratifies the protocols under its national procedures and deposits instruments of accession — only then does the invitee become a member [5] [6] [7]. In practice these steps can take months to years depending on required reforms and domestic ratification timelines — the ratification phase alone "usually takes about a year" after signing, though examples vary [7] [8].
1. What the invitation actually starts: accession talks in Brussels
When Allies decide to invite a country they "officially invite the country to begin accession talks with the Alliance" — that formal invitation is the procedural start, not automatic membership; the talks in Brussels are the first concrete step toward joining [5] [6]. Reporting and NATO guidance describe these as structured negotiations to confirm an invitee’s acceptance of Alliance obligations and to prepare the legal texts needed for accession [5] [6].
2. Formal acceptance by the invitee: the letter of intent
After invitation, the invitee provides formal confirmation it accepts NATO obligations — typically a letter of intent addressed to the NATO Secretary General, signalling willingness to comply with political, legal and security commitments required of members [5]. This is a discrete bureaucratic milestone before the Alliance finalizes accession texts [5].
3. Accession Protocols: drafting and signing by all members
The Alliance prepares Accession Protocols that amend the Washington Treaty to admit the new member; all current NATO governments must sign these protocols. The signing converts the outcome of accession talks into concrete international-law instruments that then enter national ratification processes [6] [8].
4. National ratifications and deposit of instruments of accession
Each NATO member must ratify the Accession Protocol according to its domestic procedures — parliaments, constitutional checks, or executive actions depending on the country. Only after every member has completed ratification and deposited its instrument of ratification (in practice with the US government, historically) does the invited country formally join NATO [7] [8]. Parliamentary timetables and political disagreements in even a single member can delay completion for months or years [7] [8].
5. Timeline realities and political chokepoints
Although the sequence is clear, timing varies. The Commons Library notes the ratification process "usually takes about a year" after signing but gives examples where accession took much longer because of domestic or political issues; Montenegro and others illustrate prolonged timetables [7]. The Sweden–Turkey–Hungary case shows how bilateral concerns within members (e.g., terrorism-related demands) can delay final ratification even after invitation [9] [8].
6. Substantive conditions during accession talks: reforms and unresolved issues
Accession talks and preparatory processes often require the invitee to carry out political, legal, military and security reforms, or to resolve outstanding disputes. NATO’s Membership Action Plan (MAP), used for some aspirants, provides tailored feedback and benchmarks — though recent applicants (Finland, Sweden) did not follow MAP in the same way, underscoring variability in practice [10] [7]. The Defence Department and NATO materials emphasize that candidate states must show accession will strengthen the Alliance and meet practical standards [11].
7. What sources do not say or where reporting differs
Available sources do not list a single universal timetable or rigid checklist beyond the core legal and ratification steps; instead they show a procedural framework plus case-by-case political dynamics [5] [7] [6]. Some media narratives or political statements (examples in search set) include opinion or advocacy about whether a particular country should join NATO — those are separate from the procedural steps and are not a substitute for the formal accession sequence described in NATO guidance and parliamentary briefings [5] [7].
8. Bottom line for readers tracking an invited country
If a country has received a formal invitation, watch four things: the invitee’s formal letter of intent; progress and any conditional reforms discussed during accession talks; the date when all NATO members sign the Accession Protocols; and each member’s domestic ratification timetable and deposit of instruments. Delays are typically political or legal in individual member states rather than procedural gaps in NATO’s accession architecture [5] [7] [8].