Forms, etc.

To the Netherlands! (Or: Immigration forms and apostilles)

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Niki

So I have made progress since posting the previous blog post about forms and apostilles, specifically for birth certificates and “certificate of single status” (i.e. I am not currently married).

Here is what the “Application Residence Permit without MVV or change of purpose or stay” has to say:

Any official foreign documents about persons that are required for the
application must have been legalised or provided with an Apostille
stamp by the competent authorities of the issuing country. This may
relate to documents such as birth certificates, certificates of unmarried
status (not older than 6 months), marriage certificates, and court decisions regarding adoption and guardianship.

[Note: Some countries require the MVV first, but it is not required of United States citizens.]

Here is what I learned for my situation (for birth certificates and the certificate of single status, both documents with apostilles):

Continue reading →

Categories: Forms, etc. | Tags: , | 14 Comments

Apostilles (Or: No record, no impediment, single status…)

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Niki

December is fast approaching. With this in mind, I decided to start looking at the various forms that Marco and I would need to fill out for me to make the move to the Netherlands. The PDF I looked at was the Regular Residence Permit form (without need for the Regular Provisional Residence form, or MVV). The Dutch do love their acronyms.

As usually happens, I find myself surfing the internet, with time always going faster than I hope. I really need to carve out a good weekend day to wrap my head around all of this stuff. One thing I have found is it is one thing to have the form – but it’s a lot easier to visit unofficial forums hosted by expats for the nitty gritty answers you are looking for.

Case in point: I need an official document which states that I am not married (yet! 🙂 ). This form goes by many names:  Certificate of No Impediment, Certificate of No Record, Single Status Statutory Declaration, and more. Lots more.

The form says “your declaration of unmarried status, originating from your country of origin …” Obviously they did not write the form for Americans, so you must assume that they would be okay with a form from the last state I resided in (New York) versus the state where I spent more of my adult life (Illinois). Though I figure either will do. I just do not want them wondering why I have a single status document from New York but a birth certificate from Illinois.

You also need to get an apostille for these (and other) documents, to provide legal backing to your claims. Apostilles are for documents issued in one country but used in another. For the countries which abide by the 1961 Hague convention, an apostille is enough for the foreign country.

I found the instructions for getting a birth certificate from Illinois, though it expires after 6 months so I will probably wait a bit longer. Unfortunately, for the single status document that I need, the Google results are heavily dominated by the New York City instructions, but I do not live in NYC. I think it’s time I contact the county I live in to get things answered!

Categories: Forms, etc., Moving | Tags: | 5 Comments

In Progress (Or: New York City ads)

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Niki

Here is another picture from the latest New York City trip. The theme is still “random”!

Johnny Depp advertisement in the making

The ad is for Johnny Depp’s latest movie, Dark Shadows. It was kind of hard to see exactly how the ad was being made as they were actually about 10 stories up (the lower building was mostly cropped out of the picture).

In other news, my latest pondering is one of the forms that I will need to get married in the Netherlands: a legal document that says I am not currently married. With some searching, I was able to find out that it is called Certificate of Non-Impediment in New York City, but that form is only for NYC residents (a pity, since they gave exact instructions and details on how to get it).

Right now it is just musings – the document is only valid for 6 months from date of issue, so I won’t be able to get it until the end of the year anyway. How did you other American expats deal with this one, or did you just wait and visit the American consulate in the Netherlands? Thanks!

Categories: Forms, etc. | 3 Comments

Forms (Or: Staring at IND.nl)

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Niki

Some amusing things I learned staring at IND.nl’s Residence Wizard:

  • I need a Regular Provisional Residence Permit (mvv)… oh wait, no I don’t. Americans are exempt.
  • I need a tuberculosis exam… oh wait, no I don’t. Americans are exempt.
  • I need to take the civic integreation examination (on Dutch language and society)… oh wait, no I don’t. Americans are exempt. (At least in the beginning.)
  • Regular Provisional Residence Permit (mvv) is a separate thing from a residence permit (temporary, continuous, or permanent). Couldn’t use a different translation for mvv, huh?
  • Everything costs money. And no, you can’t get out of the fees. (Duh. I have to wonder who is reading this form thinking they actually can.)
  • I need to report to the police in the municipal authority where I am staying within 3 working days of arriving.
  • The first residence permit type I apply for is temporary – within 8 days of arriving.
  • I need health insurance that covers me in the Netherlands if I want a residence permit… I seriously hope I don’t need to get health insurance in that 3 working day window when I first arrive. 😉 Doubtful though.
  • I get a sticker on my passport to say that I am lawfully residing in the Netherlands. Suh-weet.
  • “The IND [immigration office] will assess your application for a residence permit. This procedure may take some time. … The IND can, in principle, take 6 months to make a decision.” Ouch.
  • If I manage to get a temporary residence permit, I need to reapply before it expires at the end of the first year, and the following year, etc.
  • After 3 years I can apply for a continuous residence permit.
  • After 5 years I can apply for a permanent residence permit – if I take and pass the civic integration examination. (Really? You let me hang out for 5 years before you decide to test my Dutch? I would think it should be sooner — but I’ll hold my tongue.)

Also within the document I found a website, though I haven’t peeked at it much yet:
http://www.newtoholland.nl/

Categories: Forms, etc. | Tags: , | 3 Comments

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