Getting a Residence Permit

This post contains possible errors, since some of the events have taken place over 2 months ago. I will try though to describe situations as truthfull as possible (what is truth? good question, i have no answer to that, so let me just begin my story).

To get a partner into the netherlands you have to follow the following scheme:

question --> answer (within paratheses response of IND)

1) What is the reason? --> Love. (Ok go to next question)
2) EU or NON-EU? --> NON-EU (HAHA you are in big troubles mister!)
3) Western-country (US, Canada, Australia, Japan etc) or Non-Western Country (the rest)? --> "Western country". Note the paratheses: my partners' home country knows cities with a higher infant mortality rates than so-called non-western countries. But gradual differences do no exist, right: it is black or white, modern or traditional.

(This means you do not need an MVV (a visa for your partner for the 3 first months. in this period your partner has to apply for VVT (verblijfsvergunning voor bepaalde tijd)).

4) What is your partners' age? --> uhmmm 26. (if under 21, you are not allowed to get your partner to the Netherlands)

5) What is your income? --> It's getting personal now huh.....well i suppose around 1550 euro after taxes (lucky bastard: you need 1484 euro after taxes to get your partner here. That is 120 % of minimum wage)

6) What type of contract do you have? --> uhm temporary for over 1.5 years left (that is enough, generally a one year contract is required)

7) Do you have your own dwelling? --> well i came prepared so i started renting a private renting dwelling. i used to live in cheap student accomodation, but that is not enough (Ok we got to check that though)

Ok enough schemes.
Preparing the arrival of your partner is tough. All the documents that are needed: unbelievable.
Let me illustrate this with an example: to prove you have a job you need different documents. For example your yearly taxform (over the last 3 years), a salary slip over the last 3 months, a copy of your contract, and prove that you have been registered with the taxes (prove that you pay your monthly taxes).

Well certain problems arose: first, the salary slip is only send at the moment there are changes of salary. If no changes have occured, no slip will be sent. And of course nothing changed in the month before the permit application. So no slip.....how will IND handle that (PURPLE CROCODILE)?
Second: a special form was needed to provide evidence that i am registered with taxes. A simple person would guess that the yearly taxform would be enough evidence. Unfortunately IND thinks differently and request a form that my employer never heard of. After many phone calls with the financial section, IND and human resources, we found that my employer could not hand me the form....(and I work at a semi-governmental institution....PURPLE CROCODILE). Solution? Well just making so many copies of so many different forms that possibly indicate i am registered with taxes, that IND accept it.

Then, at the moment your partner arrives, you need to get some documents indicating her marital status. We spend our monday travelling from U-town to A-town and DH-town. In Amsterdam getting the paper indicating that she is unmarried, getting it legalised in DH town and then returning it in Utown.

Hopelessly naiev, I thought that at the city, the application would be immediately processes. NOT! No this worker would accept the papers and wanted to make an appointment to discuss the application (typical dutch, always discussing whatever...PURPLE?). Well we had to make one for 3 weeks later. But the dude, wasnt really sure what he was doing. He mentioned that i did not need certain documents, while i was sure i needed it and told him. Then after a while he noticed he did need the document. Ohhhhhhhhhhh.

Anyhow, no official application. I called city house back, to ask why such a meeting was necessary. Well to make sure everything was present (like that would be the case with a city worker who doesnt know what documents are needed....). I requested a reschedule that same week. That wasnt possible, but if i would only need to come by to pay for the permit (816 euros kchingggg) i was welcome. That was about to happen. But they told me i need to prove that my partner was living at the same address. The owner of the place had to sign a paper to prove that.

So in a hurry we did that. But my estate agent, did not want to do that, since my partner did not pay of the rent (POTENTIAL PURPLE CROCODILE). Mmmm in the end the civil servant at the city hall, was ok. She was more relaxed and wanted to actual help. Anyways, permit application was now official. Unfortunately the application for the inburgeringscourse was not a big success. More on that, next time

Cheers,

Purple Crocodile