General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsYoungerGreenKid, whom you old timers would remember as a tot, wants to move to the Netherlands
to be with his gf. Anyone have any experience/advice in this area? Hes saving up money from his summer job, has a passport in the works, gotten his Moderna shots. Hes talking about some sort of 3mo visa that would let him look for a job. He doesnt currently speak Dutch, so theres some limits there, and hes a high school grad but not a college one. Im racking my brains trying to think of ways to make this easier for him, but Ive got nothing beyond get a passport, shots, and save lots of money.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)💖😘🥰
How old is he? How long have they been living together?
GPV
(72,377 posts)NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... that's my only advice.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)try intoducing him to someone local. And quick!
Sympthsical
(9,071 posts)There could be a lot of unforeseen hoops neither would even think about. Every country is different, even if they're in the EU.
And Covid is seriously complicating things.
I lived in Europe for three years, but that was in the 00s in my early 20s. I went through the Home Office in Britain. I spoke with someone there. There were t's and i's needing crossing and dotting I had no idea about. I was going to emigrate to Australia about five years back. Spoke with an officer there about the process. Totally different process and requirements than England.
Internet research can give you an overall view of the process, but having someone knowledgeable walk you through it is highly advised. One wrong or missing form or formality could land you back at square one after going through months of the process.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)He's young and in love (I assume) so all things are possible despite his age and lack of international travel experience; he'll either adjust or he'll return home and figure out his next move.
A friend's daughter, who was in the Peace Corp in Africa after college, traveled around Europe with new friends, moved to London to work, met a Scot, moved to Canada with him, got a tech job in Seattle, married a US soldier in California, and now lives Boston. Smart young people figure it out on their own.
Nay
(12,051 posts)That will give you a good explanation on how he can do it and what he needs to qualify for whichever visa he wants.
https://www.government.nl/topics/immigration-to-the-netherlands
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,841 posts)of research here. Every country has different requirements, and he absolutely needs to know what the Netherlands' are.
Not speaking any Dutch might limit his job prospects, although I believe pretty much every single person in that country also speaks English.
DFW
(54,338 posts)It is anything BUT easy. A few basics, and without these, forget it:
Get married to a Dutch citizen. Bypass that, and you have two strikes against you already. I don't even know if that is feasible under the current circumstances, but get it done. Have the docs certified by BOTH countries.
Learn Dutch. Learn it well. I mean, learn it to the point where you don't need an interpreter. It is a fact that almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks decent English. Big deal, so they're an educated society. If you want to live and work there, you have as much chance of making it speaking only English as you would have trying to get residence and a job in your town if all you can speak is Dutch. And start taking intensive courses in it BEFORE you leave the States. A Dutch immigration official will take you far more seriously if they think you really mean it about becoming a part of their society.
One bright spot about their language--when spoken, it may seem at first like unintelligible gibberish if you aren't familiar with the language and its quirky vowels and consonants. Dutch is nonetheless a Germanic language, just like English, and many similarities will become apparent the more you get into it. If your native language is English, you have a hidden head start with Dutch. Don't give up after the first few lessons, and say it's hopeless. It's not. The Netherlands is quite aware that most immigrants (outside of South Africans, Surinamese and Indonesians) will have a hard time with the language. Prove to them that it is an obstacle you fully intend to overcome, and you have already reached first base with them. They have free schools all over the country to help. Most non-residents who acquire near-fluency in Dutch do so for work-related reasons (like me). It is never expected of non-residents. Americans, in particular, are famous at being total disasters with other languages. Prove them wrong, and you will have already made some friends.
Have a credible job plan. Be ready to tell the Dutch what your skills are, how you plan to use them, and in what field. Aquatic engineering, molecular biology, auto mechanics, SOMETHING. If a steady job is not already offered, a few interviews planned, with written back-up to prove it, would help. Have any professional experience or some recommendations? The more, the better.
They will also ask about financial security. If they even get a whiff of a hint (no matter how inaccurate) that he plans to acquire residence, then go on welfare and watch DVDs all day from his girlfriend's couch, not only will he not get residence, they will stamp his passport with a notice that he is not to be let back into the EU after putting him on the first plane home. This is why the job plan is so vital if he can't present a hefty bank balance.
Health insurance! They will want to see that his health insurance is current and valid for a time long enough that he will be installed in his Dutch employment before it runs out.
If that sounds like a huge wall of obstacles to discourage people from trying to move there, the impression is quite accurate. The Netherlands is a small, very crowded country, and the EU in general is most definitely NOT in need of more people. However, if you have a legitimate reason for moving there (and marrying one of its citizens definitely counts), and are deadly serious about becoming part of the society of the country you are moving to, they will not only let you in, but help you adjust.
I think they have not yet met in person and are just starting to date. Might be a tad premature to start preparing for citizenship at this point.
As we say in the states, one must learn to block and tackle first.
DFW
(54,338 posts)He doesnt have to ask for citizenship to get a residence permit or a work permit. I never applied for German citizenship. If they think youll fit in, never ask their government for money, and will do something that makes them able to tax you, theyre usually happy. Its convincing them of thatTHAT is the hard part. The process involves working with bureaucrats whose main purpose in life is to say, no.
brush
(53,764 posts)on that asap with CDs, apps, dictionaries...whatever he can get his hands on. Many in the Netherlands speak English but there will be situations where knowing the language is invaluable, like working.
Find a job there without knowing the language...that's not clear thinking.
DFW
(54,338 posts)You will have no more luck getting a job in Amsterdam speaking only English than you would in Kansas City speaking only Dutch.
TuxedoKat
(3,818 posts)this may sound crazy but advise him to start playing dutch music (songs with words) constantly. He doesn't even have to consciously listen all the time or even at all, but this will greatly help his pronunciation of the language and if he does start learning the language will speed up his comprehension and abilities so much more quickly. He could probably find a Dutch radio station online and just set that up to play in the background. Good luck to him! One of my friends married a Dutch man and lived there several years and became fluent. Now they are both back in the US.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)You cannot just move to another country. A visitor visa is good for 90 days, after which you need to leave the country. You can't just go across the border to Belgium and re-enter, you'll be denied re-entry. The only realistic way your son will be able to move to the Netherlands is if he marries his girlfriend and immigrates on a spousal visa.