You, Me and The Dutch American Friendship Treaty
Welcome to a Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT|DAFTA) how to guide. From the Gemeente, KVK and finally the IND, each step of the way I will document my experiences so that when you decide to take the plunge and move across the pond there will be concrete information to rely upon. I am doing this all on my own (ie. without the help of an immigration lawyer) so if anyone reading this has something to add, please do so wherever possible....
6 - Recieving the Residence Permit
All told, picking up my resisdence permit today was an amazing feeling. I couldn't begin to tell you how many hours I've spent thinking about this little piece of plastic over the past half year. Too many, but in the end it was all worth it. Going it alone, without the help of an immigration attorney is like the cherry on top of the giant ice cream sunday that is my residence permit..... read more »
5 - Meeting with the IND
Just thinking about this step has given me many sleepless nights. Using the Dutch American Friendship Treaty and preparing to face the IND all by my lonesome. What questions will they ask, do I have everything I need, why did they send me 20 pages of amendments all of which I don't understand. These are just a few of the thoughts swirling around in my head as my appointment with the IND draws closer.... read more »
4 - Eenmanszaak with the Chamber of Commerce (KVK)
Today, with the help of the Dutch American Friendship treaty, I became the proud owner of a dutch company complete with VAT number so they can get their fair share. Fair share is relative but all in all I am glad to have completed the second to last hurdle in the quest for a residence permit and receive permission to stay in Europe and sell my wares..... read more »
3 - Dutch Recognized Health Insurance
For many Americans, health insurance is an expensive and all too foreign idea. If you work for a major company which provides coverage then you should count yourself lucky. As for the many young and unemployed like myself, I have been without coverage for nearly two years. The Dutch however require that every person have coverage and be covered under an accredited insurer. read more »
2 - BSN number & Setting up a Dutch Bank Account
Gone are the days when opening a Dutch account was difficult for foreigners. When I registering with the Gemeente I was surprised and pleased to learn that I would be issued a BSN number. Apparently this is the new name for Sofi numbers aka as a Dutch Social Security number. This seemed to clear up a lot of issues. With this you are now able to open a bank account which is good to have..... read more »
1 - Registering with the Gemeente (GBA)
Registering with the local Gemeente office aka City Hall is the first step that has to be taken care of when arriving in the Netherlands. Besides finding a place to live in that you can afford and register from that is. If you plan on staying in a hotel initially than you're in luck as you are already registered. I read that or was told that somewhere so don't take my word for it. Anyway, in my case City Hall was in Amsterdam, located at Stadhouderskade 85 (right near the Heineken Brewery).... read more »
