Good news
I just got off the phone with the morons at the IND, which always leaves me in a bad mood (and shaking with the effort of talking about all this legal crud in Dutch). This time was no exception. I'm normally a very polite, meek person, especially over the phone, but this time I decided I had had enough of being told to just "wait patiently" for my residence permit-- I got a letter two months ago telling me that my application had been approved and that I would be getting a letter very soon telling me when and where I could pick up the permit. I don't call two months "very soon", and told the lady on the other end so in no uncertain terms. "When will I be able to pick up my permit?" She didn't know. "Soon," she said.
I then asked her point-blank: when I eventually get this mysterious summons, where will I have to go to pick up my permit? Den Helder (IND headquarters) or the town hall here in Schagen (where I live)? She told me that residence permits were handed out in the place of residence, so I'd need to go to the town hall here. I asked her again, "Are you sure? This is all done through the gemeente?" She assured me once again that it was and that I should get in contact with the Office of Public Services here in Schagen. So I was all set to head over to the town hall and nag them about my permit in person, when I noticed the mail had come. Three letters and a magazine. On the bottom of the stack was, you guessed it, a letter from the IND. The letter was to inform me that my residence permit was ready to be picked up at my convenience...
In Den Helder.
I am so frigging tired of people giving me blatantly false information in an effort to get me off the telephone. This happens every time. People, if you don't know something, don't just make something up! I'm willing to wait while you find the answer! Urgh!
But anyway, useless helpdesk people at the IND aside, I am a happy girl. A light is glimmering at the end of the tunnel-- I will finally have a SOFI-nummer! I can get added onto Rick's insurance! And sign up for a Dutch bank account! And maybe I will actually get an OV and studiefinanciering before I finish my degree after all! :-P
And when I called up Rick to tell him the good news, he had some of his own: at his performance review today, his boss told him he had exceeded expectations in every area and was getting a 15% raise. Things are looking up...
I then asked her point-blank: when I eventually get this mysterious summons, where will I have to go to pick up my permit? Den Helder (IND headquarters) or the town hall here in Schagen (where I live)? She told me that residence permits were handed out in the place of residence, so I'd need to go to the town hall here. I asked her again, "Are you sure? This is all done through the gemeente?" She assured me once again that it was and that I should get in contact with the Office of Public Services here in Schagen. So I was all set to head over to the town hall and nag them about my permit in person, when I noticed the mail had come. Three letters and a magazine. On the bottom of the stack was, you guessed it, a letter from the IND. The letter was to inform me that my residence permit was ready to be picked up at my convenience...
In Den Helder.
I am so frigging tired of people giving me blatantly false information in an effort to get me off the telephone. This happens every time. People, if you don't know something, don't just make something up! I'm willing to wait while you find the answer! Urgh!
But anyway, useless helpdesk people at the IND aside, I am a happy girl. A light is glimmering at the end of the tunnel-- I will finally have a SOFI-nummer! I can get added onto Rick's insurance! And sign up for a Dutch bank account! And maybe I will actually get an OV and studiefinanciering before I finish my degree after all! :-P
And when I called up Rick to tell him the good news, he had some of his own: at his performance review today, his boss told him he had exceeded expectations in every area and was getting a 15% raise. Things are looking up...