Cedula: The Dominican Republic is transitioning from a simple plastic card with a photo to a full-fledged electronic document with an embedded chip. A lot of Dominicans and expats have expired cedulas on hands. Each visit to JSE and request to update ends in nothing.

The President has issued a decree that expired cedulas are valid. However, employees of international embassies and airports are not aware of the Dominican decrees.

By Yenifer Fernandez (yenifer.fernandez@lagente.do)

Periodista de LaGente.do

My ID expired in February 2024, and as a law-abiding citizen, I went to the civil registry office to renew it.

“Come in October,” the civil registry clerk replied. “Your ID is valid until the end of October 2024.” “It’s a pity that nobody knows about it except the civil registry staff,” I thought.

In the past, in 2023, I returned to the Dominican Republic from Istanbul with Lufthansa. The entry stamp to Turkey was in my Russian passport, so I bought the Lufthansa ticket with my Russian Federation passport.

After the events in February 2022, holders of Russian passports worldwide faced unprecedented difficulties in travel. Lufthansa staff at Istanbul International Airport began to refuse me boarding, even though everything was correctly arranged.

Only my ID with my permanent address in the Dominican Republic, along with my Dominican driver’s license, saved me. These two documents convinced Lufthansa staff that I was flying home. After 30 minutes of coordination with management, they let me board. Other Russian passport holders were less fortunate. As you understand, if at least one of the documents I presented had an expired date, I would still be at Istanbul Airport.

Now, with an expired ID until the end of October 2024, My tourism should be limited to within the Dominican Republic. Because only the civil registry staff knew that the ID was valid. Because when I go to the embassies for a visa, they look at the expiration date of my expired ID. And not at the government decree.

I think many expatriates living in the Dominican Republic who turned to the civil registry for renewal of their Dominican ID faced a similar problem.

Let’s see what the official website of the JCE (https://jce.gob.do/), the authority responsible for the Dominican ID renovation, says:

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As we can see, searching for information about the delay in exchanging identification documents on the official JCE website yielded no results.

Let’s stick to tradition and Google it:

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Google provides only one link to information on the official website (as we saw, the site’s own search function doesn’t work). Following the link to the only document available from the search, dated June 2022, we learn that the process of updating identification documents will begin in August 2024. Which, to put it mildly, is not true.

The communication department of the civil registry, to put it mildly, misinformed the public about the start date of the document renewal process.

The only material with a future date available at the time of writing this article is found in a Google search from the newspaper “Diario Libre”:

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From this material, we learn that it will only be possible to renew expired identification documents in October 2024. And that the new ID card will have a new design and an embedded electronic chip.

Since this is the only available information at the moment about the renewal of expired identification documents in the Dominican Republic, we are publishing the full material from “Diario Libre”. The link to the original is here.

Cedula: changes that the new identification document will undergo:

Despite the fact that the current identification document expires this year in 2024, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) has established that it will remain valid for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both municipal and congressional as well as presidential elections.

Author: Stephanie Hilario Soto

January 4, 2024

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The process of updating the identification and electoral cards will begin on October 26 of the current year, 2024, with the issuance of a new document equipped with a microchip and other security measures aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the current document.

In advance, the Central Electoral Board (JCE) provided political parties with a report on the characteristics and the project itself for updating the identification (ID) and electoral cards. This report was submitted on December 21 with a deadline of 10 working days for providing feedback.

The current ID, which will be replaced after the elections, is made of plastic and can “delaminate,” meaning its elements can be separated. It does not have a microchip and is not electronic.

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The new identification card is expected to be equipped with a microchip and other security measures aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the current document. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)

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The material chosen for the new identification card is polycarbonate, which is used in most countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Finland, Mexico, Ecuador, and Uruguay. It facilitates the integration of security features that hinder their reproduction on other materials, such as windows with engraved and embossed effects.

Polycarbonate does not delaminate like the current ID material, and attempting to alter the data on it will result in destruction. It has a long service life and durability.

The photograph on the current ID has a dark background and does not comply with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it will be produced in shades of high-quality gray, “sufficient to identify the bearer,” as specified in a document accessed by Diario Libre. All data will be stored in color and printed on robotic devices at the only center operating in the country.

It is proposed that the citizen’s photograph will appear three times on the identification card, i.e., on the front side. The map of the Dominican Republic, currently located in the bottom left corner, will be placed above the photograph in the bottom left corner.

The integrated circuit or microchip embedded in the card will allow identity verification in offline mode. It will contain an electronic signature, be embossed with names, and allow biometric comparison of a fingerprint recorded on the chip with a live one captured within a few seconds.

The current identification cards and electoral cards expire this year in 2024, but according to the decision of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), they will remain valid for citizens to exercise their right to vote in both municipal elections in February and congressional and presidential elections in May.

Author: Stephanie Hilario Soto
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephaniesotord?s=21
A journalist from the Dominican Republic, a graduate of the University of Santo Domingo (UCSD). She also works as a broadcaster, emcee, model, as well as host and producer of her own digital project “Acceso VIP.”

At the moment, this is the only information available on the timing of exchanging Dominican identification cards found through Google search.

We hope that this material has been helpful to expatriates and citizens of the Dominican Republic who have expired identification cards.

If this material receives enough likes or comments, we will reach out to the civil registry office and the manufacturer of the new identification card for further details.

By Yenifer Fernandez (yenifer.fernandez@lagente.do)

Periodista de LaGente.do

By Tim Shtok. Professional journalist, writer, pathological optimist

I have a widget on my phone's desktop that counts the number of days I've spent in Argentina. Now it shows “135 days”. And now I can say for sure: "I'm staying here forever." Why I made such a decision, what is good and bad here, I will try to tell you sincerely.

Unlike those who went to Argentina for a passport, I went in search of a place where I would like to stay. Yes, the prospect of obtaining a second citizenship was a definite plus for me, but a secondary factor. First of all, I tried to find a place where I would be psychologically comfortable.

I must say right away that I do not live in Buenos Aires. I saw him only briefly, riding a taxi from one airport to another, from where I flew to Cordoba. This is where I plan to stay.

Why not Buenos? Firstly: I don’t like big cities. And secondly: I am professionally engaged in voice acting and I needed a house in a quiet place, for adequate money. Before departure, I carefully monitored the market and realised that I would not find what I needed in the capital, and it was not a part of my plans to fence the announcer’s booth in a rented housing.

Cordoba has a million inhabitants. That defined my decision. Here are some pictures of the city:

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Money

Yes, inflation here is actually “mom don’t cry”! But in fact, everything is not so sad. The salaries of state employees, as far as I could understand, are regularly indexed, but in general Argentines have long been living “in dollars”. That is, having received a salary, they buy dollars, and then, as necessary, change them to pesos in order to pay for purchases.

When I arrived, the dollar cost 390 pesos. Now it is 710. But at the same time prices have not risen proportionately. I carefully write down my expenses and I can say that, for example, my food expenses fell from $ 280 to $ 220 / month in three months.

For example, my favorite “L’Abratto” sausages cost 590 pesos a pack when I arrived. Now they cost 700. The prices for soda have not changed at all (judging by the “Monster” without sugar, which I sometimes buy: it remained the same as it was 450-500, but in the photo below I generally got caught in the action).

I took these photos today, Sunday, August 27th. The dollar exchange rate is now 705 pesos, and to get prices in rubles, divide by 7.

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There are no problems with transferring money. I don’t even get into the crypto. There are people here who are ready to accept rubles from you on a Russian card and immediately give you either dollars or pesos in cash. The exchange rate is even profitable. Definitely more profitable than bothering with a Western Union through intermediaries or withdrawing through a crypto.

But not everything is so easy. I am terrified of what I have to do when I need to upgrade my cellphone. The prices for simple smartphones here are exorbitant. To be more precise: about 2 or 2.5 times higher than in Russia. At the same time, the ordinary models cannot reach Argentina, as well as Turkey. For example, if some flagship from Samsung or Apple comes out with 128/256/512 options, then you won’t even find a version for 256 here.

And cars: in general they are just unreachable luxury here. I have not been interested yet, but based on what I read in the Russian speaking community, prices are exactly 2 times more expensive than in Europe and the USA.

The same time: I should say that there are a lot of brand new cars with the fresh license plates are browsing the city. Basically, they mostly are French Renaults or Italian Fiats: “Dusters”, 208th “fawns”, Fiat Aegea and Canadian Jeep (Compass, Grand Cherokee).

So, after all, the people can afford to have them?

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Safety

To get robbed in Argentina, you need to do the following:

Put a $ 2000 camera around your neck, a gold chain (so that everybody on the street will be able to see it). Make a patty of money stick out of your pocket and go for a walk alone in some poor area. That’s when everything may probably happen.

I don’t stand out in any way and walk at any time of the day. Cordoba itself is much safer than Buenos. In my memory, there was a rather loud robbery with a firearm. There were a lot of talks on TV and in newspapers.

The thieves climbed into the apartment of some immigrant through the roof and took out everything of value.

They unsuccessfully tried to snatch the phone from the owner. some inadequate person began to pester one girl with a child. She screamed. Scream gather the crowd. The thief hastily desappeared. That’s the whole criminal chronicle for 135 days of life.

In fact, even compared to Rio de Janeiro, where I spent three weeks the year before, I feel safe here. And, as I said, there are actually no “shocking reports”.

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Telecom

My most favorite topic. Let’s start with the fact that mobile communications are free here. Don’t rush to roll your eyes, now I’ll tell you everything

When I bought a SIM card, it had 2 gigabytes, as well as all unlimited social networks. All I spend traffic on was Apple Music. But taking into account the fact that the application caches my favorite tracks very well, very little traffic is spent on it. Therefore, two gigabytes for a month, in principle, was enough for me.

So when this month almost came to an end, the operator sent me an SMS: “Refill your account with 600 pesos and get 2 gigs of traffic, as well as all unlimited social networks for a month!” And I faced a choice: either to buy those 2 gigabytes from the account and spend 1100 pesos on them, or go put 600 pesos and get them for free.

The action has been repeated next months. I regularly put money into the account, it accumulates there, there is always traffic. I’ll never know what to do with accumulated money on my cellphone account

Internet: despite I have the fiver optics in my apartment, the upload and download speeds are different. Upload is always 10 times slower. In order to more or less comfortably upload all sorts of large videos to the cloud, I had to take the maximum tariff: 600/60 Mbps. It costs now something about 7 dollars a month.

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Transportation

The public transport here is developed quite well. Buses dart back and forth every 5 minutes, you can get to anywhere. You can get to Buenos by plane (if you take a ticket in advance, you can fly without luggage for 7-12 dollars), or by bus.

Moreover, intercity buses here are such that travellers sing praises to them: some places (of course, those that are more expensive) are laid out in a full bed, there is a toilet, WiFi, charging and other delights of life on board. I haven’t tried it myself, but, despite the fact that I love airplanes more, I’ll definitely use it somehow for the sake of interest and tell you.

Taxis are numerous, may be easily instantly caught by rising hand, or called in the application. The average trip to the city center costs 1-2 dollars.

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About attitudes towards immigrants

Literally everything has been done for immigrants in Argentina. Do you want free language courses – please. Medicine and education – for health. In the migration service there are announcements:

“Free healthcare and education is your legal right, whether you have a DNI or not!”

(DNI – plastic card of residence permit or citizen).

The children of our compatriots are gladly accepted to local municipal schools and are helped in every possible way. I had heard about this before, but the seven-year-old daughter of my friend, with whom we chatted while her mother went to the store, finally dotted the “i”:

“When I lived in St. Petersburg and went to kindergarten, I had one girlfriend, and all the rest were enemies! And here I have all my friends! And everyone helps me so much!”, Eva says with shining eyes.

Eva’s mother is also delighted with the impression the local school makes on her child: “I have never seen her so happy and inspired,” says Alena.

But I must say that the Argentinians themselves look at us with bewilderment. When one of the first days I talked to the pensioners in the park (a couple of them spoke quite tolerable English) and they found out that I was going to stay here to live, they goggled at me and asked: “Are you crazy?!”

Yes, Argentines, especially the young ones, try to leave the country when possible. Therefore, they look at those who fled from “prosperous Russia” into “this hole” with incomprehension. I in response tell them that I am a journalist and a writer, and we have a problem with this, so to speak … When they hear the details of some resonant stories known to all of us, their jaw drops to the floor and bewilderment is replaced by understanding and sympathy .

And the rest: the genuine interest, the desire to communicate, talk, hang out together, introduce friends and all in the same spirit. I already have a couple of acquaintances who now and then invite me for walks, during which I pull up my Spanish.

If in Turkey everything was limited to secular communication (“Hello – how are you – and all the best to you”), then there are periodic messages: “Tim, my daughter and my friends are in the park! Come with us!”

In less than a couple of months, a journalist from a local channel somehow found out about me. She wrote to me and asked for an interview. The host of the show, who made the introduction to this interview, literally said the following: “Every day a variety of people emigrate to Argentina and we welcome everyone without exception! Here is another interesting story of an immigrant from Russia, with whom my colleague, Christina, spoke.”

A strong fly in the ointment is added by those who came here “for a passport”. Translators tell a bunch of stories about how Russians raise op in the offices of migrant women from the position: “It is written in your law, you are obliged!!!”

Or in the hospital: “You are required by law to provide me with an interpreter!” And they do not care that now there is nowhere to take it. These people behave as if they poured a couple of suitcases of dollars into the economy of this country and now everyone around them owes them.

Our community is full of normal, adequate, cool guys. If only these Sovkonauts could get out of here somewhere

Even the migration officer told me during the interview: “Are you definitely Russian? You are smiling… You like everything here… You drink Mate tea… Are you some kind of rare Russians?” We laughed. When I went to leave we hugged in a friendly manner (Argentines generally do this).

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Accommodation

There are problems with housing in Argentina. First you need to understand that there are two types of rental contracts. Maximum three months is for foreigners. At least three years is for locals or those who have a residence permit.

For local people conditions are quite different. Unfurnished apartments, contracts in pesos, many live in such rented accommodation all their lives. But for foreigners, the picture is different, especially for Russians. Remember I told you that the Argentines think we are “prosperous” (read: “rich”)?

So. Despite the fact that tourist contracts are paid in dollars, landlords manage to inflate the price from scratch after the expiration of the contract!

There are so many stories about this phenomena in the Russian speaking community! A typical one looks like this:

“We rented a house for $400, although we understood that it was expensive. But we had nowhere to go. Three months later the owner says that the new contract will be 650. We declined and moved out. A week later the house appeared in ads for 350”.

I am also shocked that local real estate agents do not charge money for the fact of renting out only. They charge a percentage of the monthly payment for the entire duration of the contract! And this percentage is pretty high: from 10 to 25%!

I’m probably lucky. I rented a house through friends of my friends, directly from the owner, bypassing an agent. And we agreed that the host would not raise my rent for at least a year. Now I’m paying $250 for a one-room house (large living room with a “window” into the cooking area) and a small bedroom, which is also a recording studio.

We have one gate to the courtyard, in addition. Argentinians live in the same houses with separate entrances. All the neighbours are very nice and pleasant. On top of that, it’s a very quiet area. So I’m more than satisfied with everything so far.

And this is not a suburb, it is a feature of the city and it is far from the outskirts! The center is either 40 minutes on foot or 10 minutes by scooter. A three-minute walk and you are in a huge shopping center, a bunch of restaurants, a supermarket. In general, everything is there.

But in the future I want my own house. And I already even know which one it will be. And it is now for sale, as the ad on the facade says. It is not certain that it will still be on sale when I earn enough money. But I really want to buy it.

By the way, this is not some kind of super-mansion. This is an ordinary house, I just fell in love with it.

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Food

When in Russia meat is a food, then in Argentina meat is a Culture. Damn, I used to think that I ate the most delicious meat in my life in Lermontovo (small city near Saint-Petersburg) It had been cooked by local Krasnodar Armenians. Sorry guys: Argentinians outdid you.

And there are absolutely crazy pies (empanadas), ravioli. My favorites are with salami and mozzarella. Very fast and tasty delivery from hundreds of restaurants. In an application like Uber Eats. Cheeses, sausages, ham: everything is very tasty.

Well, our compatriots are also it this team:

A woman with golden hands opened here the production of pancakes, dumplings and other joys of classical Russian cuisine. I already bought dumplings from her and then I was not too lazy to write a review in the community: those were dumplings “you will eat your fingers:!

For food, as I wrote above, I am spending about $ 220 monthly. Taking into account the fact that I sometimes order it with delivery or go to some of the local restaurants.

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Finally

I cannot explain what exactly influenced me so much that I made a firm decision to stay here.

Maybe it’s my personal sympathy for the environment around me… But I really don’t want to move anywhere else from here.

If tomorrow they don’t call me somewhere under a cool contract (Just dreaming ))), then I will stay here forever.

I don’t have any telegram channel, and if you like my text, than buy my book.

Thank you very much in advance

Tim Shtok
Professional journalist, writer, pathological optimist

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By the Digital Nomad Anna Yermakova

In a video on YouTube, I told how I prepared to submit the documents, how much money I had spent and how I managed to get a visa on the first try. Below is my story. You can also see it in the the highlights on my Instagram.

The visa had only become publicly available on October 30, 2022. So my appointment at the consulate in Moscow was on November 8 for a D7 visa, I made an appointment back in July. Few people know, but you can change your decision about the type of visa you are applying for right at the time of application. Which I surely did.

When the consulate asked me what type of visa I was applying for, I said that I filled in the form for D7 visa, but it seems like a new visa suits me better. I had been asked: “Do you work remotely?”

In fact, during the last 5 years till now, I have regular clients in the Russian Federation and the USA (I have attached the contracts and statements from the accounts for this year).

The guy in the window said: “Well, we did not done it in this new format yet”. But he went to the consul to ask about it and came back with the good news. This became possible now for a new D7 subtype: for the remote professional. “Is it true that this visa is valid for more than a year?”, I asked. “It looks like”, they answered: “This is a kind of D7”.

There are two types of Digital Nomad visa:

• Short-term visa for a period of less than a year – such a visa does not lead to residency – it is worth requesting if you do not plan to obtain a residence permit and live in Portugal for a long time (with this visa you can spend up to 1 year in Portugal)
• Digital Nomad long-term resident visa for more than one year – it is worth applying if you want to become a resident of Portugal, live here most of your life in the next few years and in the future acquire Portuguese citizenship.

Being a pioneer and discoverer is so in Portuguese

At the time of filing the documents, there was no complete information on the conditions, but I decided to take a chance. Firstly, this is symbolic for me – from the very beginning I did not feel a 100% hit on other visas – D3 – for those who work for a Portuguese company, D2 – entrepreneurial (but it is highly desirable to have Portuguese clients for it), D7 – for those with significant passive income. And I’m a digital nomad first of all, but that’s not all. And a week before my interview, Portugal suddenly introduces a new subtype of visa – as if right under me.

Another reason why many people like this visa more is that if you work for yourself, it does not have a strict requirement for long-term work contracts. It is enough to show the legality of income – valid contracts with clients and income only for the last 3 months.

I am engaged in branding, business packaging, websites. My projects last from a month to six months maximum. Yes, I have a constant flow of word of mouth clients, but to the consulate this does not look like proof that I will have money to live in the country in the long term. According to D7, it was required to show contracts for 1-2 years in advance. It was a magic bullet for me to introduce a monthly marketing mentoring service to show income as permanent one.

But the requirements for the amounts for a digital nomad visa are higher than for D7 – you need to show 4 minimum Portuguese salaries per month, and not one. In 2023, the minimum wage in Portugal is 760 euros, that is, the income should be 3040 euros per month (most likely after taxes).

Another big plus is that a digital nomad visa applicant is not required to have an account in a Portuguese bank. And for the happy holders of the passport of the Russian Federation, this is the most difficult thing in the migration process. If the tax number can be done online, then since 2022 it has become possible to open an account only in person with a whole pile of papers – and then without luck, nowhere.

But when I submitted the documents, they gave me the usual list on D7.

DOCUMENTATION

What I had:

1. Cool cover letter in English. This is the only thing I liked to do from the list of documents. I almost shed a tear when I re-read – what, it turns out, Portugal is beautiful, and my motivation is powerful. It didn’t even fit on one page – already in the copy center they replaced it with a 9-point font.

In my motivation letter, I explained in detail that I have been a digital nomad for a long time, how many countries I visited, how I decided that I wanted to anchor in Portugal – and why this country is perfect for me. I have a separate video about why I chose Portugal.

She also explained about the sources of active and passive income – so that later it would be easier to sort through a pile of documents. If you need help with a motivation letter, you can contact me. I write marketing texts for my clients on websites, but I can help with this task as well. I must say right away that for a copywriter I am a very expensive specialist. But a motivation letter is important.

From the basic requirements:

2. Police clearance certificate with apostille translated into Portuguese.

3. Insurance

4. Tickets

5. Lease agreement for a year from the expected date of approval. It seems like it’s enough for a nomad visa for 3-4 months, but I was preparing for D7, so I took it off for a year. I made a contract on the Flatio service, and then canceled it, but the commission of 500 euros remained hanging in the service account. Perhaps I will use it when I look for permanent housing again. Through my link – 5% with promo code: brandtogo5

Next, you need to show the legality of the income and a sufficient amount.

I am an individual entrepreneur – I have a registered individual entrepreneurship both in Russia and in Portugal. But I did not show my Portuguese individual entrepreneurship, so that the consul would not mix up and send my documents on a D2 visa – there I would have been refused due to the lack of Portuguese clients.

What I attached as individual entrepreneurship:

⁃ translation of an extract from the individual entrepreneurship register + tax returns for 2 years (according to D7, it is required for a year, but I have a margin)

⁃ For the previous 3 months, I showed receipts from foreign and Russian accounts – I attached bank statements and PayPal

⁃ Contracts with clients from the Russian Federation and the USA, drawn up immediately in English or bilingual – scans or with a digital signature. Although it is advised to carry the originals.

7. Bank statement:

I was unable to open a Portuguese bank account, so the statement was from a European Neobank account. Moreover, the account itself was already blocked to me at the time of filing – so I will not recommend the bank. I had 9500€ there.

I hardly keep money on the Russian account – I have attached statements from brokerage accounts (10k in total). Tinkoff directly made an extract with the total amount in Russian, Sberbank has some kind of report in English, Alfa is just a list of assets with the amount below.

All this was translated through a free online service, even his watermark remained in the corner: https://www.onlinedoctranslator.com/

On top of that I threw an agreement for renting an apartment in St. Petersburg + an extract from the bank that I received money for a couple of months + translation of an extract from the USRN that the apartment belongs to me. To show that I also have passive income.

EXPENSES

Apostilles, translations, notarization of translations – we got more than 30 documents on 100 pages. And this is also Portugal is considered one of the easiest countries to obtain a residence permit. I’m broke, but glad it’s over. Printing documents, copies, photos – came out at 2300 rubles.

Other expenses:

• It cost 100 euros to open a NIF tax number – I did it through local accountants, very slowly, now there are already convenient online services (but this was necessary to open an account in a Portuguese bank for D7)
• Rent – 900 euros for the studio for the first month and 500 for the service.
• 200 euros cost the translation and certification of 4 documents: on the registration of an individual entrepreneur, two declarations, an extract from the USRN for the apartment.
• Consular fee – 90 euros. I was surprised by their internal rate – 86 euros, I had to run to withdraw money, 7700 came out somewhere. Pay in cash at the time of submission of documents.

• Certificate of non-conviction (through public services) – ₽1750 + translation with certification of another 1500. The certificate must be ordered in advance – it takes more than a month. With an apostille can be obtained only in Moscow. I agreed in advance with the translation agency. I flew to Moscow, took the certificate (there are almost no queues), sent a photo for translation. Then I went with the original.

• Insurance: 6600 rubles.

In general: it turned out to be 150,000 thousand. How much personal time I spent studying the issue I did not accounted. If your time cost a lot: delegate at least all docs preparation. I have a referral link for -7%: the discount on the services of lawyers and consultants of the “Migrun” platform. They are our compatriots themselves moved to Portugal and started a startup for other migrants. Their free guides and chat helped me a lot when I had been preparing my case for D7.

If you want to discuss your case with me, you can come to me for a consultation at the price of a marketing session. I’m actually a brand strategist, not a travel agent, I don’t have separate relocation services.

Everything can be done by yourself, my example is proof of this. The only question is at what cost. There are a lot of nuances, chats and articles by me personally during the year I dug through a lot. But it’s cool to be a marketer – you know how to analyze, collect everything into a system, deal with any challenge and sort it out.

Visa approval:

Visa processing – up to 60 days. But this is Portugal Obtaining a resident visa in Portugal is like a demo version of slowing down.

Two months later, the status of the application on the portal was not updated to completed, but the status appeared – considered.

I wrote an email and got silence in response. So I wrote the second one. The consulate answered two weeks later. They wrote that the visa was approved. I have to come to the Moscow consulate for a sticker strictly at 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM, no later. But they didn’t show after 10 AM. And I still have to live in such a slow country (She did not deal with US bureaucracy yet ))))) (editor’s note)))

Hello,

The consular department confirms the availability of answers to your visa request. Content of answers: visas are approved.

We ask you to personally introduce yourself to the Consular Section (Moscow, Botanichesky pereulok, building 1) from 09:33 to 10:00 (no later than) on any business day to affix a visa to your passport. We ask you to introduce yourself for visa application as soon as possible from the date of informing about the final result of the consideration!

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At the entrance, a desperate boy was hanging around. He had not been answered by mail for a month about the readiness of the visa. He came personally to ask what and how, but he was turned around. To wait…

I, apparently, compare the experience with the American consulate: everything passed there for the last time in half an hour. True, the visa was a tourist one, and in a couple of days you pick up your passport at the post office. I also have an article on VC about this.

By 10:30, finally, the consul took the passports of all those who came to the sticker, and applications for the cancellation of the current tourist Schengen. They said to return to the consulate from 12:30 to 13:00. But the security guard has a more realistic info: he says he also has a pessimistic plan: from 15 to the closure of the institution. Why so long, I ask, living at my super speeds. “Well, you need to paste the sticker, put the date, sign it.” For me this is a matter of half an hour max.

And now all 15-20 people who came to the sticker returned by the designated time. And the consul left on business. Sociable security guard: “The European Union, sometimes they are going to solve issues.” At 1 pm, when, according to my optimistic forecasts, I was supposed to fly out of Moscow, we were only invited to collect our passports.

I was worried about two questions: what type of visa would I eventually be given (as a financially independent or digital nomad) and whether the date of the visit to the migration service (SEF) in Lisbon would be immediately known.

As a result, they approved under the legal Article 61: this is a new type of visa for digital nomads.

But I left frustrated: they didn’t give me an appointment with the migration service. I myself made an appointment by phone / mail on the spot. And that’s terrible! It’s almost impossible to get there. A visa without this entry gives just the right to cross the border. You then have to exchange it for a residence permit at the SEF. And you need to break through. After crossing the border.

But there were no slots available to book an appointment for the nearest 6 months. Perhaps, at the address where I rented housing for filing, there is too much migrant flow and there are no appointments available now.

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On October 17 alone, more than 29,000,000 attempts were made to reach the SEF contact center.

To avoid congestion, alternatives are being explored to implement a new solution based on a service model using digital channels.

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This uncertainty rages. I would like, knowing in advance the date when to come to the service with documents for a residence permit, plan my life for months ahead, and not sit on the phone to snatch an appointment. I hope that Portugal, unable to cope with the flow of migrants, will come up with something. In the meantime, I’m going to use the services of those who dial for you and write down. Shit like this happens as well.

Date of opening of the visa is from the moment of getting it. Or it may be the date of the tickets that were originally attached, if the deadline has not passed.

From the moment the visa had been issued, I had 4 months to cross the border. But you can return to your country and repeat it once more. And you have to stay in Portugal until they issue an appointment ticket to visit SEF. Anyway the tourist Schengen visa is annulated whey you apply for the different one. You cannot have both.

That’s all for the moment.

If you have any questions please comment this video on YouTube, I notice your request quicker there. And good luck to all of us!

UPDATE: On April 24, 2023: the new article was published on T-J about my case with new details including opening a bank account, visiting SEF, insurance and more:

https://journal-tinkoff-ru.translate.goog/portugal-digital-nomad/?ref=vc.ru&_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

And on the YouTube channel I posted a video on how I opened an account in Portugal bank: “Neobank”, information about the nomad visa in Spain and the method of legalization through article 90.2. A slightly more detailed article by Tinkoff Journal was also published with my case for obtaining a digital nomad visa in Portugal.

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Anna Yermakova

digital nomad 

youtube.com/@brand-to-go

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By Maxim Gruzdev
The text is published with the permission of the author.

The original article is here.

In May 2023, I found myself on Cape Verde (the Islands of Green Cape) by chance and thought that this country might be of interest to modest relocators.

The main advantages of this place for relocation are:

• You can freely enter with a Russian passport and stay for an unlimited time;
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• Opening a bank account with a tourist visa is easy;
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• There are no taxes on global income;
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• You can wear shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops all year round;
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• The nature on different islands is diverse, with incredibly beautiful places;
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• The ocean.

Average annual temperature. Comparison of Mindelo, the capital of Cape Verde and Moscow, the capital of Russia:

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Mindelo is the second most populous city in Cape Verde and is considered the cultural capital, somewhat like our St. Petersburg.

I am involved in day trading on the American stock exchange, and for me, there is a personal advantage here – the time zone. For this reason, countries to the east of Sri Lanka are inconvenient for me.

Now, let me elaborate on the main advantages.

A Few Words About Cape Verde

Cape Verde is an island nation consisting of 18 islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, 600 km off the west coast of Africa. These islands were once uninhabited. In the 17th century, they were discovered by the Portuguese, who established a transshipment point here between Europe and Africa to the Americas. From a maritime perspective, the country is strategically located, with consistent winds that make it convenient for sailboats to first reach Cape Verde from Europe and then cross the ocean toward the Americas. Sailors still use this route when crossing the Atlantic from east to west.

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The Islands of Green Cape constitute an archipelago of 10 large and 8 small islands in the central part of the Atlantic Ocean, west of continental Africa. The colony was used as a transshipment base, including for the transportation of slaves from Africa to America. This is how the native population, known as Creoles, emerged, descendants of the Portuguese, other Europeans, and Africans.

In 1975, the country gained independence from Portugal. The state has no territorial disputes with its neighbors. There have never been wars or state coups here (except during the colonial era when Cape Verde briefly shifted from Portuguese to Spanish hands). The official languages are Portuguese and Creole (a blend of Portuguese and Swahili).

The main sources of income are international aid, remittances from emigrants, and tourism. With a population of approximately 500,000 people, the size of the Creole diaspora in America and Europe, by various estimates, exceeds 1 million, symbolizing the nation’s global reach.

On the islands, they cultivate bananas, corn, beans, papaya, mango, watermelons, avocados, coffee, and some other vegetables. They also produce their own wine. The local waters are rich in diverse fish, attracting sports fishing enthusiasts from around the world.

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There is plenty of sunshine and wind, but there are issues with freshwater (some islands lack it, and desalination is required).

Most products and goods are imported, primarily from Portugal and China.

After gaining independence, Cape Verde had connections with the Soviet Union. Many older locals were educated in the USSR, married to Russians, and understand the Russian language. In this sense, one could say that Cape Verde is a kind of Portuguese Cuba. (Just recently, there was an incident. A couple approached us in a café, a Creole and a white person. We had a polite conversation about the weather in Russian. Later, my companion told me, “That was the Chief of the General Staff and his wife.”)

Yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, and other African diseases are not present.

The country is one of the most Christian in Africa, with over 80% of the population being Catholics and Protestants.

The national currency is the Escudo, and since 2019, it has been firmly pegged to the Euro. 1 Euro is approximately equal to 110 Escudos, or 1 Escudo is roughly 1 Russian Ruble, which makes it convenient for orientation. Euros in cash are widely accepted in local stores, although at an unfavorable exchange rate of 1 to 100, so it’s better to exchange currency at a bank. To exchange Escudos back into Euros, you need to present a plane ticket. The buying and selling rates of Euro are the same, with a small bank commission. Dealing with dollars is different – they are bought here at around 95 Escudos and sold at 105 Escudos per dollar. As you can see, the spread is significant. By the way, in most stores, only the local payment system works, and VISA and MasterCard cards are not accepted everywhere. However, there are ATMs where you can withdraw Escudos from international cards.

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How to Get There

Personally, I ended up here by chance. I had the opportunity to participate in a yacht journey with circumnavigators following the route from South Africa to Saint Helena Island and then to Cape Verde. Afterward, I planned to continue my journey by plane, but I got stuck here for some reason. You could say, I got washed ashore. You can’t just take off and leave Cape Verde like that.

If we talk about flying, there is a direct flight from Moscow to Casablanca (Morocco), where Russians don’t need visas. From Casablanca, you can fly to the capital of Cape Verde, Praia. From Praia, you can reach other islands of the country by ferry or plane. One-way ticket prices are around 1000 euros per person.

There are direct flights to Casablanca from Turkey, the UAE, Israel, Kuwait, Tunisia, and, of course, Europe. If you have a Schengen visa, you can find direct flights to Cape Verde from some European countries at a considerably lower cost.

Life in Cape Verde with a Russian passport

Russian citizens can obtain a visa on arrival in Cape Verde, which costs 40 euros and is valid for 60 days. You can extend this visa an unlimited number of times at the local police station (you’ll need your passport, a completed application with a photo, proof of sufficient funds, a rental contract, and 2100 Escudos). Most foreigners live here by regularly extending their tourist visas.

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Theoretically, after six months of residence, you can apply for a residence permit (Visto de Residência), but in practice, they tend to “drag their feet” for men of draft age from Russia and Ukraine. It seems they don’t outright deny it, but they also don’t grant it, and they simply smile and shrug their shoulders, saying the documents are being processed. I have a local acquaintance from Russia who has been getting a residence permit this way for over a year (while the female members of his family got their residence permits without any issues). However, once you’ve applied for a residence permit, you can live here indefinitely, fully legally, and no one will say anything. That said, you can also live here without legal status, with no serious consequences except for a potential small fine upon leaving the country.

Previously, there was a digital nomad visa program, but it’s currently not in operation (local officials say the program is being updated). When the program will be updated is uncertain. There’s a website related to this program where you can even apply for a visa, but it may simply “swallow” your documents without any feedback.

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The local currency exchange rate is strictly tied to the euro.

You can open bank accounts, purchase real estate, and establish companies on a tourist visa. To open a bank account, you will need a local tax number (NIF, which can be obtained in about 5 minutes if there’s no queue), your passport, proof of your residence (in your case, a simple letter from the landlord sufficed if you didn’t have a rental contract), and a work contract as proof of your source of income. Since you didn’t have a work contract, you showed the bank a letter confirming the existence of your brokerage account. The bank employee made a call, scratched their head, and then said it was okay. They opened your account in just a couple of days.

With a bank account, you can get a card from the local payment system and an international VISA card.

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Cards are made in about a week. No notification is received – you need to go into the bank and ask. Creoles love live communication.

If you want to legally engage in business on the island, you need to establish a company. There are equivalents to Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) here, as well as something similar to the Russian self-employed status (with a 4% tax on income).

However, the local population, for the most part, is not very affluent, so a reasonable source of income here could involve business related to tourists (although this market is already quite saturated by the locals), remote work, or other sources of external income (for remote work, you don’t need to open a company). Nevertheless, Europeans run hotels, hostels, shops, cafes, diving schools, and other small businesses on the islands.

Apartments and houses can be purchased with only a tourist visa and, of course, the funds. However, buying land is more complex, as there’s essentially no land registry, which can make land purchases a quest. Nevertheless, I am a proponent of renting, so I haven’t delved into real estate matters much.

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There are local and Portuguese schools available, with the cost of education at a Portuguese school being around 100 euros per month. Admission is straightforward, and you can enroll at any time of the year.

I haven’t encountered the healthcare system personally, but those I know who have say it’s reasonably satisfactory.

I rent a one-bedroom apartment for 450 euros (including utilities, drinking water, and unlimited internet). You can find cheaper options with annual contracts, but I haven’t bothered with that since I’m not sure how long I’ll stay here.

In total, all my living expenses here are within the range of 1,000 euros per month.

My daily routine includes waking up, exercising, having breakfast at a café, morning swimming, a second breakfast, work, lunch (I prepare it at home), work, evening swimming, evening coffee, and socializing with Russian-speaking friends I’ve made here. On weekends, I can explore the islands. In Mindelo, there are car rentals and electric bicycle rentals available.

In principle, everything necessary for a peaceful life is available here – cafes to hang out in, a promenade for strolls, and the ocean for swimming. It’s not extravagant, but it’s not terrible either. It’s like a slice of European life in Africa.

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Cape Verdean people

I’ve been to over 40 countries, and I can say that everywhere, if you don’t behave oddly, you’ll generally receive normal treatment in everyday life. Among themselves, Creole people are friendly and hospitable. Initially, in local cafes, they seemed a bit serious toward me as a foreigner, despite tips, but after some time, they got used to me, started smiling, making jokes, and even flirting.

Unfortunately, I don’t speak Portuguese, let alone Creole. Knowing these languages would certainly enhance the experience here.

Cesaria Evora, a world-famous singer from Cape Verde, donated almost all her money (tens of millions of dollars) for funding local education. Essentially, the majority of Creole people can read and write thanks to her. I’m not sure how this reflects the population as a whole, but it’s an interesting fact.

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Cesaria Evora is for Creoles what Yuri Gagarin is for Russians. Who, however, did not earn millions and had nothing to sacrifice.

Local taxi drivers and market traders do not deceive tourists.

Drivers always yield to pedestrians, and you can cross the road without looking around.

However, thefts and robberies occur on the islands due to the low income of the population (aggravated by the long COVID isolation and global inflation), so caution is necessary. Initially, I walked through dark streets without worry until a local approached me and, with kind words and a gun, convinced me to give him 2000 escudos for his benefit. On parting, he apologized and mentioned his lack of work and having three children. Nevertheless, he still took the money.

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Some Summary

I mentioned the pros at the beginning of the article. Here, I will list the cons:

• Expensive cost of living.
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• It’s unlikely you’ll be able to earn money in Cape Verde; this country is primarily suitable for remote workers and down shifters.
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• English is spoken in government offices and banks; knowing Portuguese is necessary for a comfortable and complete life.
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• Finding modern office equipment is not easy; items from Amazon take about a month to arrive.
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• Poverty in the population; aggressive beggars are encountered in the streets, and there are areas best avoided. It’s advisable to stay home during the night.
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• Many stray dogs that the locals love, resulting in a lot of dog feces on the streets (reminded me of Paris when I was there).
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• Limited variety in local stores (after six weeks on a yacht, this is not as noticeable as it would be coming directly from Moscow).
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• High prices for imported goods (which are almost all imported here).
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• Cape Verde is dependent on the outside world, and in the event of a major upheaval like nuclear war, you could be left without food and everything else. However, the ocean can provide sustenance.

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I think Cape Verde can be suitable for undemanding remote workers as a temporary option for 1-2 years when you need to recharge and gather your thoughts. It can also serve as an intermediate stop before moving to Portugal or Brazil (where you can learn or improve your Portuguese). Or for especially anxious individuals fearing radioactive contamination. Just a joke.

And an anecdote to conclude. About me:
A Russian is sitting in a cafe. The waiter comes up and says:

• You’re Russian.
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• Yes, but how did you know?
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• It’s written at the beginning of the joke!

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I hope the information about Cape Verde will be useful to someone.

If you have any questions, I’ll answer what I know in the comments.

By Maxim Gruzdev
The text is published with the permission of the author.

The original article is here.

By Deian Edigarov (Movly)

Writes about startup development in Europe, relocation, investments and my relocation agency Movly.me

Hi all! My name is Deyan, in 2022 I moved to France on a startup visa and am now developing my startup here, recording a podcast about capitalism, and also building my startup relocation agency  Movly.me.

In the comments under the previous article, I had the opportunity to get to know Yuriy Kornev, who has been living and working in the Netherlands since 2016. Yuriy kindly agreed to share his story and observations about life in the Netherlands for this blog. This article is an interview and an intriguing account of Yuriy’s experiences with his move, daily challenges, job search in Europe, and the peculiarities of the Netherlands.

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I’ll add a little something from myself: this article is simply a treasure trove of information about life in the Netherlands, and it’s not just from newcomers but from someone who has lived in the country for over 7 years.

Preface and request from the author (Yuri).

Everything written in the article has been processed through the meat grinder of my subjective opinion and sieved through the sieve of personal doubts and experiences. I don’t claim it as an absolute truth. I’m not trying to persuade anyone about anything. I simply enjoy sharing information (it’s my guilty pleasure). And please, don’t base your judgments and conclusions solely on my personal experiences described in this article.

Part 1. How did I end up in the Netherlands? Heaps of interviews, hopes and disappointments on the way to the goal.

I’m not a pure IT specialist. I’m a telecommunications engineer, although I do have some software development background.

The idea of living in another country first came to me in 2005. The reason was a burning curiosity and the itch to know “what’s it like over there” (you won’t believe it, but YouTube had just appeared at that time). I was looking for a job and even went for a couple of interviews a few times. However, those were merely amateur attempts back then. In 2009, I moved to Moscow and left the idea aside for a while because Moscow felt almost like a foreign country, just that everyone spoke Russian. I had a dynamic life there, working with new people and engaging in interesting projects. That’s how it was until 2013-2014.

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In 2014, I began searching for jobs in Europe, with the Netherlands not even on my radar. I was looking for work in Finland, Germany, Ireland, Hungary, and Poland. Interestingly, the last two countries had some cool tech hubs and offices of major companies that offered salaries three times higher than the national average. I had a lot of interviews but, in the end, nothing materialised.

The Netherlands came into view in 2015. I was invited for an interview by Booking.com. What’s more, they reached out to me first. I had phone interviews with HR and Skype interviews with technical staff, which I passed without any issues, and they invited me for an interview at their office in Amsterdam. I already had a visa, so I just chose flights that suited me, and Booking.com bought my tickets and booked a hotel for me (not an advertisement =).

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Invitation from booking.com

My in-person interview didn’t go well. One of the issues was my insufficient level of English (and I was even interviewed by an Englishwoman). Furthermore, I made a mistake by flying in for just one day. I should have planned for at least two. I arrived in Amsterdam late in the evening, and the interview was scheduled for 11:00. I had to fly back to Moscow around 5 in the evening. Consequently, all the interview rounds with me went by very quickly, were somewhat rushed, and some of the interviewers had just arrived off their flights. As a result, I didn’t leave a good impression. Also, my English wasn’t up to par.

However, after that experience, I studied the Dutch job market and found it quite attractive. I started to consider the Netherlands as a priority for relocation. Naturally, I worked on improving my English. After that, I had several more Skype interviews with various companies, but I still didn’t receive any job offers.

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Before the new year of 2016, I received another email expressing interest in interviewing me. The job opportunity was with a major international company, albeit in tech support, but I wasn’t bothered by that. On the contrary, I saw it as a new challenge (prior to that, I had typically contacted tech support myself). The phone interview went well, and they invited me for an in-person interview at their office. But there was one catch…

The company’s policy was no reimbursement for flights and hotels – all candidates had to be on equal footing. I said that I was willing to pay for my own flight but requested a few more Skype interviews to start. They agreed. The interviews went successfully, and I was once again invited to the office. They even asked me to set aside a whole 2 days for the interviews.

So, in February 2016, I found myself in the Netherlands once more. To my great surprise, the interview felt less like an interview and more like getting to know each other. They gave me a tour of the office, introduced me to people, showed me the equipment, told me about the company, its history, projects, and achievements. In return, I shared my experiences, interesting projects, and amusing anecdotes from my work in Russia.

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By the end of the first day, I was a bit bewildered and couldn’t quite grasp what had just happened. But it was amazing. On the second day, I was scheduled to meet with HR and a Russian-speaking employee of the company. They thought it would be good if someone could tell me about the company and life in the country in Russian. So, that’s how my second day went.

In the evening, while I was at Terminal G of Schiphol Airport, they called me and said that if everything suited me, they were ready to hire me. The initial contract was for a year with the possibility of extension (I’ll jump ahead and mention that after a year, they simply offered me a permanent contract). Naturally, I accepted. I celebrated this with a beer at the airport and flew back to my homeland.

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In the photo: (1) my long-awaited offer, (2,3) my “then future” office

In the following months, I had several phone calls and email exchanges, clarifying details, coordinating dates, and, ultimately, in June, I received an MVV visa (a category D visa for entry and subsequent residence permit issuance).

I moved to the Netherlands under the Kennismigrant program, which is for highly skilled migrants. In July, I was already in the Netherlands, embarking on my journey to settle in a new country.

Regarding the Kennismigrant program, I wrote an article on this topic, and I highly recommend you to read it:

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Moving to the Netherlands under the highly qualified specialist program.
This is not an advertising post, but rather an informational one. I am writing this with one single thought – to provide information to potential relocants.

Before telling the story about my life in the Netherlands, I’ll leave here some important advice about preparing for moving to the Netherlands.

The most important thing to do before relocating is to obtain an apostille on birth certificates (your own, your spouse’s, and your children’s) and your marriage certificate. After obtaining the apostilled certificates, I found a sworn translator in the Netherlands (a translator authorized to translate official documents) who translated them into the national language. I want to emphasize that a birth certificate is a crucial document when moving to the Netherlands. You will definitely be asked for it at the municipal office when registering for the first time and obtaining your Citizen Service Number (BSN). According to Dutch regulations, the apostille must be on the original document, not a notarized copy. While sometimes a notarized copy might work, it’s better not to take the risk and get all the documents properly authenticated in Russia while you still have the opportunity.

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One of the stages of moving from Russia to the Netherlands. I’m moving a car full of stuff. This photo was taken in Turku (Finland) before loading onto the ferry. November 2016.

Part 2. Work in the Netherlands and cultural features

My personal experience is limited to one company (I arrived to work there, and I’ve been working there for 7 years now). So, I’ll share a bit about my wife’s experience, as well as that of friends and acquaintances. While companies and teams can vary, there are several key differences and characteristics:

1. Lack of Hierarchy: In Dutch companies, there often isn’t a strict hierarchical structure, and even when it exists, the relationship between a boss and a subordinate is quite democratic. For example, a boss might easily bring coffee or sandwiches for everyone in a meeting, engage in casual conversation, and the like. This doesn’t mean there’s no respect for authority, but I haven’t seen relationships of the “I’m the boss – you’re a fool” type.
   .
2. Transparency: Local companies tend to share information about their business. Key performance indicators, results, achievements, and development plans are usually made available to all employees.
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3. Care and Attention: If colleagues notice that something isn’t right with someone, they might ask if everything’s okay. HR or the immediate manager might inquire as well. They won’t pry into your personal life, but they are always willing to listen.
   .
4. Openness to Critique: It’s common to discuss issues or express dissatisfaction (with work, colleagues, or salary) with HR or your immediate supervisor. It’s believed that if you remain silent, it means you are satisfied with everything.
   .
5. Bureaucracy (Sometimes): In particularly large or old companies, decision-making can take a very long time (literally years). So, often (to my great regret), the process becomes more important than the result. However, this is not the case everywhere. There are very dynamic companies, and their number is growing every year.
   .
6. Overtime Is Not Favoured: Everyone tries to maintain a work-life balance. My wife had a colleague who worked only 4 days a week. When asked why, he replied, “Well, I need time to spend my high salary.”

These characteristics offer a unique perspective on work culture in the Netherlands, emphasising collaboration, openness, and a focus on life outside of work.

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Contracts and business ethics

By the way, employment contracts in the Netherlands are quite different from those commonly used in Russia. They are typically very concise, containing only the essential information such as job title, salary, and the contract duration. They may also reference a collective labor agreement. My contract has a few additional clauses specifying what I’m not allowed to do concurrently with this job and the associated responsibilities.

What’s unique is that these contracts primarily consist of signatures, specifically the individual’s name, signature, date, and place of signing. No passport data or company details are included, and there are no seals. This applies to almost all contracts, including lease agreements, opening bank accounts, and more. I understand that this might shock many people from Russia, but that’s how it works.

In essence, these contracts can resemble something like a “pledge of honor,” and it works. Many things here don’t require “paper” contracts at all. For instance, contracts with service providers. You could probably request them separately, but why bother? By default, people tend to trust you. You said something, and they believe you. However, if you’re caught lying, it’s very challenging to rebuild that trust. I believe this is rooted in the Dutch trading heritage. In trade, honesty and contract fidelity are highly valued.

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Unions

In the Netherlands, labor unions are quite strong, and occasional strikes happen. As far as I can recall, bus drivers, railway workers, teachers, and even garbage collectors have gone on strike at different times.

In companies, there is an entity known as the “working council.” Its members are employees of the company, and it represents the interests of all workers. This council is quite influential. For instance, in our company, they wanted to implement significant layoffs, citing low profits as the reason. However, the council said no, the reason was unsatisfactory, and the company’s affairs weren’t as dire as portrayed.

In principle, a company can disregard the council’s decision, but in such cases, the council can take the matter to court. So our company decided not to quarrel and offered an alternative solution. By the way, it’s not easy to dismiss an employee with a permanent contract (unless there are real, serious issues, such as physical harm). It’s easier to reach an agreement for the employee to leave voluntarily. That’s why companies often hire employees on temporary contracts for around six months or less. However, according to the law, three consecutive temporary contracts are considered a permanent contract.

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A bit about self-employed individuals: the Netherlands discourages “false” self-employment, which is when a self-employed person works for a single company. It’s considered unfavourable for the worker, as they aren’t entitled to social benefits and other protections. They are less protected from the discretion of the actual employer. Penalties are imposed for such practices if they are discovered.

Salaries and taxes

The minimum wage for a 40-hour workweek in the Netherlands is approximately 1,900 euros gross. At the current exchange rate, that’s about 190,000 rubles. It’s worth noting that there are plans to increase the minimum wage, which has sparked a lot of discussions and disagreements in the parliament. Taxes and other deductions are paid by the employer. However, individuals are still required to file an annual tax return, which can be done quickly and easily from a computer.

By law, employees are entitled to a vacation bonus, which amounts to 8% of their annual earnings. Essentially, it’s an additional form of income. The downside is that this bonus, like all other forms of income, is subject to the maximum tax rate of 50%.

Employers can choose to pay this bonus either once a year (for example, in May, as in my case) or proportionally every month (as with my wife). If an employee takes paid leave, they still receive the same salary for those days. There’s no concept of an “average over six months,” as often used in Russia. I remember that in Russia, I always felt like I was losing money when I took leave, but it’s different here.

Furthermore, employers are required to compensate employees for commuting to the office. This compensation can be provided in the form of money, based on the distance from the employee’s official address to the office, or by offering a transportation card. Some employers even provide company cars.

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My workplace =)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when most people were working from home, and many continued to do so, there was compensation for remote work, albeit a modest one. In theory, it’s meant to cover the additional energy costs associated with working from home.

Job descriptions often specify additional conditions, such as a company car, an extended pension plan, and other bonuses.

In our company, we have a “bicycle bonus.” Every three years, employees can purchase a bicycle, and the company reimburses up to 750 euros of its cost. I bought a bike for 750 euros, and they reimbursed me, but the compensation is considered a bonus, so I had to pay a 50% tax on it. Nonetheless, getting a new bike at half price is still quite a nice deal. One of the conditions is that the bike should be used for commuting to work at least 2 or 3 times a week. But, of course, nobody checks that. So it’s essentially based on the “honour system.”

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Vacations

By law, employees in the Netherlands are entitled to 20 working days of vacation (with a 40-hour workweek), which is equivalent to 4 weeks. In our company, there’s an additional bonus of 5 days of vacation (thanks to the unions). There are also what are called “verletdagen,” which I must admit I don’t fully understand myself, but the fact is that they add 7 extra days of vacation.

However, the company can determine these “verletdagen” itself. For example, if Christmas falls on a Thursday, the company might schedule them for Friday, resulting in long weekends. In our company, the company typically schedules 5 days itself and leaves 2 for the employees to choose. So in our company, employees have 27 paid working days of vacation to choose for themselves, or 32 days if you include the ones scheduled by the company. That’s over 6 weeks of paid vacation in total.

Part 3. Is it safe to live in the Netherlands?

In general, the Netherlands is a safe country. My wife can return home late at night without any worries, and my eldest child, who is 10 years old, can play with friends outside.

Of course, there are less ideal neighbourhoods and some problematic areas, like Kanaleneiland and Overvecht in Utrecht. There is even a list of problematic areas that you can refer to when choosing accommodation in the Netherlands.

Overall, it’s quite safe. There are occasional thefts, car break-ins where valuable items are stolen, and even incidents where cars are set on fire. I don’t have the details, but there was a case on our street where a car was set on fire by some sort of arsonist. There have been similar incidents in neighbouring cities as well.

Most of the crimes tend to occur in Rotterdam, which is considered the criminal capital of the Netherlands. I wouldn’t recommend living there, although it’s an interesting city. It’s a hub for criminal activity, including fights, disputes, stabbings, smuggling, human trafficking, and the drug trade. In fact, there are staggering amounts of drugs passing through the port, including the white powder snorted in Moscow nightclubs, which likely transited through Rotterdam.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-59379474

Part 4. Renting and purchasing real estate

In general, if we were to describe the real estate situation in one word, it would be “rough.” Not entirely dire, but it’s heading in that direction. But let’s go through it step by step. Just like everywhere else, you can either buy or rent property. We’ll discuss buying later and start with renting.

Rental Housing

There are three types of rental housing: social housing, commercial housing from private individuals, and commercial housing from housing corporations.

1. Social Housing: This is the cheapest option, often located in less desirable areas, and you may have to wait for it for quite some time (years). However, it is genuinely more affordable.
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2. From Private Individuals: This is straightforward. Typically, these rentals come with furniture, appliances, and household items. However, it’s the most expensive option, and it might be challenging for newcomers to secure one. Most likely, a property owner won’t risk renting to a foreigner with an unclear income. Alternatively, they might ask for several months’ rent upfront, plus a security deposit. However, it’s theoretically possible to rent from a private individual for a shorter period—several months or half a year.
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3. From Housing Corporations: Renting from housing corporations is somewhat easier. These are companies that own various properties and are willing to rent to newcomers. It’s a bit cheaper than renting from private individuals. But there are some caveats:

• They will still take a security deposit.
• The minimum contract length is usually a year, and breaking it earlier would incur a penalty.
• They will require a lot of paperwork, including bank statements and employment contracts.
• The rental property comes in a ‘shell’ condition, with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, toilet, interior doors, sockets, and light switches. However, there is no flooring (unless you manage to negotiate with the previous tenant). So, you will need to make arrangements for the floors, and you won’t find any furniture, light fixtures, or utensils. You can make modifications to the property, almost anything except removing load-bearing walls, but when you move out, it all needs to be restored to its initial condition.

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The best resource for finding housing is funda.nl. There is also marktplaats.nl, but there is less choice there. You can also search through friends and colleagues, as well as through all sorts of chats and groups, this also sometimes works.

My personal experience with finding housing isn’t much of an indicator. I found a place in less than a week. It was even faster than that. I just had to wait for the contract signing and key handover days. It was unbelievably quick. Everyone was surprised, both expats and locals. I found an excellent option. It was hard to move out from there, and there’s not much to tell about it. It was all just incredible luck.

However, there is one detail I can share. The housing corporation agreed to rent me the house if I made a deposit equivalent to three months’ rent, plus payment for one and a half months in advance. So, I had to pay about 5000 euros upfront. It seemed reasonable, but here’s the twist. I had to transfer the money in advance BEFORE signing the contract. There were no documents like an invoice. They just said, “Transfer the money to this account, and specify the code in the description.”

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It’s another “honour system,” but this time I wasn’t swearing; they were. And it actually works. I transferred the money and then went to the company’s office to sign the lease agreement. That’s the story.

In reality, people nowadays search for housing for months, are willing to pay in advance, but there’s often simply not enough housing available.

Buying a home

Buying a house in the Netherlands is both complex and straightforward at the same time. It’s straightforward because banks provide mortgage loans to foreigners. The terms typically include up to a 30-year tenure, a minimum down payment starting from 0%, and interest rates around 5%. Normally, with a permanent or long-term contract, a bank offers around 4.5-5 times your annual income. For instance, if your gross annual income is 60,000 euros, the bank would grant a maximum of 300,000 euros.

The challenge lies in finding something decent with this amount. You’d be hard-pressed to get more than a small apartment for these funds. Housing prices have been increasing for the past three years. At the moment, they seem to have stabilised, but there’s no sign of them decreasing.

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The housing market is overheated, but it’s not cooling off anytime soon. The problem is that there’s simply not enough housing. Not many new homes are being built, yet the number of people looking for housing keeps growing. Brexit has played a role in this, as many companies moved their offices from the UK to the Netherlands. In addition to migrants of all kinds, there are refugees as well. In short, housing is a real issue.

When buying a property, it’s not just about finding a place, but also about obtaining the right to purchase it. Usually, the owner sets a minimum price. If there are many potential buyers, a closed auction may be held. Each bidder offers an amount on top of the minimum price. Here’s a story from my acquaintances: In 2020, they were looking for a house. They found one. The starting price was 350,000 euros, and they offered an additional 50,000 euros, but they lost. Someone else offered more.

Although banks don’t require an initial down payment, you’ll still need money for various expenses (based on 2018 prices):

1. Expert fees, including a technical inspection and property appraisal, costing around 600-1,000 euros.
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2. Bank service fees, around 1,000 euros.
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3. Notary fees, approximately 1,500 euros.
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4. Transfer tax, which is 2% of the property’s value.
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5. If you choose to hire advisors, this could cost an additional 3,000-5,000 euros.
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Part 5. Household life and expenses

Many people often ask me how much we spend. Here’s an approximate breakdown of monthly expenses for my family (2 adults, 2 children, 2 pets):

• Mortgage: 970 euros
• Food, dining out, and restaurants: 1,000-1,200 euros
• Car expenses (insurance, tax, parking): 180-250 euros
• Gasoline: 100-120 euros
• After-school programs for the children: 1,000 euros
• Electricity and gas: 220 euros
• Water: 25 euros
• Health insurance: 310 euros
• Internet: 40 euros
• Mobile phones: 12 euros

In total, this amounts to 3,907 euros per month, roughly speaking. Regarding after-school programs, we later receive a subsidy (since both of us work) of around 500 euros back, so the final total can be adjusted to around 3,500 euros.

Considering that both of us are working, it is generally sufficient for our needs, and we are even able to save some money, although not as much as we would like. Many expats, especially those who come through high-skilled migrant programs, earn on average more than the locals. Additionally, during the first 5 years, they may enjoy some tax benefits, making it financially favorable. However, my tax benefit has already ended, and my wife has never had one.

In general, living in the Netherlands, financially speaking, can sometimes be more challenging for individuals compared to those with a partner.

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Housing

There are apartments, semi-detached houses, two-family houses, and detached houses in the Netherlands. I live in a semi-detached house, which is perhaps one of the most common types of housing for families with children in the Netherlands. The quality of housing varies.

In general, it feels like Dutch builders aren’t top-notch. They excel in design and architecture, but at a practical level, they often don’t go the extra mile. This is evident in various details. For instance, interior doors are typically made of plastic, door frames are standardized and metallic, locks are very basic, and walls are often roughly plastered with what seems like droplets of plaster rather than being perfectly smooth. Sometimes, this is done directly on the concrete.

They don’t bother to hide wires; they might just hang from the ceiling from where they exit the ceiling panel to the light fixture. When buying or renting, it’s important to examine the year of construction and the quality of renovation, if any, and when it was last done. Some houses have had no renovation work since their construction in the 1960s or ’70s.

Here’s an important tip when choosing housing: Look at the energy efficiency rating (A, B, C, etc.). Houses rated below class D may feel cold during the winter or might require higher heating costs. Additionally, be cautious about the desire to live in an “historic house.” Make sure, at the very least, that the house has double glazing. Some older houses have single glazing, which is traditional, and changing the windows may not be possible without municipal permission (and sometimes it’s not allowed at all if it’s a protected monument).

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How much does it cost to maintain a house?

There is no fixed amount; it varies, but there’s a minimum threshold of expenses that people in the Netherlands need to budget for. In addition to rent or mortgage payments, the Dutch typically pay for:

1. Water: Billed according to usage, and the water quality is excellent, safe for drinking from the tap in most places (warnings are posted where tap water is not suitable).
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2. Electricity: Billed according to usage, and it can be relatively expensive. Prices fluctuate, but you mentioned around 37 cents per kilowatt-hour.
   
3. Gas: Also billed according to usage. Gas is relatively expensive, but many households don’t use it much, mainly for hot water (e.g., using a boiler).
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4. Annual Property Tax: For homeowners, this tax is calculated based on the estimated property value, which is usually slightly lower than the market value.
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5. Annual Sewage and Water Management Tax: This tax supports the maintenance of dams, canals, and other vital infrastructure for water management in the Netherlands.
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6. Annual Waste Collection Tax: A municipal tax for the collection and disposal of household waste.
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7. Service Costs: Apartment residents might pay fees for the maintenance of common areas and facilities in their building or complex.

The actual amounts can vary based on location, family size, and individual consumption.

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Issues with garbage

By the way, we sort our waste: general waste, organic waste (food leftovers, grass, leaves, branches), paper, glass, and what’s called PMD – which includes plastic, metal (like tin cans), and Tetra Paks (milk, yogurt, juice, etc). Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and some glass beer bottles can be returned to the store.

If you need to dispose of something larger, like construction waste, soil, sand, or anything else, you have to take it to the waste collection station yourself. I recently took leftover tiles from a renovation there.

During a renovation, you can rent a container to throw everything in, and then it will be taken away. The cost of this service is around 200-300 euros, and you might need to pay the municipality if the container is on city land (in any case, you need a permit for temporary container placement).

If you want to get rid of old furniture or appliances, there are two options (besides disposing of them yourself): you can either arrange for waste removal through a service provider (you can leave a request on their website and specify the location, like an old couch and refrigerator), and they’ll come on a set date to pick it up. Or, you can arrange for the removal of used items from a store; they will also come to pick them up if they are considered reusable.

By the way, the Dutch like to visit thrift shops and buy second-hand items on “marktplaats.nl” (similar to Avito). In general, they are quite frugal and aim to use things for a long time or give items a second chance.

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Internet and communications

Speaking of daily life, another important aspect is internet and communication. Unlimited home internet will cost you around 40-50 euros per month. It’s usually a fiber optic connection, although in some small towns or villages, DSL might still be used, but this is increasingly rare.

Mobile communication is provided by several carriers. The largest one is KPN, similar to a major telecom provider in other countries. There’s also VodafoneZiggo and Odido (a merger of T-Mobile and Tele2), as well as several virtual carriers like Budget, Lebara, Simyo, and others. They offer various mobile plans to suit different tastes and needs. You don’t need to show your passport to buy a SIM card. The quality of mobile networks and coverage is generally excellent, with 5G available in most cities.

Leisure

As they say, there’s something for everyone, and you can find activities to suit your taste. When it comes to sports, there are options for almost anything, except perhaps ice hockey, as the country doesn’t have a strong tradition for that. The flat landscape makes it less suitable for winter sports, but you can travel to the Alps or other mountainous regions for that.

Water-related activities are quite popular here, including sailing, kitesurfing, surfing, rowing, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and swimming. In terms of team sports, football, volleyball, and field hockey are widely enjoyed. Of course, cycling is a big thing in the Netherlands, with a vast network of bike paths and enthusiasts of all levels.

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Dutch people love spending time in nature. You can simply step out and go for a walk in the woods, through meadows, across dunes, along dykes, or on the beach. In the Netherlands, this is commonly referred to as a “wandeling.” I once walked 40 kilometers in a single day.

People in the Netherlands also enjoy going to bars and spending time socializing over a beer or a glass of wine. Often, colleagues gather after work and head to a bar for a drink. People generally know their limits, so it’s not uncommon to do this even during the workweek. Young people and others also frequent clubs and discos.

Hobbies can be incredibly diverse, ranging from traditional collecting to various extreme sports. My wife and I love going for walks, exploring the Netherlands and neighboring countries, kayaking and paddleboarding, cycling, going to the movies, hosting or visiting friends, and sometimes heading out with friends for an outing. My wife is pursuing her dream, and I’m considering starting to pursue mine soon. In short, life is what it is.

Additionally, the Dutch often engage in volunteer work. Some help out in animal shelters, some participate in clean-up efforts, and others contribute in various ways.

In general, life in the Netherlands, especially if you live in a smaller town like we do, is relatively laid-back. If you’re looking for more excitement, you can find it in cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, or at least Utrecht (I wouldn’t particularly recommend Rotterdam).

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Part 6. Education system

The education system in the Netherlands differs significantly not only from the Russian system but also from that of neighboring European countries. It may be most similar to the British system.

From the age of 5, all children are obligated to attend school. As soon as a child turns 5, they must go to school, regardless of the month – whether it’s September, February, or June. There are very few exceptions, and even if a child has disabilities, the system is designed to provide accommodations within the school rather than allowing them to stay home. Parents can face fines and intervention by social services for failing to ensure their child attends school regularly.

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True Dutch people tend to send their children to school right when they turn 4 years old, although it’s not obligatory. This is because daycares in the Netherlands can be quite expensive (for one child, four days a week, it used to cost around 1600 euros per month four years ago). Additionally, there are often long waiting lists for daycare centers, and these centers only cater to children up to the age of 4, which means children are essentially in school by the age of 4. However, the first two years in school are more like preschool.

All schools in the Netherlands are public and do not require uniforms. Schools provide all necessary educational materials, including textbooks, notebooks, and stationery, so there is no need to purchase school supplies. Parents may need to buy sports clothing and shoes for physical education classes, though.

Local schools do not provide meals; students bring their own lunches and snacks from home. What children eat for lunch usually consists of fruits, sandwiches, bread rolls, and occasionally some bring warm food in a thermos, although the latter is relatively uncommon.

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Some schools may request financial contributions from parents once a year, but these are typically not for general school expenses like building maintenance or curtains. Instead, these contributions go toward organizing additional activities, trips, or special events for the children. The amount varies and can range from 20 to 300-500 euros per year depending on the school.

The schools in the Netherlands can be categorized as Catholic, Protestant, or neutral. Attending a Catholic or Protestant school doesn’t mean that only children of those denominations are accepted. These schools may include some religious elements, more “talks about God,” and more preparation for church holidays. Additionally, there are Islamic schools available.

After completing eight years in the “basisschool” (elementary school, typically from ages 4 to 12), children move on to “middelbare school” (middle school). Before entering middle school, children around 11-12 years old take an exam. Based on the results, the school provides an “advies” (advice) about which level of middle school the child should attend. These schools prepare students for different post-school pathways, whether it’s vocational school, college, or university. The advice given depends on the child’s performance and abilities.

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An advice to attend a vocational school doesn’t mean that a child cannot enter a college or university later on. They might just do it at a slightly later age than their peers. The key issue in the Netherlands is that many young people opt to enter the workforce directly after vocational training because there’s a high demand for labor, and they can earn a good wage even at a young age. This can deter some from pursuing higher education because they are already financially independent and earning enough for their needs.

Part 7. Bureaucracy and social services

A bit about bureaucracy and interactions with government agencies. Spoiler: it’s minimal here; most issues are resolved online or through email correspondence.

Right at the beginning, as soon as you arrive, you need to visit the “Immigratie-en-Naturalisatiedienst”, or simply IND (equivalent to the Russian Federal Migration Service, or FMS), to collect your residence permit card. It’s advisable to do this in the first few days after your arrival.

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As soon as you have your housing rental contract in hand, you should go to the gemeente, which is the municipality, to register. Upon your first registration, you will be issued a BSN (Burger Service Nummer) – a social security number. In the Netherlands, the BSN serves as the equivalent of the Russian INN (Taxpayer Identification Number) and SNILS (Individual Insurance Account Number). Your stay in the Netherlands officially begins from the moment you obtain a BSN, so it’s important not to delay this registration.

By the way, from the very beginning, you should learn the word “afspraak,” which means an appointment. Most of the time, you’ll need to schedule appointments through the website of a particular service, occasionally over the phone, and sometimes it’s possible to walk in without an appointment.

ATTENTION! Make appointments in advance! If, for example, something is not ready yet (for instance, if you don't have your housing contract), it's better to reschedule your appointment. In some cases, they might accept all the other documents, and request you to submit any missing documents later, but without an appointment. By scheduling appointments in advance, you make your life easier and minimise potential issues.

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Once you have your BSN, you can and should request a DigiD (https://www.digid.nl/). There isn’t a unified portal like Russian government services, but each agency allows you to access your personal cabinet using DigiD. It’s essentially your digital signature, which you can and should use.

It’s also useful to install the “berichtenbox” application. Electronic messages from the tax authority (IND), and other agencies will arrive there. With DigiD, communication with bureaucrats is minimized. Mostly, everything can be done online.

Bureaucrats here are not scary. In general, they try to help. There were situations, especially at the beginning when we did something wrong or missed something due to our lack of knowledge. But every time we went to the municipality or elsewhere, they said, “Okay, no problem, let’s see what we can do,” and they found a solution.

My wife was surprised that civil servants here are oriented towards finding solutions.

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A little about residence permit, permanent residence and citizenship

After 5 years of continuous legal residence and assuming you pass integration exams – 4 language exams (reading, writing, listening, speaking) and exams on knowledge of Dutch society, history, and culture, plus, for those who don’t work, an orientation to the labor market exam, you can apply for permanent residency (PMV) and citizenship. You can apply for both simultaneously. You can request PMV online through the IND website, and the decision is made within 3 months.

Citizenship is requested in person through the municipality. The processing time is about a year. Usually, after around 8 months, you’ll receive a letter of approval (or disapproval). In case of approval, you’ll need to wait for an invitation from the municipality for the citizenship ceremony and oath. During the ceremony, a responsible person reads the oath, and new Dutch citizens must say “Dat verklaar en beloof ik” for non-religious people, or “Zo waarlijk helpe mij God almachtig” for religious individuals. The oath version is chosen when you submit your citizenship application. A week later, you can go to collect your ID card (equivalent to the Russian internal passport) and your travel passport.

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You are required to renounce your Russian (or any other) citizenship, as the Netherlands does not approve of dual citizenship. However, due to the current situation, IND has officially suspended this requirement for Russians until January 1, 2024, but it’s likely to be extended. For Ukrainian citizens, the exit requirement is also temporarily suspended, but there is no official decision for citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

And yes, I have Dutch citizenship (obtained last year).

Part 8. Transport

Public Transportation:

In the country, there are trains, metros, trams in major cities, buses, and even trolleybuses in places like Arnhem. When it comes to public transportation, there are both excellent and less favourable aspects.

The excellent part is that public transport typically runs on schedule (for the most part). It’s comfortable, clean, and safe, with the caveat that you might want to avoid taking a tram from the center of Utrecht to Kanaleneiland late at night.

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Using public transport is also very convenient. There’s an OV card, similar to the Oyster card in London, but it works nationwide. It’s valid for all types of transport, including trains, and on all carriers, without any fare zones (thanks to Dionysus). To use it, you check-in when you board and check-out when you disembark, and transfers are taken into account.

You can top up the card at a terminal or a ticket counter (if you can find a working one), or set up automatic top-ups from a Dutch bank account. The terminals are available at train stations and in supermarkets, but please note they only accept bank cards, which might be an issue if you’ve just arrived and haven’t registered a Dutch bank account yet.

Seems all good, right?

But it’s expensive. A local bus ride starts at 1.40 euros, and children from the age of 4 have to pay.

Sometimes it can simply stop running. Yes, completely stop. The reasons can range from strikes, maintenance work, weather conditions, accidents, and incidents. The first two can usually be anticipated, and the weather can be considered (e.g., it’s better to stay home during a storm). However, the latter two are unpredictable. You can triple-check that everything’s fine, arrive at the station, board your train, and then get off 5 minutes later because of an accident or a disruption in service. This happened to me, as always, when I was in a hurry.

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Despite having numerous routes and seemingly good coverage, there are problems, even in not-so-remote Dutch villages. For instance, some buses run only once an hour, and solely on weekdays, with the last service departing at 7 PM. If you miss it, you’re left to figure out how to get home.

Buses can also get so crowded that you’ll even recall the rush-hour commutes at Vykhino with warmth.

Bicycles and scooters

Bicycles are widely available, and the infrastructure for cycling is excellent. There are various types of bikes for sale, including regular, electric, those designed for transporting children, cargo bikes, and more. At our home, with a family of four, we have a total of six bicycles.

I’m aware that electric scooters have become very popular in Russia recently. However, in the Netherlands, they are not exactly illegal, but they operate in a legal gray area. Here’s what the police say about this:

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In short, electric scooters in the Netherlands are regulated similarly to mopeds. They are limited to a maximum speed of 25 km/h, and the scooter must be approved by RDW (Netherlands Vehicle Authority). Currently, there are no approved electric scooters available for regular use (only specialized ones). The police have the authority to stop an electric scooter rider, issue fines, and confiscate the scooter, regardless of the rider’s passport or nationality.

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In practice, some people use electric scooters, mainly expatriates, but it’s at their own risk and only until the first serious incident occurs. I wouldn’t recommend using them, and personally, they annoy me as they can be very unpredictable. Whether I’m driving or riding a bicycle, I find them bothersome. Officially, electric scooters are not allowed.

Cars

I thought about writing about the import of cars from Russia, but in light of recent events it is irrelevant. If only someone will bring it from Turkey-Georgia-Serbia. But it seems easier to me to buy here.

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I’ll start by saying that despite the excellent public transportation and cycling infrastructure, having a car is necessary, especially for families. There’s a wide variety of cars available, and you can find a decent option to suit your taste and budget. For example, you can explore options on Autoscout24.nl.

You can buy a car, purchase it on credit, or opt for leasing, including private leasing. It’s also possible to lease a used car, although the selection might be more limited.

If you’ve purchased a car, you’ll be responsible for insurance and road tax. Insurance typically starts at around €20 per month and can go higher, while road tax can range from €15-20 per month or more. Electric cars are currently exempt from road tax, but their insurance premiums are higher. You can find and compare insurance options (not just for cars) on independer.nl.

It’s generally advisable not to buy a car with a powerful engine (unless you have specific needs like towing). First, there’s the tax aspect. Second, insurance costs will be higher. Third, there’s not much opportunity to speed in the Netherlands. Daytime highway speed limits are 100 km/h, increasing to 130 km/h in the evening and at night. There are no hills to quickly climb, and excess speed is rarely necessary. A standard car with 100 horsepower should be sufficient for most needs.

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However, if you really want to own a more powerful car, it’s your choice, just be prepared to pay for it.

Traffic fines are substantial. Speeding by 3-4 km/h over the limit can result in a fine of €50-60, and parking violations typically incur a €95 fine. Larger fines are possible, but Dutch law considers a fine of over €100 equivalent to a criminal conviction, which may pose future problems (e.g., when applying for permanent residency or citizenship).

Car sharing is available, but it’s not as widespread as in Moscow. There are electric scooter sharing programs. However, in areas where there are train stations, you can rent a bike anywhere using the same OV card used for public transportation.

Roads

On the topic of transport, I’ll mention roads. Back in 2018, my friend was traveling around Europe by car and got to me. Over a glass of beer, he said, “You’re driving through Germany and you think that the roads couldn’t be better. And then you enter the Netherlands and you understand – no, maybe.” This year I came across an article according to which the Netherlands is second in the world for the quality of roads. On the first Singapore

Part 9. Banks, finance and cryptocurrencies

The first thing you need to do upon arrival, after obtaining your residence permit card (or even without it, if you have an MVV visa stamped in your passport), is to open a bank account. Most banks typically require a BSN, which creates a bit of a catch-22 situation. Without a local bank account, it can be challenging to rent housing, register with the municipality, or obtain a BSN. However, many banks are willing to work with newcomers and will open an account with the provision that you provide your BSN within three months.

In terms of banks in the Netherlands, the largest one is ING, but it is relatively conservative. Interestingly, ING is the only bank, as far as I know, that has required proof of a valid residence permit from Russians and Belarusians after February 24, 2022. The second-largest bank is Rabobank, which is affiliated with Raiffeisen, to the best of my knowledge.

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In the photo, you can see the old and new ING offices in Amsterdam. I personally use ABN AMRO, and they opened an account for me without any issues seven years ago, even without a BSN. There are a few other banks, but I don’t have much information about them. I’ll only mention “bunq,” which is an online bank where everything is managed through a mobile app. It’s a kind of Dutch alternative to Revolut. Speaking of Revolut, it also works quite well, but note that your account with them will be Lithuanian, which is generally not a problem for most purposes in the Netherlands.

By default, traditional banks in the Netherlands issue Maestro debit cards. Visa and Mastercard are not commonly used in the Netherlands. Until recently, not all businesses accepted Visa and Mastercard. This is because the Netherlands has its own payment system called iDeal. It was created to reduce dependence on global payment systems, and it’s cheaper for businesses to use iDeal than Visa.

As a result, don’t be surprised to see Dutch people using less fancy cards. Cashback rewards are not particularly common. There are some companies that offer cashback, but you typically need to register separately with them, and it’s not as widespread as in some other countries.

Why is this the case? It’s hard to say, but it could be because Dutch people don’t need incentives to use cards. The country is moving toward a cashless society, and many places, both businesses and individuals, no longer accept cash. Payments with cards, especially debit cards, are common. However, Visa and Mastercard acceptance may vary.

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A key point to note about iDeal is that it’s widely used for online purchases. Payment for most Dutch online shopping sites goes through iDeal. Although you can make payments using Visa or Mastercard (possibly with an additional fee), many Dutch online retailers and services are geared toward iDeal. As of 2023, iDeal became a European standard.

In the Netherlands, people use “Tikkies” for person-to-person money transfers. So, Dutch financial technology (fintech) is quite advanced.

About crypto

Cryptocurrency is legal in the Netherlands. However, it’s worth noting that Binance left the Netherlands in the summer of 2023 due to regulatory issues. They couldn’t reach an agreement with local regulators. As a result, Binance offered its customers the option to transition to a local platform called Coinmerce. This means that while cryptocurrency is allowed, the specific services and platforms available to users may change due to regulatory decisions and company actions.

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Part 10. About language

I want to address all expats (not only in the Netherlands). Don’t make the same mistake I did—learn the language and use it. After 7 years, it’s extremely challenging and difficult for me to force myself to speak Dutch. Especially when I know that switching to English would make things simple and clear, and the conversation would flow more naturally. But no, you have to push yourself.

For me, language is not just about finding better job opportunities, improving communication, or understanding my bilingual children. Recently, I’ve started to see myself differently, and I’ve come to understand that I need the language. In short, learning Dutch (or any other language, such as French, Spanish, or Turkish) is cool!

Part 11. Flying in the ointment

To be objective, I’ll note that there are issues in the country:

1. Expensive energy and fuel (fuel prices are expected to rise from the new year due to increased excise taxes).
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2. High inflation rates (the Netherlands had one of the highest inflation rates in the eurozone last year).
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3. As a result of this, the average grocery bill has increased by about one and a half times.
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4. As previously mentioned, housing problems persist.
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5. Despite excellent roads and good vehicles, traffic jams are still a common issue and are being resolved slowly.
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6. Migrant-related problems (you can look up “ter apel vluchtelingen nieuws” for more information). Due to these issues, we currently don’t have a government – the cabinet of ministers resigned. In November, we are facing parliamentary elections, followed by the inevitable process of forming a coalition and allocating portfolios.
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7. A slowly growing unemployment rate despite a real labor shortage.
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8. Issues in the healthcare system (the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these problems).
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9. Problems in the education system, including teacher strikes.
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10. Issues and protests among farmers.
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11. Increasing poverty, among other concerns.

These issues were recently addressed by the king in his annual throne speech. For those interested, you can find the text online and translate it to read more about the current state of affairs (spoiler: it also touches upon the Russia-Ukraine conflict).

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Part 12. Summary. Do I regret accepting the offer in 2016?

I have never regretted moving to the Netherlands. I do regret, however, that I made the move rather late in life. If I were younger, it would have been easier and more exciting. But as it turns out, everything happens for a reason.

Like any migrant, I went through all the stages from euphoria to a challenging period and eventually to an active phase.

The Netherlands is a wonderful country. Yes, it has its own peculiarities and issues, but it’s a very interesting and diverse place (even with its flat landscape outside the train window). It’s a country of open and friendly people. They are genuinely interested in all newcomers. While Dutch people don’t forget about the benefits that migrants bring to the country, they are also ready to help newcomers adapt to their new surroundings.

So, if for any reason, you feel the urge to move and explore, take a good look at the Netherlands.

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One piece of advice when moving is to try not to “move away from” but to “move towards.” I hope my story helps you understand where you’re going or where you might go.

Subscribe to the Telegram channel Movly, where I (Dejan) write about startups in Europe and relocation. If you have any questions or if my experience can be helpful, don’t hesitate to reach out on Telegram. I’ll be happy to assist.

By Deian Edigarov (Movly)
Review published with permission of the author.
The original text is here.