"Family Re-Unification" Rules

Only married partners can use "family reunification".  If your parents were Dutch and married in Holland, they would have received a "wedding book" (trouw boekje) from the Gemeente (local council) where they were married, it was normal for the birth of any children from that marriage to be registered in that book - this could be done at embassies around the world (we did all of ours like this).  If that is the case, it may be worthwhile approaching the Dutch consulate near where you live in Canada to see if you can claim Dutch nationality.

If not, you have to go through the same process as everybody else and apply for a visa etc; there is plenty of advice and links on how to achieve this on this forum.  You say that you intend to be self-employed, it would be worth your while to check whether your profession requires formal qualifications for you to follow in Holland; again the internet will help you - Google will be your friend.

Best of luck (although having worked in Alberta for 3 years, why anybody would want to leave Canada for Europe does make me wonder why).

Thank you so much, great response! They met and married in Ontario, Canada sadly. Too bad for me. Alberta IS gorgeous, I've lived there, and many cities West to East, but there's one thing missing; Dutch people.

Alberta and Ontario are home to the most American thinking Canadians. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I just want to integrate with my "blood" nationality, if only for awhile. Maybe find a wife. If that makes sense. I feel like something is missing. Maybe I'm crazy

Regardless, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond, cheers Cynic!

In that case; go there as a tourist first, meet up with your family, see if you like it.  You'll almost certainly need a tourist visa to do this.  Word of warning, you will not be allowed to apply for a permanent visa from within Holland; if you get caught, you'll be deported and will find it very hard to get back in.   Lots of advice on here about that kind of stuff; I can't advise from experience as I'm married to a Dutch lady (there's a clue there for you) and I'm an EU citizen, which makes it a lot easier.

To summarise; read the advice on here; make sure you have marketable skills to enable you to work in Holland (nobody is going to help you, except yourself) and most importantly ......... learn the language (I really can't over-emphasise this).

Good luck mate.

Nice. You speak my language man. I spent a few hours learning Dutch for the first time today and ik spreken en leest de Dutch --a little bit anyway. I can now tell people to drink water! woo! hahahaha. Taking to it like a fish to water though.

Anyhoo. Thanks again, and I imagine I'll find my way and likely just go as a tourist for awhile after saving up.

I've been living out of a carry-on for 4 years; I'll manage so long as I don't run out of money.

Side note: If anyone here is using Duolingo and want to compete in a friendly way to stay motivated, message me. Would be great for both of us!

Maybe you should contact the IND: Immigration and Naturalization Services. They are the experts in this matter.

Good luck!!!

I cant not help it but I want to correct your Dutch: if you are talking about yourself, you say ik spreek en lees....

It's literally day one with the learning lol Big love on that correction

Will do, and thank you. Bring the corrections! I want to fit in --and I hope when people look at my profile "wall" they see a progression!

https://www.duolingo.com/maikel33

Just remember that if you come to the Netherlands on a 90 day short-term visa you will have to leave at the end of the 90 days.

You should also be aware that you need to prove, among other things, that you will have at least EUR 34 a day in your bank account before  a visa will be granted.

Good luck.

This is over EUR 3000.

Primadonna wrote:

..... I cant not help it but I want to correct your Dutch: if you are talking about yourself, you say ik spreek en lees....

ROFL - typical Dutch mother. 

Cynic wrote:

Primadonna wrote:

..... I cant not help it but I want to correct your Dutch: if you are talking about yourself, you say ik spreek en lees....

ROFL - typical Dutch mother. 

Who? Me?

Shame it couldn't be longer; thank you for the info!

Just curious, if I find a place that wanted to hire me while I am visiting on a Tourist Visa, do you think it would be difficult to change into a work visa/permit situation from within the Netherlands? Or would I have to leave and come back?

Anyone have an affordable immigration lawyer's website URL which they have personally used before? If it's true what I hear about the bureaucracy, I might just hire one instead. If not, no worries I can look on Google.

Thanks everyone,

Mike

dutchcanadian wrote:

Shame it couldn't be longer; thank you for the info!

Just curious, if I find a place that wanted to hire me while I am visiting on a Tourist Visa, do you think it would be difficult to change into a work visa/permit situation from within the Netherlands? Or would I have to leave and come back?

Anyone have an affordable immigration lawyer's website URL which they have personally used before? If it's true what I hear about the bureaucracy, I might just hire one instead. If not, no worries I can look on Google.

Thanks everyone,

Mike

You'd need to leave Holland, apply, then go through the process.  I can't advise on the process itself, or on a lawyer.  Hopefully somebody else may have some knowledge that will help.

Best of luck.

If the Dutch company wants to hire you, they have to give you a work permit (if there are not Dutchies available for that job) but I don't know if they can switch when you are here.

But hen again: check the IND: www.ind.nl for your specific inquiries as they give out all the permits. The have an English website too.

Nice!

Thanks again, you're all quite helpful

dutchcanadian wrote:

Nice!

Thanks again, you're all quite helpful

Be aware,  it's not free