Hello everybody, I would like to share my experience with my application to the Verification Against the EU law with my partner.
I am Colombian and I first came to the Netherlands in 2016 to study. After I finished my studies I applied for my zoekjaar permit in October 2018, so I was able to stay one more year in NL and search for a job.
In September 2018 I met my now partner. He is half Argentinian half Hungarian. The first months we had a long-distance relationship cause he was still living in Argentina and I was in the Netherlands.
He wanted to move to Europe and since I was already in the Netherlands then we decide to live here together.
He first came to visit in March 2019 and stayed in Europe since then. But he didn't have a formal place and he was traveling, so he didn't register in the country.
I worked for a while during my zoekjaar but after a while I couldn't find a job or a company willing to sponsor me, thus I couldn't extend my residence permit. Thus, with my boyfriend we decided to apply to the Verfication against EU law.
We found a place and moved together in September 2019, he registered and got a BSN. Before my zoekjaar permit was over (October 2019), we went to the IND to apply for the new residence permit.
At the IND we handed two forms, one for him, cause he also needed to register in the IND as an European citizen and the other for me. With the forms we handed a copy of our passports, pictures together (also with my family and friends), screenshots of whatsapp conversations and skype videocalls of the time we were in a long-distance relationship, a letter of my sister stating that she met him and that we were indeed in a relationship, our housing contract, working contract of my boyfriend and his bank statements.
We were scared at the beginning because although he is European it was the first time for him living in Europe and he has a remote job from the U.S, so there was actually no link to the Netherlands, besides me already living here.
During the appointment, they checked the documents, made a copy of the residence permit I had at the moment, asked me if I had a document stating I have never been married ( I didn't, but it was no problem), and then they told they were going to ask us questions separately. First was my boyfriend, I had to wait in the waiting room and then they called me. The questions were really easy like how did we meet, the address of our home, if we had met each other's families.
After that, they told us everything was ok, I paid for the application and then they put a sticker on my passport. When they put me the sticker they told me I was NOT allowed to work. I was surprised because I was already living in NL and even had a working permit, and also read that others were allowed to work during that time. It seems it depends on the IND person that receives your application.
At the end of January 2020 we received a letter saying that we had to send more documents. They asked again for my boyfriend's contract, his bank statements, our proof of registration in the municipality and our health insurance documents. We also added more pictures, and a legalized document stating I have never been married (just in case).
Two weeks after we sent the documents, I called the IND to make sure they received them and asked how the process was going. They told me the documents were fine and that they were just waiting for us to turn 6 months living together.
Exactly after 6 months and a week of living together, and 5 months after applying at the IND, we received the letter that they granted me the new residence permit for 5 more years. They also said they were going to send a new letter stating when and where to pick the new permit.
So after all the process and even not being allowed to work, finally we got the good news.
Also as a tip, you can check how the process is going through MijnIND, and if you register to MijnOverheid you will receive the letters as well online. So you will get the information before it arrives by post mail.
Hope this helps you!
Bye.