British Expats

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-   -   An imaginatively titled Belgian thread... (https://britishexpats.com/forum/belgium-netherlands-luxembourg-105/imaginatively-titled-belgian-thread-905311/)

SA UK now BE Dec 21st 2018 7:03 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by BuckinghamshireBoy (Post 12609405)
Some light! Last week I received mail from our third prospective health insurers informing us that we were now on board. Yay! This information was sent on to the town hall, who emailed last evening that all the required documentation was now in order, and had been sent to ‘head office’ – meaning Brussels. They did say however that it could take up to six months before we are granted ID cards. This is a bit worrying with the (slight, I hope) potential of a no-deal Brexit still out there. :unsure:

The project to "officially" exit Switzerland bumbles along, but with a couple of good things going on. The accountant said that if we gave them power of attorney then they could take on the tax authorities on our behalf, saving a trip back. I said that I had to come back for the ‘foreigner police’ anyway, and she replied ‘they changed their rules just before you left, you can do it by post now’ and included the form. It was exactly the same form that I had been working with, but the usage notes had changed to include the postal option. So that’s on the way now.

The Swiss health insurers are being as obstructive as ever, but now pressure is off, so I’m going to change tack, and point out to them that this long, drawn out process was simply down to a huge misunderstanding. On their part.

I do have to return to Geneva next week anyway to shed my car and return the plates to the authorities, I’m coming home by train this time, always wanted to do that, it’s hardly any longer than flying when seen ‘end to end’ and actually cheaper this time around. Christmas has a lot to answer for. ;)

Congrats to you guys looking it is finally moving forward. Sorry for the delay but working hard lately. I currently live in Brugge area. Really enjoy the city and starting Flemish cinversation.

Please note WRT the 6 months..... iT should be 6 months from the date annotated on your ‘Bijlag 19’. ‘Bijlag 20’ is the 30 day extension from the date you sing that addendum. Hope you get it now.

Ive just heard I have now been accepted and getting my EID for 5 years. Finally.

BuckinghamshireBoy Dec 21st 2018 7:35 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by SA UK now BE (Post 12611757)
... Ive just heard I have now been accepted and getting my EID for 5 years. Finally.

Result! And just before Christmas. Congrats to you too. :thumbup:

BuckinghamshireBoy Apr 17th 2019 1:08 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
Following my minor rant of a few weeks ago, there has finally been some movement from the Swiss. I kow-towed to the demands of the tax authorities, including paying their guesstimate of tax due, fairly safe in the knowledge that they were well out, and that once they had all the facts – and the dosh – the ‘puters would make sense of it. Sure enough, a letter – again to the Swiss address – confirmed that all was indeed in order for 2017. No mention of 2018’s reckoning, no hint of a rebate.

Zen...

Last week a letter direct to the new address saying 2018 is now sorted, here’s the final position and there’s a huge rebate due. Yay! The rebate landed a couple of days ago, so now just waiting on the ‘foreigner police’ to issue the magic papers we desperately need to free us of all kinds of costly obligations back in Switzerland.

A couple of difficult web-sites and emails later, I received an invitation to download the magic paper. Just mine, obviously, no mention of OH, so I’m awaiting clarification as to whether they trust me or if she now has to navigate those treacherous waters in her own right. Nearly there. :fingerscrossed:

No sign of the Belgian id cards yet, but they’re still within the advised time window.

BEVS Apr 17th 2019 11:47 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
Slowly getting there it seems.

BuckinghamshireBoy Apr 18th 2019 9:22 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by BEVS (Post 12672552)
Slowly getting there it seems.

Leaps and bounds now! This morning I received OH's magic paper. :thumbsup:

Party! :drinkingwine:

scrubbedexpat142 Apr 18th 2019 9:28 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
:thumbsup:

Just think of all those civil servants you've kept in gainful employment!

SA UK now BE Apr 18th 2019 9:39 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
Happy days. Say what you may but the Flemish work ethic is great and efficient i have found. Swapping my British license for a Belgian one took only a day.

On a side note - an official ‘Stadsblad ’ ( I think it’s called that) has been published regarding no deal brexit. From what my wife says it boils down to Belgium will treat all registered British with the same rights as now until December 2020. From then I guess we’ll be assimilated?

BuckinghamshireBoy Apr 18th 2019 9:52 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by SA UK now BE (Post 12672662)
Happy days. Say what you may but the Flemish work ethic is great and efficient i have found. Swapping my British license for a Belgian one took only a day.

On a side note - an official ‘Stadsblad ’ ( I think it’s called that) has been published regarding no deal brexit. From what my wife says it boils down to Belgium will treat all registered British with the same rights as now until December 2020. From then I guess we’ll be assimilated?

You will possibly need to re-register when whatever exit terms are finally unveiled, but from what I've received so far, your Gemeentehuis will advise at the appropriate time.

Annetje Apr 18th 2019 12:40 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by BuckinghamshireBoy (Post 12672653)
Leaps and bounds now! This morning I received OH's magic paper. :thumbsup:

Party! :drinkingwine:

Hang on, I'm on my way ! Well done :nod:


Originally Posted by SA UK now BE (Post 12672662)
Happy days. Say what you may but the Flemish work ethic is great and efficient i have found.

:goodpost::thumbsup::amen:


BuckinghamshireBoy May 21st 2019 4:53 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
Today we received our residence certificates; the town hall said it could take up to six months, the reality was five and a half. ;)

Id cards are an optional (and highly desirable) extra, but those can be obtained locally, no need for Brussels involvement.

Perfect timing! :egyptian:

scrubbedexpat142 May 21st 2019 4:57 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by BuckinghamshireBoy (Post 12686973)
Today we received our residence certificates; the town hall said it could take up to six months, the reality was five and a half. ;)

Id cards are an optional (and highly desirable) extra, but those can be obtained locally, no need for Brussels involvement.

Perfect timing! :egyptian:

:thumbsup:

BEVS May 22nd 2019 2:42 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by BuckinghamshireBoy (Post 12686973)
Today we received our residence certificates; the town hall said it could take up to six months, the reality was five and a half. ;)

Id cards are an optional (and highly desirable) extra, but those can be obtained locally, no need for Brussels involvement.

Perfect timing! :egyptian:

:thumbsup:


BuckinghamshireBoy Jun 14th 2019 10:08 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
As of this morning we have our ID cards :thumb: which unlocks a whole raft of stuff, such as the right to visit the recycling centre, being able to access 'restricted' documents on various government websites, even filing tax returns online. :eek:

However in contrast to this ...

Originally Posted by SA UK now BE (Post 12672662)
Swapping my British license for a Belgian one took only a day.

as we currently have non-EU driving licences, we have been advised that it will take three months to process the exchange. This, even if we were to swap them serially, is obviously a no-no.

OH is well miffed as she obtained her CH licence in exchange for her original Belgian one some thirty years ago. Somewhere :confused: I should have my old UK paper licence (which the Swiss let me keep), so I might give that a try, otherwise we'll stay with those we have for the time being. An extended family member works for the forces of law and order in an administrative capacity, so we'll be picking her brains for any potential fast-path methods.

The next round of building work is now underway, all the external drainage runs are being reworked ahead of the replacing/extending of the terrasse in an 'L' shape towards the rear of the house.

What we really would like now is for summer to show its face... :fingerscrossed:

calman014 Jun 17th 2019 10:15 am

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 
You might find something of use here:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...e/index_en.htm

BuckinghamshireBoy Jun 17th 2019 12:05 pm

Re: An imaginatively titled Belgian thread...
 

Originally Posted by calman014 (Post 12699100)
You might find something of use here:

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...e/index_en.htm

Thanks for the link. I finally located my old UK paper licence and using that link have confirmed that it's a "UK 3", issued as a replacement for the "UK 1" due to an address change. It is apparently still valid with just over six years to run. A relevant point a couple of pages in that link is "You can have only one EU driving licence at any one time."

Not wishing to fall foul of any regulations, it would seem that I must exchange this one, so that should speed things up considerably, but only for me. I thought that we had registered our Swiss licences at the Gemeente, OH reckons not, so we'll book another appointment for later in the week and see what's what.

If I have to end up being OH's part time taxi driver for a few months, then so be it, it is much more suited to our driving habits than the other way round.

What's interesting - but totally irrelevant here - is why the Swiss let me retain the UK licence.

Just about to hit "submit", a ring on the doorbell. It's the police wanting to see the permit for the skip that was placed on the street outside this morning. That's all in order, OH is now grilling him as to how best to speed up her licence swap...


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