Emigration/The Netherlands
Total Recall: we collect documents together with the specialists of the project for relocation to the Netherlands SkillToStart
10.04.2023Sleepless nights, bouts of nostalgia, skyrocketing ticket prices, farewell to relatives - do you think we have listed all the difficulties of emigration?
Moral suffering and financial problems fade before the main quest of an emigrant - the collection of documents for moving.
Russian journalist Anna Mongait writes on her Facebook page:
"... I hate bureaucracy, filling out and collecting documents. I always lose them, make mistakes and cannot find the right algorithm for communicating with state authorities. I am scared to death of "employees in structures", I pass, stutter and stare at them in horror, like an abandoned puppy.This is my karmic work off.
Since leaving Moscow, I have filled out a ton of paperwork. All this year I have been endlessly trying to legalize, some kind of visas, passports, residence permits, school documents, bank statements. Most of all, I am now afraid of losing some piece of paper with a seal. And the rest of the time we talk about these pieces of paper."
Unforgettable adventures await you within the walls of state institutions and notaries in your city, and with special luck - in several cities of your native country. The process of forming a package of documents is a long story, so it is worth starting in advance.
"In our SkillToStart project, we try to be as honest as possible about emigration. It is very important to properly prepare for the emigration process, because it will require moral and physical strength, money and time from you. And here it is important not to count on a lucky chance, but to take specific necessary steps and believe in yourself and understand that your previous experience is your strength."
Nina Rybchak, SkillToStart
The specialists of the SkillToStart relocation project in the Netherlands have prepared for you a list of the main documents and the most obvious ways to obtain them.
Internal passport. Do not leave it as a keepsake for your relatives, do not burn it or lose it. You will still need it when applying to the Russian consulate in a foreign land or when renouncing Russian citizenship.
International passport. A mandatory document, without which you most likely will not enter another country. The document must be valid for at least six months from the date of departure. After this period, you will be able to change it at the Russian consulate (in any case, this possibility has not yet been canceled by law).
Birth certificate. This document must be translated and apostilled by a notary.
First, an apostille is placed on the original document, and only then a translation is made on the apostilled document. You can make a regular translation and then certify it with a notary with an apostille, or contact a sworn translator who will put his seal on the translation. In the second case, you do not need to additionally certify the translation with a notary.
Important!
In many European countries, this document has a statute of limitations, so you need to request a second birth certificate from the registry office at the place of your actual stay no later than three months before departure, and translate and apostille the new document.
Please note that some countries may be satisfied with translation into English, while others only accept documents that are translated into their national language. Check the requirements of your country of relocation.
Marriage certificate. The same rules apply to this document as to a birth certificate, which means that a second certificate must be apostilled and translated, which will need to be obtained from the registry office.
Try to keep all documents in one place. Buy a large folder with compartments that you can sign so you don't get confused about which piece of paper is which.
Certificate of good conduct. Needed in many European and non-European countries. It also needs to be translated and apostilled. The certificate is obtained in physical form, with the seal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and is valid for 3 months. If you did not have time to leave within this period, you will have to receive a certificate again.
Important!
A police clearance certificate in electronic form, which can be obtained through the State Services portal, is not accepted in most foreign countries.
Diploma. It will also require a translation and an apostille. Do this even if you do not work in your specialty and do not plan to use it. This document can be useful to you both when applying for a job and during the citizenship exam. A high school diploma is usually not required.
For all the main documents, make notarized copies just in case.
Medical record and vaccination certificates. A medical record can help your new doctor navigate your health. A vaccination certificate will be useful for your children so that they do not have to do repeated injections. You can translate these documents yourself, an apostille is not required.
Documents for pets. An international veterinary passport with affixed vaccinations and a veterinary certificate form No. 1 - these documents are obtained from a veterinarian.
Please note that if you are moving to a European country, the animal must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies after microchipping.
If the pet was vaccinated before chipping, the vaccination will have to be repeated. In addition, the vaccination must be done no later than 21 days before the trip and has a statute of limitations of 1 year. Also, a cat or dog will need a European animal health certificate (it is issued at the veterinary control points before departure).
Scan all documents to your phone. Copies are not legally binding, but may come in handy in desperate situations. By the way, in Europe, digital copies are treated more favorably and are often accepted without additional conditions.
Financial documents
Currently, in most countries, a bank account with a Russian passport can be opened only with personal presence. In this case, it is necessary to provide: a residence permit document of a particular country, a lease agreement and other additional documents, depending on the requirements of the bank.
Documents required may include:
Reference from the tax. You will need to open an account, as well as to get a job if you are still a tax resident of the Russian Federation (that is, you have been in Russia for more than 183 days over the past year). For individuals, this is a 2-personal income tax certificate or a certificate of self-employment.
Statement from the bank. At least for the last year, but preferably two: this document may be needed when opening a bank account in a new country.
Russian TIN. This document must be translated and notarized.
Employment contract or other documents confirming your employment. For example, a contract or certificate of self-employment. If the original contract is in Russian, a translation will be required.
Documents for remote problem solving
General power of attorney and other powers of attorney. You can issue one general power of attorney for your close relative who remains in Russia, or several different powers of attorney for each individual case. Thus, you will be able to remotely manage your property and documents in the Russian Federation. You can add a special assignment clause so that your representative can transfer the rights to do something to another person in the event of an emergency or departure.
Important!
The expiration date of the document can be any (at least 100 years), but this must be recorded in the document. If the period is not specified, then by default it is 1 year from the date of signing the power of attorney.
Currently, the requirements for Russian emigrants in different countries are constantly changing. Periodically check the list of documents for applying for a visa on the website of the embassy of the country where you are going to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Collecting documents is not the most pleasant experience, so try to minimize stress. Plan no more than two things a day. Don't despair if you don't get what you want the first time. Take breaks and recharge your batteries.
Careful preparation for the move is very important, but it is equally important to choose the right immigration program that is right for you.
If you are planning to move to the Netherlands, SkillToStart will help you figure out how to get a business or student visa to this beautiful and economically successful country!
Emigrating to the Netherlands is real.
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