Student - February 14, 2008

Residence permit delay traps student

Chinese WSO board member, Sijing Liu, still doesn’t know if she will be allowed to stay in the Netherlands. Sijing has a bestuursbeurs, and has one euro per month too little to be entitled to a residence permit. She was told this week by the immigration office, IND, that she may have to wait another six months for a definite decision.

Sijing has an income of 625 euros per month, 1 euro and 24 cents less than required by the IND for the residence permit she has applied for. Although the official time within which the IND should have taken a decision about her appeal has almost expired, Sijing received a letter from the IND informing her that the decision may still take up to six months. Sijing: ‘It’s probably due to a lack of manpower at the IND.’

The news means that Sijing has had to shelve her travel plans for the moment, as she is not allowed to leave the Netherlands without a residence permit. Sijing: ‘It’s very disappointing that I have to wait another six months. Especially since my parents are planning to visit me in June.’ She may have to cancel the trip she had planned to make with her parents through Europe. She hasn’t told her parents yet about the situation. She is also unable to visit her boyfriend in England. Sijing: ‘I will ask him to come to Holland again.’

Meanwhile, Sijing has asked the University for assistance. In response she has been given the name and telephone number of a lawyer may be able to help her obtain a residence permit more quickly. Sijing: ‘I haven’t contacted the lawyer yet. The first meeting is for free; after that I have to pay.’