# One year plan to move.



## franadin (Aug 20, 2014)

Hello everyone. Right now I have been with my Dutch partner for two years, and we are wanting to make a year plan to get ready for my move there. Saving money will not be the issue, but it's the finding a place to live and work from the UK. He will help as much as he can from his end, but what do I need to know and where should I look?

Of course I am learning the language before I move over, and I have some ideas of where to look for apartments. It's just the whole process of renting, insurance and any other things I should be aware of before I jump in. The last thing I want is to miss something important and get myself in trouble. 

Any help and advice you can give me would be fantastic! Thank you.


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## Froglet (May 7, 2014)

I'm not sure, but why are you asking these questions here when your partner is Dutch and he can answer all the question you have


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## franadin (Aug 20, 2014)

He is Dutch but he doesn't have the time to run around for me when he has to work and study. This is a place for us to ask questions, no?

If I am being honest I expected a bit more help than a reply like that. Why did you respond if you couldn't be helpful?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

franadin said:


> He is Dutch but he doesn't have the time to run around for me when he has to work and study. This is a place for us to ask questions, no?
> 
> If I am being honest I expected a bit more help than a reply like that. Why did you respond if you couldn't be helpful?


Your questions are perfectly legitimate and reasonable. In fact, citizens of a country, like your partner, are not always a complete source of information about what foreigners will encounter. Citizens speak the language and don't have to deal with immigration or other problems faced by newcomers. Maybe immigration issues are non-issues in the European Union, but newcomers to a location often have questions that are better addressed to other outsiders than to locals. I once asked a local for directions to the office where they issued visas. He directed me to the consulate for my country where he would get a visa, rather than to the office where I could get visa for his country.


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## James3214 (Jun 25, 2009)

Although, as you probably already know, most of the dutch speak excellent English it makes it a lot easier if you know a bit of dutch. To find rented accommodation or at least to give you an idea of the costs, try googling in the dutch google.nl for 'Te Huur' and add the place where you want to live in.
Personally, I found Dutch is a lot easier language to learn than German, and it does look daunting at the beginning but perservere and try to look at some of the dutch media sites with your 'woordenboek' at the ready. 
Good luck. I am sure you will enjoy living there and let us know how you get on.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I take it you're British, which at least gives you the right to move to the Netherlands without any visa concerns. Actually, the British Embassy has a guide for its nationals about living in the Netherlands https://www.gov.uk/living-in-the-netherlands that could be a good starting place for the kind of day to day information you're looking for. The guide lists a number of websites with further information - including Dutch government sites in English (one of the big pluses of the Netherlands - so much official information is available in English!).

You may also want to try and find some of the anglophone womens clubs and associations - particularly British oriented ones. These groups often publish guides for new arrivals in the Netherlands that you can purchase even as a non-member.

As you have more specific questions, please post them here and we'll do our best to answer them.
Cheers,
Bev


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## franadin (Aug 20, 2014)

Thank you so much for the help! I was pretty reluctant to check the replies after the first one, hehe. 

The information and links given have been really helpful to start me off and I'm so grateful. If I do think of any specific things to ask while I look I shall let you know . I think my main concern is the whole insurance part and finding a place to live. Never had to have insurance and I imagine it can be difficult finding an apartment. Think I will give him that task. 

To clear it up I am English, yep. And as I said my partner is a young Dutch man but he has a lot of responsibilities of his own. If I can find it alone for the most part I'd prefer it, plus he'd have to do just as much reading and stuff as I would. As mentioned above in a reply he doesn't know anything about what I'd need as he didn't have to know beforehand.


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## Bazz 123456 (Aug 23, 2014)

*Expat already living in The netherlands*

Hi, just one point, what has been written is correct although it is not the case that everyone speaks good English. In the larger cities there is no problem but some of the smaller places (where I live is a good example) do not Always have enough people in the area. In my own street there are 20 houses of which only 3 of those families can speak any English.

The Dutch are nice people although they do not wait in a line even if you are first and getting invited into a house is not something they do too often, they are not being rude but just being Dutch. I have lived in the Country for 13 years and would not want to go back to The UK, my neighbours are wonderful and the local area is a joy to walk around, being so close to a natural park area and water very close by, with a small town that has not changed much for hundreds of years... a Delight to be living there.

I am now going to move to Spain and retire fully there and whilst I am looking forward to a villa with a pool and the Sunshine I will miss my friends and neighbours in The Netherlands and will be coming back to visit them. I wish you all the happiness in The Netherlands


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## CindyLouBou (Nov 17, 2013)

I am in the same situation as you are. Dutch partner, moving within a year, etc. We actually found a house and plan on living in Almere which is where he works. I'm coming from America and every time I look up information on what I'll need and what to do, it's all very confusing and frustrating because it will say one thing and then another thing and then another and its like it never ends. Hopefully we'll both find the information we're looking for!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

CindyLouBou said:


> I am in the same situation as you are. Dutch partner, moving within a year, etc. We actually found a house and plan on living in Almere which is where he works. I'm coming from America and every time I look up information on what I'll need and what to do, it's all very confusing and frustrating because it will say one thing and then another thing and then another and its like it never ends. Hopefully we'll both find the information we're looking for!


Don't know if the British Embassy in Amsterdam does anything similar, but the US Consulates are pretty good about providing information for Americans living in (or thinking about living in) the country. Helpful Information | Consulate General of the United States Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Cheers,
Bev


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## franadin (Aug 20, 2014)

CindyLouBou said:


> I am in the same situation as you are. Dutch partner, moving within a year, etc. We actually found a house and plan on living in Almere which is where he works. I'm coming from America and every time I look up information on what I'll need and what to do, it's all very confusing and frustrating because it will say one thing and then another thing and then another and its like it never ends. Hopefully we'll both find the information we're looking for!


Hopefully you shall find everything you need. It's very daunting at first and so much to read, hehe. Good luck with your move! 

I am moving to Coevorden or somewhere very close by for his work and family. I love the town actually and get excited when I visit and miss it when I leave. Just hard finding a place there available ;( I can give him that one job I guess haha


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## LindaT (Sep 9, 2014)

Right now it's a bit cheaper to live in the North than near to Amsterdam. Schagen is a good town to live as it has a station and is close to Alkmaar by 25 minutes. The further north you go the house prices are reasonable. The ferry to the UK Newcastle is only 45 minutes away. Alkmaar is popular too. Schagen has new building programme so you might find something new. Plenty of rentals here too.


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