ROMPRO Legal Café
When you settle in another country, most of the time your priorities are about your job and the roof over your head....
Want to emigrate to the Netherlands? Or are you interested in seasonal work? Are you coming here to study? Do you know someone who is planning to do so? Then read or share this useful collection. By informing yourself, you can avoid a lot of inconvenience or problems. On this page you will find articles, many guides and other sources of information.
Articles
Are you exploited at work?
I am exploited at work. What should I do? The first step is to make your case known to the local authorities. Rompro advises you to make an official complaint...
Volunteers on the phone (Project completed)
Are you having problems during this difficult time?
Rompro volunteers are available on the phone to listen and try to help you!
Jobs in the Netherlands
Find here lists of several recruitment agencies and the most used job portals in the Netherlands. Pretty much everything for everyone....
Dutch and Romanian online courses start
Do you want to learn Dutch easily and simply from home? Do you want to be taught from Romanian into Dutch? Do you want to...
Free time: Pathe Card
If going to the cinema is one of your favourite activities and you live in the Netherlands, then the Pathe card can be a great purchase. The largest company...
Guides
New in the Netherlands
A booklet in Romanian, produced by the Dutch Government, aimed at all newcomers. It covers all aspects, rights and obligations that both employees and entrepreneurs have to take into account, but not only: registration, work, language learning, housing, insurance, taxes and so on.
Travel conditions
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides a range of information on the conditions of entry to the Netherlands, residence, employment, car traffic and the treatment of pets.
Human trafficking
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the National Agency against Trafficking in Human Beings, has produced this information material to provide expert assistance and to draw attention to the possible risks of working abroad (exploitation or other practices that violate the law or human rights and freedoms).
E-consulate
The Contact and Support Centre for Romanian Citizens Abroad provides information on consular services that can be handled through the online consular counter: citizenship, civil status or notarial documents, travel documents, apostille and so on.
Resources for learning Dutch
Return Guide
Do you want to come back to Romania after a period abroad? With this brochure you can find out what to do about renewing identity or travel documents, registering your car, repatriating your belongings, social rights and health insurance, or getting equivalence and continuing your studies. The guide was produced by the Department for Policies for Relations with Romanians Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with various ministries and specialised institutions.
Entrepreneur's Guide
The Your Europe portal gives businesses practical information about their rights and opportunities in the EU. Its content covers start-up and development, taxation, standards, contractual clauses, financing, employment contracts, procurement or certification, among others.
Life in the Netherlands
Via the Youtube channel "Work and Life in the Netherlands", dedicated to information from the pilot project on labour mobility, Embassy of the Netherlands in Romania provides a wealth of highly detailed videos on the most important aspects of working, living and growing up in the Netherlands.
Student guide
League of Romanian Students Abroad, Netherlands branch has produced an extremely useful guide for anyone who wants to study in the Netherlands. It includes information on what to prepare before departure (necessary documents, accommodation insurance), but also on registration, opening a bank account, choosing health insurance, grants, tuition fee loans, jobs and many other important issues.
Embassy of Romania
On the Embassy's website you can find a range of information about authorised translators, legal services and legal advice in Romanian, residence, work, study, insurance or setting up an association.
Real estate
Finding housing in the Netherlands can take a long time, especially if you have a limited budget and the aim is to get social housing. This sector is facing a crisis because demand always outstrips supply, with many people hoping to get affordable housing. The social housing sector has the advantage that it is controlled and so the basic rental rate may not exceed €710.68 in 2017 (English), but the cost of maintenance must be added to this amount.
In both large cities and smaller towns, there are waiting lists that last for a minimum of one year and can extend up to eight to ten years. On page The Dutch Government provides answers to a number of related questions, including those related to conditions to be met in order to be eligible for social housing (Dutch). If the income is less than the rent, the Belastingdienst, the Dutch tax administration agency, specifies which are the conditions for obtaining a subsidy to cover rental costs (English).
In the free market sector, costs vary greatly, especially in the most sought-after cities such as Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. The main source of real estate offers is www.funda.nl, a platform of the estate agents' association. An alternative that allows direct contact with the owner is www.marktplaats.nl, the platform par excellence for advertisements for all kinds of things. Other options, including for students or seasonal workers, are:
- www.pararius.nl
- www.kamernet.nl
- www.woningnet.nl
- www.woningtarget.nl
- www.housinganywhere.com
- www.roominreturn.nl
- On the social network Facebook there are many pages or groups with ads for rooms or apartments for rent in Breda, Tilburg, Utrecht, Enschede, Delft, Groningen (1, 2), Maastricht, Amsterdam (1, 2, 3) and others.
- For sightseeing or very short stays, you can also use the platforms www.airbnb.com or www.couchsurfing.com.
Regardless of the search method chosen, be aware that there is always the possibility of a scam, so be on your guard! Kamernet (Dutch) gives more advice on how to recognise a false ad and what to do in such a situation.
Jobs in various fields
Cars
The Dutch road authority RDW (the abbreviation comes from the old name, Rijksdienst voor Wegverkeer, the current name is Dienst Wegverkeer) makes available to drivers information in English. You can read about permits, imports or MOTs.
More information in Romanian and on the EU portal, Your Europe: validating and renewing your licence abroad, insuring your vehicle, buying or selling.
Taxation
Guidelines for establishing tax residence on departure from or arrival in Romania
Aimed at resident/non-resident individuals who leave or arrive in Romania, and for whom it is necessary to establish/modify their tax residence, i.e. the taxation of the income obtained, the guide contains information on the criteria for establishing the residence of an individual in order to avoid double taxation, the elements that prove tax residence in Romania, the documents required to establish tax residence upon arrival in Romania, the documents required to establish tax residence upon departure from Romania, the sanctions applied for failure to declare tax residence and other necessary information.
Tax obligations of Romanians abroad
Will you leave the country for more than 183 days? Are you returning home after a period abroad? Do you have Romanian citizenship but no longer reside in Romania? The Ministry of Public Finance has produced a guide on the tax obligations of Romanians living abroad, providing information on the questionnaire for establishing tax residence, the double taxation convention, how to tax income and how to pay social security contributions (CAS).
The information provided by the e-DIASPORO newsletter no. 92 of 29 November 2017, issued by the Presidential Administration through the Department for Relations with Romanians Abroad:
"Since 2012, it has been mandatory that, when leaving the territory of Romania for a period of more than 183 days (6 months), individuals must complete and submit to the tax office where they reside "Questionnaire for establishing the residence of the individual when leaving Romania", 30 days before departure. The submission of the questionnaire for the establishment of tax residence upon departure from Romania is only for persons who left the territory of the country after 30.01.2012.
It is recommended that persons who left Romania after 30.01.2012 contact ANAF at the office where they are registered with their tax residence, by sending a request based on the contact form available on the ANAF websiteby choosing the "Tax assistance" category.
If the applicant continues to obtain income from Romania, he will be maintained in the Romanian tax records, but will have the status of a non-resident person in Romania, and will therefore pay a tax calculated at a reduced rate, according to double taxation convention. The state that considers him/her a tax resident will grant the applicant a tax credit for the tax paid in Romania. In order to apply the provisions of the double taxation convention, the applicant will also have to present the tax residence certificate issued by the competent tax authority of the foreign state. Persons who leave Romania without submitting the questionnaire to ANAF will be kept in the tax records as Romanian residents and will be taxed accordingly.
The form must be completed in duplicate. The original must be submitted in person or by proxy to the ANAF registry (list of territorial addresses) where the person concerned was domiciled in Romania, or shall be sent by post, with acknowledgement of receipt, and a copy shall be kept by the applicant.
For more details, see the illustrative material developed in 2016, "Tax obligations of Romanians abroad"This explains the steps to follow for individuals who have left or are leaving Romania and how their income is taxed in Romania.
Concrete answers to specific questions from Romanian citizens are also available in document "Guidance and Assistance Session" of 20.09.2017."
Tax guide for taxpayers required to declare income earned abroad
The National Tax Administration Agency ANAF has produced a tax guide for taxpayers who are required to declare income earned abroad. The guide specifies which categories are obliged to declare, how to make the declaration, the penalties and other details.
Other sources:
- Certified translators in other language combinations (Dutch Association of Translators and Interpreters NGTV)
- Adopting Dutch citizenship, legalising documents, studying, working and living in the Netherlands (English)
- Income tax abroad
- VAT and customs duties in the EU