Jeremyrh Geo

I suppose most people have the image of Holland as being a relaxed,
permissive society, but a perusal of the British Embassy website gives
another viewpoint.

Amongst the entertainment is a list of things apparently required for
the obligatory registration as a resident. Including - birth
certificate, long form with your parents names (sins of the fathers,
etc), less athn six months old, with what I discover is an "apostille"
provided by the Foreign Office. No bother - I'll just send it over to
Jack Straw with a cheque. Once I find the aliens that beget me.

More problematic is the requirement of similarly authenticated
documents relating to all previous marriages and divorces. Now I wonder
if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas drive-in wedding
chapel is still there. And does he know what an "apostille" is?

All stupid enough, but I wonder if the advocates of UK ID cards have
stopped to think about what labyrinths of pointless bureaucracy are
unleashed in even the most benign states by ill-conceived demands on
law-abiding citizens. Citizens of poor old Blighty can still be proud
of SOMETHING, like the right to be born, walk around, and die without
the Gestapo poking in their nose at every stage!

Martin

On 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700, wrote:

    >I suppose most people have the image of Holland as being a relaxed,
    >permissive society, but a perusal of the British Embassy website gives
    >another viewpoint.
    >Amongst the entertainment is a list of things apparently required for
    >the obligatory registration as a resident. Including - birth
    >certificate, long form with your parents names (sins of the fathers,
    >etc), less athn six months old, with what I discover is an "apostille"
    >provided by the Foreign Office. No bother - I'll just send it over to
    >Jack Straw with a cheque. Once I find the aliens that beget me.
    >More problematic is the requirement of similarly authenticated
    >documents relating to all previous marriages and divorces. Now I wonder
    >if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas drive-in wedding
    >chapel is still there. And does he know what an "apostille" is?

I don't. What is it?

    >All stupid enough, but I wonder if the advocates of UK ID cards have
    >stopped to think about what labyrinths of pointless bureaucracy are
    >unleashed in even the most benign states by ill-conceived demands on
    >law-abiding citizens.

Registration has a lot of advantages for the average Dutchman,
passports, driving licenses, wedding, birth, death & certificates,
etc. etc, are all issued locally and without delay. Once registered an
extract from the population register showing you are registered is
adequate for all requirements for identification, such as opening a
bank account, getting a boat license.

    >Citizens of poor old Blighty can still be proud
    >of SOMETHING, like the right to be born, walk around, and die without
    >the Gestapo poking in their nose at every stage!

I never showed any proof of identity or anything else when registering
in NL.

Don't confuse Dutch rules and laws with reality.

Jeremyrh Geo

Martin wrote:
    > On 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700, wrote:

    > >More problematic is the requirement of similarly authenticated
    > >documents relating to all previous marriages and divorces. Now I wonder
    > >if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas drive-in wedding
    > >chapel is still there. And does he know what an "apostille" is?
    > I don't. What is it?

Apparently it's a stamp and signature confirming the authenticity of
the document, and must be provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office.

However, note that citizens of Aruba (where is that, anyway?), Turkey
and Montenegro are exempt from this requirement.

    > >All stupid enough, but I wonder if the advocates of UK ID cards have
    > >stopped to think about what labyrinths of pointless bureaucracy are
    > >unleashed in even the most benign states by ill-conceived demands on
    > >law-abiding citizens.
    > Registration has a lot of advantages for the average Dutchman,
    > passports, driving licenses, wedding, birth, death & certificates,
    > etc. etc, are all issued locally and without delay.

No doubt, but that's not the same thing as a legal requirement to
furnish those details.

    > Don't confuse Dutch rules and laws with reality.

That's what Mrs G said as well. If you're both wrong, there'll be
trouble!!

G;

Martin

On 10 Sep 2005 03:05:53 -0700, wrote:

    >Martin wrote:
    >> On 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700, wrote:
    >> >More problematic is the requirement of similarly authenticated
    >> >documents relating to all previous marriages and divorces. Now I wonder
    >> >if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas drive-in wedding
    >> >chapel is still there. And does he know what an "apostille" is?
    >> I don't. What is it?
    >Apparently it's a stamp and signature confirming the authenticity of
    >the document, and must be provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth
    >Office.
    >However, note that citizens of Aruba (where is that, anyway?),

Dutch Antilles - near Venezuela

    >Turkey
    >and Montenegro are exempt from this requirement.
    >> >All stupid enough, but I wonder if the advocates of UK ID cards have
    >> >stopped to think about what labyrinths of pointless bureaucracy are
    >> >unleashed in even the most benign states by ill-conceived demands on
    >> >law-abiding citizens.
    >> Registration has a lot of advantages for the average Dutchman,
    >> passports, driving licenses, wedding, birth, death & certificates,
    >> etc. etc, are all issued locally and without delay.
    >No doubt, but that's not the same thing as a legal requirement to
    >furnish those details.

In the case of a native, the details are furnished bit by bit,
immigrants have to catch up in one go :-)

Some of these legal requirements are contrary to EU law and don't have
laws to back them. Have you been told to register with the "foreigner
police" or just the local authority?

I assume you never registered in France? :-)

    >> Don't confuse Dutch rules and laws with reality.
    >That's what Mrs G said as well. If you're both wrong, there'll be
    >trouble!!

If I'm wrong they won't let you in. If Mrs G brings food parcels I'll
look after her at least until the food runs out. :-)

Erick T . Barkhuis

[on 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700] wrote:

    > Now I wonder if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas
    > drive-in wedding chapel is still there.

Hmmm...if that preacher was properly registered, he could easily be
found.

Martin

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 12:15:04 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
<-o-m> wrote:

    > [on 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700] wrote:
    >> Now I wonder if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas
    >> drive-in wedding chapel is still there.
    >Hmmm...if that preacher was properly registered, he could easily be
    >found.

even if he was an imposter? :-)

Jim Ley

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:58:47 +0200, Martin <> wrote:

    >On 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700, wrote:
    >>Citizens of poor old Blighty can still be proud
    >>of SOMETHING, like the right to be born, walk around, and die without
    >>the Gestapo poking in their nose at every stage!
    >I never showed any proof of identity or anything else when registering
    >in NL.
    >Don't confuse Dutch rules and laws with reality.

Even better if laws aren't enforced - the Police obviously want them
so they pick on certain groups...

Jim.

Martin

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:32:39 GMT, (Jim Ley) wrote:

    >On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:58:47 +0200, Martin <> wrote:
    >>On 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700, wrote:
    >>>Citizens of poor old Blighty can still be proud
    >>>of SOMETHING, like the right to be born, walk around, and die without
    >>>the Gestapo poking in their nose at every stage!
    >>I never showed any proof of identity or anything else when registering
    >>in NL.
    >>Don't confuse Dutch rules and laws with reality.
    >Even better if laws aren't enforced - the Police obviously want them
    >so they pick on certain groups...

So many laws, so few police. :-)

Jeremyrh Geo

Erick T. Barkhuis wrote:
    > [on 10 Sep 2005 02:42:51 -0700] wrote:
    > > Now I wonder if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas
    > > drive-in wedding chapel is still there.
    > Hmmm...if that preacher was properly registered, he could easily be
    > found.

"Properly registered" according to what standards? Do Las Vegas wedding
chapels have to be registered with the Dutch immigration authorities?

G;

Mini One

wrote in news:1126345371.015993.203530
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

    > I suppose most people have the image of Holland as being a relaxed,
    > permissive society, but a perusal of the British Embassy website gives
    > another viewpoint.
    >
    > Amongst the entertainment is a list of things apparently required for
    > the obligatory registration as a resident. Including - birth
    > certificate, long form with your parents names (sins of the fathers,
    > etc), less athn six months old, with what I discover is an "apostille"
    > provided by the Foreign Office. No bother - I'll just send it over to
    > Jack Straw with a cheque. Once I find the aliens that beget me.
    >
    > More problematic is the requirement of similarly authenticated
    > documents relating to all previous marriages and divorces. Now I wonder
    > if that preacher dressed as Elvis at a Las Vegas drive-in wedding
    > chapel is still there. And does he know what an "apostille" is?
    >
    > All stupid enough, but I wonder if the advocates of UK ID cards have
    > stopped to think about what labyrinths of pointless bureaucracy are
    > unleashed in even the most benign states by ill-conceived demands on
    > law-abiding citizens. Citizens of poor old Blighty can still be proud
    > of SOMETHING, like the right to be born, walk around, and die without
    > the Gestapo poking in their nose at every stage!
    >




What are you talking about???
What's so crazy about asking you for a birth certificate and/or marriage
certificate? I don't see that "police state" you are talking about.