Dear Mr. Bosma:
With this letter I would like to ask for your advice and recommendation concerning the possibility (how) in obtaining the visas for my children to be able to go to school in the Netherlands.
My ex-wife (divorced in 2006) went to live with her now husband, Marco Kuipers (Dutch nationality, domiciled in Rotterdam) in the year 2010, with whom she later married in Bangkok on May 2nd, 2014. The whole right of custody over my two children, born 2001 and 2002, was willingly and voluntarily given to me from her at the divorce date and after the consultation as well as the explanation of the consequences from the divorce magistrate. We haven’t made any agreement concerning visiting rights. However, she could be able to visit and take the children with her at any convenient time. This is so far the background of the story.
On April 7th, 2014, on her occasion of visiting Thailand, she then took her children with her and since then didn’t bring them back to me. We made the report at the police but didn’t press charge on this matter. Besides, she doesn’t allow the children to go to school respectively take the children to school in Bangkok till now. She told the children that she would take them to the Netherlands and they would be able to go to school there. She explained to the court and the children that she has already arranged everything in the Netherlands and the children can go to the Netherlands immediately.
According to the court order dated March 11th, 2015, I am agreed to let the children go to the Netherlands under the circumstances that the purpose of stay is attending the schools. The mother therefore has the custodial care during their stay in the Netherlands. It’s nevertheless her and her husband’s responsibility to arrange for the school, apply for the so called “student visa” and take over all costs. She and I went to the Embassy on xxxx to apply for the student visa but were told that this is not possible as the process has to be done from the school in the Netherlands. That was a big surprise as I thought that she has already prepared everything. However, I am obliged to help with the visa and would like to complete this matter as soon as possible as the children have been missing the school in Thailand for over a year and as far as I’m concerned; the schools in the Netherlands will start in August.
I therefore kindly ask for your advice how my children can obtain the MVV (provisional residence permit) to go to the Netherlands. The tourist visas, which allow them to stay for 3 months wouldn’t be sufficient for their language classes, which according to my internet research last for at least 40 weeks. Besides I’m not sure whether the mother and her husband in the Netherlands have really arranged everything or already registered them at the language school. As the result they might need more time for the arrangement in the Netherlands.
I would really appreciate your help/advice/recommendation in this matter as soon as possible with many thanks in advance.