Ok so I am in serious need to a rant! Has anyone else experienced this, I have been in the Netherlands for almost 2 years now, this year we have not received an invitation to file a tax return, now the deadline is looming so I thought I would call the "helpline" just to check.

"do you speak English?" Nee....Nee? Ok Is there someone else I can speak English to? Nee.....

Ok so after some vague efforts in Dutch I ask my friend who is better at Dutch than me to try and ask my question for me.... no luck the guy wouldn't give us an answer, kept going on about needing to call another number (thinking we were non-residents)

So we give up and call the non-resident helpline , there must be someone who speaks English there!? Yes there was but of course she couldn't help me as I am not a non-resident, I am a fully fledged, working, tax paying, some dutch speaking, resident of this country!

The best bit she told me.. the people at the end of the phone to help you with all your tax related problems as a resident are NOT ALLOWED to speak English. Not Allowed? What is this?????????

I finally get someone who has received special permission from her boss to speak English to me? Are you fricking kidding me? I'm then told that I have to file my taxes using a solely Dutch computer program, with no English instructions like I had last year and my "invitation to file" should be arriving this week, This week?? So you're giving me approximately 10 days to file my taxes, in Dutch?

Yes that's right she says. WTF? "Oh but you can use the English program that's on the site" ER NO thats only for Non Residents - do these people know nothing?!

After all this I casually suggest that as they're leaving me max 10 days to do my taxes can I get an extension? Oh yes she says you can have until the 1st September.... Like she couldn't have said that before?

What an absolute joke, well when I get it totally wrong and they're on my back "in Dutch" asking me for money "Sorry hoor ik begrip je niet...."

I think that the Belastingdienst not being able to speak English on the phone is such a ridicilous 'policy' but in all fairness, you don't need an invitation in order to file your taxes. You could have taken the initiative to do this 2 months ago, or whenever you received your jaaropgaaf. Even if you don't receive that letter asking you to file, you still have the option to do so.
What I did was just ask a Dutch colleague for help with the online program, it's pretty easy to navigate but I did want his help for some things I didn't understand.
And like you, I'm only 'some Dutch' speaking, I'm by no means fluent in this language, I'm not even sure if I'm intermediate. It's not always easy but there are ways to get things done here.

If you owe money by the deadline, you wil have to pay interest and a penalty so that extension isnt doing you any favours.
I agree tha the program in dutch isn't so difficult to figure out.
Frankly if your income is straightfoward and you sure they owe you and you don't owe, then fill out the best you can. they will coreect it at the end of the day.

Thanks guys sorry I am just so mad that they have a No English rule, it's absolutely stupid. And yes we should have done it sooner agreed... we're planning a wedding too for the summer and things get sidetracked!

I really don't understand all the fuss about the Belastingdienst not speaking English on the phone.
Just 3 reasons and there are more:
1) Is it not normal for a civil servant of a country to speak the language of his/her country? I don't suppose a British civil servant would speak Dutch or Danish in the same circumstances...
2) It costs only 50€ for a "belastingadviseur" (look at the various ads in the local papers) to prepare your "Aangifte" for you. Surely he/she speaks Dutch!
3) Although your Dutch is not yet very good, a friend or collegue can help you navigate.

I hope everything is allright now!

I don't get it either - everyone knows they need to files taxes every year. You don't have wait around for someone to 'invite' you to file your taxes? It's part of your responsibilty as an adult to take care of such.

You also need to either learn Dutch or put a process in place (like hire someone) to do your taxes for you every year. My company brings someone on site every year to do our for like 30 - 40 euros out of our paycheck. But if they didn't have this - I think I would have enough common sense to hire a tax advisor for 50 smackers.

I don't think you should get upset because the people don't want to speak your language in their country. Just makes you look small and petty.

Grow up.

Wait a second, I do have a problem they are refusing to speak English. then stop recruting people abroad and attracting them with the 30% ruline.
In the US, there are many govt facilities set up for strong second languages in the country such as Spanish and many other less minor but frequently spoken languages so I don't subscribe to why should they have to speak other languages other than their own. As English is the predominant language you can go to many other enlightened countries who are smart enough to provide help in another language besides their own.
that doesnt mean you shouldn't try to speak and learn dutch as soon as possible but they such as the belangstindienst should be better prepared to communicate with you in english

I agree...and I add that they USED to apparently...but suddenly "can't" anymore.

The Dutchies only like English when it suits them, when it doesn't, they hate it!

It is a bloody myth that Dutch people speak English at all. Try calling the belasting in Heerlen. They deal with internationals there, including border workers (grensarbeiders). I am stealing my neighbor's wifi internet access. So I can't direct you to the link. Look for the word "English" or "Engels" on the www.belastingdienst.nl.

Suk-ces!

Sorry the issue here is not whether I should have filed my taxes sooner or not, that's obvious of course I should, I'm English and it's not something I had to do regularly when I was living there (it's not like America) and it got put to the bottom of the to do list!

The issue is the people who are there to help if you have a question are are not allowed to help you in the international business language. I even tried to speak Dutch, they could tell I was trying (and struggling) but just were not willing to help at all. In the UK they spend millions every year on translation services for foreign migrants, why encourage foreign workers if you can't provide the basic services we need? Nothing is made easy over here.

Immigrants from the EU are not required by law to learn Dutch and nor am I for my work, I am doing so off my own back. That doesnt mean I am fluent enough to discuss my tax needs in Dutch. I can call my bank or even Ikea and get an option for English but not the Tax office... I'm sorry but that doesn't make any sense to me.

Dealing with the Dutch mentality, welcome to Holland!

Have you ever noticed when speaking or struggling with them, they have this strange non-verbal communication problem? such as being empty, emotionless & blank looking?

It just seems strange to me that we have this European Union with the free movement of employees throughout member countries, but refuse to take this into account when providing vital services. And personally I was under the impression that English was an official language of the EU.

If they can't speak English, then the Heerlen office contact information should be made available and accessible.

And I don't feel one should be forced into paying for something as important as this. Either you want to accommodate people to filling scarce resource positions or you don't.

I have never really had a problem with the Belastingdienst.

When I first spoke to them, it was in English, I was asking about where to find the online forms and about filing for tax relief on a mortgage. They were very helpful and pointed me in the right direction.

When I had an additional question, I got directed "further into the system" to someone who only spoke Dutch... I managed to get the info using stilted Dutch and alot of English... I can understand most spoken Dutch, just a terrible time at speaking anything resembling a coherent sentence

I certainly wouldn't dream of complaining about them speaking only English!! They work for the DUTCH government in the NETHERLANDS collecting taxes from DUTCH residents and citizens. Hello? This is the Netherlands where the national language is DUTCH.

The only ones I expect to speak English are the IND since they are used to dealing with foreigners - and English is usually the most practical language to use.

Going back to taxes, employ someone to do it for you. Not too expensive I'm on the 30% rule, have a mortgage - and find far easier for some one to file on behalf after I give them all relevent information. Should be getting money back since my wife doesn't work

English is one of the official languages for EU business.

National countries follow they own languages and rules.

You are dealing with the Dutch authoritities - NOT the EU.

But with the increasing movement of workers between countries, it seems rather odd to become less accessible.

And like I said, if there help available at the Heerlen office, shouldn't it be make known?

All I can say is, try living in a place like Germany or France.

The Dutch are helpful for even contemplating another language...

I have move around a fair bit, and the Dutch are not that bad at all.

Just because it's "better' than France or Germany doesn't mean it's right.

Personally I'm not affected by this. My Dutch husband does the taxes. I'm just talking principle here.

Well, if you are talking principle...when in Rome.

Their country, their rules. We are just visitors unless you decide to become a citizen.

Yes, I have... a bit like
I'll never understand why people bother to learn a language if they then don't use it... having said that, these days as most conversations are recorded for analysis when callings these institutions it probably does make sense, as we know, not all Dutch people do actually speak English.