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Renewing identity cards
My taiwanese wife has an F type ID card that is due to expire later this month. We went to the commune tonight to request a new one. I did a similar trip last month to renew my E type ID card (I am british).
For some reason the lady said there was problem. I dont speak dutch and she would not change to english. Something invloving 5 months and the ministry and changing to an F+ card.
Has anyone had a similar issue that could advise on what we forgot to do?
We will go back next week some time with a dutch speaker, but if it a trivial problem I would prefer to deal with it myself.
The commune here will happily speak to you in English, so your language issue doesn't make any sense.
I assume spearfish lives somewhere in Flanders (and not even in one of the facility communes there). Most of the commune officials speak excellent English, it's just that they are not allowed to do so (or use any other language than Dutch).
@RPPKN
I wonder how many Flemish communes you've lived in where they are not allowed to use any other language than Dutch?
Whilst it's true that many in the Bxl area will not, I've lived in 3 Flemish communes and they all speak English if they need to. What they tend NOT to do, is to respond to people who start a conversation in French.
Indeed I have not lived in any Flemish communities at all. I was basing my reply on official information such as hhttp://docu.vlaamserand.be/ned/webpage.asp?WebpageId=544 (please note "Civil servants and officials that circumvent the language law or choose not to apply it can receive a disciplinary punishment") and on media articles such as http://www.indymedia.be/files/SCAN_Mrktn_C32250742_000.pdf
I am glad that you have been able to find Flemish commune officials who are willing to speak to you in English. The fact remains that essentially they are breaking the rules in force.
