Extend Residence Permit

[Lulu]

I'v experienced a weird thing, hope can anybody tell me why?

Two years ago, when I first got a permanent full-time job offer, I went to police and changed my Residence Permit from status B to A (B, when I was a fill-time student.) The A status permit is valid for 2-year long, till the end of my passport expiration date (last month).

After I renew my passport, I have to extend my residence permit again. So, this time, I went to the same police, by using the same working contract and labor office form. After 1 month (1 week ago), I got my new residence permit, and this time, the residence permit is only valid for 1 year!!

I do not understand. Why they first time gave me 2 years long permit, whereas the second time, when I need to extend it, they only gave me 1 year permit? I thought if I have a permanent job contract, the A status will be given till the expiration of passport, or at least it should be longer than only 1 year?

Has anybody experienced the same thing? Or can anybody who knows more tell me what is the situation?

[zoltar]

As I remember, a change in status like B->A puts you back at square 1. I think they also changed the immigration visa/permit laws sometime back around then. Ask at the police station where you picked it up or UVI. They should know.

[daryl]

Firstly, there is no longer any such thing as a residence permit "status". This terminology belongs to the convoluted and now defunct metaphysics of the old Aliens Act. The new Aliens Act refers to permit types, which are a very different thing.

Based on the description of this case, I suspect that the first residence permit was not issued for two years, but for a shorter period until the passport expired. The applicant was therefore not yet eligible for a permanent residence permit at the end of this first permit period.

However, under the transition regulations of the new Aliens Act, this applicant will clearly become eligible for a permanent residence permit two years after the first permit was issued. There is no need to wait for the present one-year permit to expire before requesting this permanent permit, although in this case there is probably no harm in doing so either.

daryl