Forms and Paperwork
If I had a krona (~14 cents) for every form I've filled out in the past 10 days, I'd be rich! I've filled out a million forms for the KI (application for association, application for an email account, application for an ID card, application for a key.......you get the idea).
I even had to register as a postdoc because I will get a "postdoc diploma" before I leave (assuming I stay longer than a year). At orientation last week, someone asked what one could do with a postdoc diploma. We were told it's to account for our time between our PhD and our next job - without it, it would look like we did nothing. I wasn't the only one who laughed at the answer.
Outside of the KI.....Who knew that getting a "personal number" (Swedish version of SSN, as far as I could tell) would be easier than getting a bank account?!?!
As an aside, getting a brand new Swedish number happened faster than getting my US social security card reissued. I went to the NY DMV while I was home to get a NY license. Eventhough I had previously had a NY license and had a GA one to surrender, I couldn't get the NY one without my SS card! Who knows where that is? So, I went to the SS office before I left NY to have a card reissued. I thought they'd print it right there but no - it arrived this week. I applied for my Swedish number last Tuesday and the number was in my mailbox last Thursday.
Back to the bank.....In order to open a bank account, you need a Swedish ID card (issued by the bank). In order to get the card, you have to show your original form with your Swedish personal number (within 30 days of receiving it), your passport, your offer of employment paper, AND be accompanied by a person with a Swedish ID card to verify you are who you say you are (no one understands this part! passport isn't good enough?). One of the guys from the lab went to the bank with me earlier this week but they wouldn't let him sign for me because his ID card was issued by a different bank! When we got back, everyone said the teller was wrong but can you do? Finding someone with a particular bank ID card isn't as trival as it sounds because the post office use to issue the cards. Other people have lost theirs and didn't want to go through the hassel to replace them. So, I still have no bank account. Hopefully by the end of this week that problem will be solved.
Everyone keeps asking about where I live. Weather permitting, I'll take some pictures this weekend. Sunset is around 3:30pm so it's too dark by the time I get home and I'm not enough of a morning person to take pics before I leave for lab.
I even had to register as a postdoc because I will get a "postdoc diploma" before I leave (assuming I stay longer than a year). At orientation last week, someone asked what one could do with a postdoc diploma. We were told it's to account for our time between our PhD and our next job - without it, it would look like we did nothing. I wasn't the only one who laughed at the answer.
Outside of the KI.....Who knew that getting a "personal number" (Swedish version of SSN, as far as I could tell) would be easier than getting a bank account?!?!
As an aside, getting a brand new Swedish number happened faster than getting my US social security card reissued. I went to the NY DMV while I was home to get a NY license. Eventhough I had previously had a NY license and had a GA one to surrender, I couldn't get the NY one without my SS card! Who knows where that is? So, I went to the SS office before I left NY to have a card reissued. I thought they'd print it right there but no - it arrived this week. I applied for my Swedish number last Tuesday and the number was in my mailbox last Thursday.
Back to the bank.....In order to open a bank account, you need a Swedish ID card (issued by the bank). In order to get the card, you have to show your original form with your Swedish personal number (within 30 days of receiving it), your passport, your offer of employment paper, AND be accompanied by a person with a Swedish ID card to verify you are who you say you are (no one understands this part! passport isn't good enough?). One of the guys from the lab went to the bank with me earlier this week but they wouldn't let him sign for me because his ID card was issued by a different bank! When we got back, everyone said the teller was wrong but can you do? Finding someone with a particular bank ID card isn't as trival as it sounds because the post office use to issue the cards. Other people have lost theirs and didn't want to go through the hassel to replace them. So, I still have no bank account. Hopefully by the end of this week that problem will be solved.
Everyone keeps asking about where I live. Weather permitting, I'll take some pictures this weekend. Sunset is around 3:30pm so it's too dark by the time I get home and I'm not enough of a morning person to take pics before I leave for lab.
posted by Kim at
2:51 PM
4 Comments:
Hi Kim! I'm glad I found your blog. The Swiss are into all the forms too, but it was a easier to open a bank account here; even though its kind of a pain using rotating codes instead of my name. And as I get ready to leave Switzerland, it is like going through the paperwork all over again.
By
Stan, at 6:58 PM
I've heard about rotating codes. It sounds like a real pain. We'll see - must have account first. Good luck "undoing" all of your Swiss accounts! At least it should be easier in Canada, I would think.
By
Kim, at 3:46 AM
Dude, sunset at 3:30 -- that would kill me! I'm already getting bummed by the 6:00 sunset here in ATL. Does that mean sunrise is at like 4AM?
By
Anonymous, at 3:17 PM
Sunrise today was 7:49am and sunset was 3:17. The days are getting shorter! I have pictures that I took in the city around 3:30 today. I'll post them some time this week.
By
Kim, at 3:42 PM
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