[Update 9] Passport trouble | "Small Victory"

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For those new to this story, you can read original post and update 1, and update 2 and update 3 and update 4 and update 5 and update 6 and update 7 and update 8 by clicking on the links for more info. Otherwise you may not understand what I'm talking about here.

Last update wasn't really good

But I am glad to announce that the first "small" victory has been accomplished today! Let's start with the good news: our debt has been reduced from € 16.000 (and something) to only a little over € 200. What has happened? Well, my boyfriend sent out the appeal and lots of supporting documents why this was not correct, and that this all has happened due to their failure and incompetence (not with these hard words, but this was what it came down to). We sent this in by three different ways (to him, the lady that doesn't respond and via the main email address on the website ) so we would be absolute sure that they would receive this. Of course the lady only replied (days later of course) that she sent it to that person that should be on our case now, and that's it. Someone working through the emails that come in through their site contacted me the same day, so they also send it through the appeal commission. Then the waiting begun.

Yesterday that friendly man (yes I kind of see him as our hero by now)

Replied to tell my boyfriend he had spoken to the appeal commission, and appeal would not be possible anymore, due to the time period that had passed already. Ok, we didn't think this would be an easy thing to accomplish, so that was no surprise actually. But, and this is the good part, he said that he would try to see if he could change the end decision of the case. We didn't know what this would mean in the end, but ok. He asked for another document, which my boyfriend sent him right away. And then we had to wait again..

Not thinking we would get good news today

My day had passed without thinking about them (for a change) until I got an email from my boyfriend. It must have been after he finished working, and in this email I could see the reply he got from that man, that I almost call a hero (because he is still a civil servant working for the most horrible municipality I can imagine lol). In this email he told us that he had been able to change the end result in their system, and reduced our debt from € 16000 to a little over € 200. So that's a big difference which made me smile! But there's a but, he said that the passport alert was not on this case number, but on another case number where we would owe them a little less than € 5000. And guess who I need to contact for more information? Indeed, that lady that did not respond earlier, and the same lady that also did not provide us the specification as asked.

The amount that the embassy gave us in the letter was raising questions

We could not add up the numbers, therefore we wanted a specification. But now we're all in the question mark zone, as he told us our debt is reduced from € 16000 to € 200 ? And then there's a debt of € 5000 also? We know we had a small loan of € 700 when our daughter was almost born, so we could buy the furniture for her. So we knew this amount was still a debt, and I will be glad to make a payment plan for this, no problem. But what about the other € 4900 ? The numbers don't add up.
We had a loan that they told us would be a gift for the rent of the house and we had a loan that would also be a gift for our furniture in the house, the only thing I can think of, is that they made this a loan instead of gift all of the sudden. But when I add those numbers up, I still don't get to that big amount..

We feel that they know exactly that we have a strong case

Because this was arranged in a matter of half a day in total. We are not done yet. But even if we would have to pay the € 5000 that they say we have to pay, this is still reduced with € 13.500 and give me a lot less headache for now at least. He said we have to make a payment plan to get the passport alert removed temporary whatever that may mean. We don't want to start paying, thinking we will fix the rest later with them, not knowing we are now pleading guilty for this amount. This we need to figure out now, and tomorrow my boyfriend is going to contact this lady by phone, because she is not to keen on replying fast with email. And will let her confirm the conversation by email afterwards.

To be continued ( hopefully very soon, and hopefully with even better news)....