After I completed my studies, I had no idea how to legally remain in The Netherlands as a musician. My homeland is Cuba, where the laws are different. Stephan patiently walked me through the legal process and made it easy for me to understand. He answered all of my questions, no matter how trivial… even on the weekends! And he took time out of his day to find out how I was doing. He had the sensitivity to recognize how stressed I was. He was not just my lawyer, but he had become my friend as well. I now work at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and Codarts University of Arts in Rotterdam. I have been playing music all across The Netherlands. I also appeared on TV. I could have never done it without Stephan’s assistance and support. I still remember our first meeting as one of the more human contacts I had in The Netherlands since I arrived.

For an artist, this was a great career boosting opportunity, so I moved to The Netherlands from Turkey-Istanbul. After the Rijksakademie, to stay in The Netherlands, I had to attain a Freelance Artist Visa. That’s when I arranged a meeting with Susanne Mooij. When I saw her, I felt intuitively that I was in good hands. She was very kind and friendly. When I started working with her, my English was far from perfect. The judicial process involved applying for a visa in a foreign language which made me feel quite lost. Susanne's professionalism made everything super easy. And she was always a step ahead of me. Everything was perfectly executed. I’m still thankful for her thoughtful guidance.

Were it not for the services of Stephan Roelofs representing my rights as an established professional musician, the Dutch government wouldn’t have granted the opportunity for me to work and live in The Netherlands. I moved back to Brazil five years ago to share my experience and knowledge with those who need it most, those who were not offered an opportunity such as I was given. To this day, I continue to remember during every lesson I teach, every concert or opera I perform in, the valuable contribution Stephan Roelofs provided by representing me to obtain a Freelance Artist Visa in The Netherlands.

There are plenty of challenges on this road… legal procedures are very extensive and difficult to grasp… especially for a creative, free-floating, artistic mind like mine. Despite all that, my experience with Susanne Mooij in my endeavour was smooth, easy and efficient. She was able to successfully obtain a Freelance Artist Visa, which created a solid foundation for me to continue to work and to grow in the Dutch art scene.

I came to The Netherlands to study toward a Master's degree at Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag. During that time, I also worked professionally as a freelancer. When I decided to remain after my studies, I found that Stephan Roelofs services made the entire process of appliying for, and subsequently securing, a permit to live and work in the Netherlands easy and appropriately uneventful.

When Stephan Roelofs set up my application for legal permission to stay in The Netherlands, he said the word “promising.” It’s a common word that Stephan, as professional immigration lawyer, probably said quite often. But for me, it was the crucial word that built up my faith in him. I can still recall the scene. I spontaneously interpreted the word into two layers of meaning: The confidence in Stephan’s conclusion implied a positive result of my application; and that he offered me his word regarding my case. It impressed me deeply that Stephan was not only sharp and efficient with his knowledge, but he was also willing to personally commit himself to his client. I have recommended many friends to work with Stephan. They have all been successful. It proves that it was not only my sensitive intuition that made me trust him, but also a representation of the quality of Stephan’s services that I appreciate: the expertise and his sincerity.

Susanne was very helpful in explaining to me how the Dutch system works, and how I should prepare myself for the application. In our sessions, Susanne was highly professional and yet friendly, expressing deep levels of empathy and understanding for me during my immigration process. As many of my friends, who had also employed Susanne's help, I also received my Freelance Artist Visa to stay in The Netherlands. What I learned from our sessions with Susanne is helping me today to receive well-paid, artistic assignments from many art companies. I recommend her with full trust and confidence to anyone who is going through the stress and difficulty of attempting to legally remain in The Netherlands.

As a Canadian classical singer, relocating to NL from the USA, I found my situation very difficult to manage on my own. Thanks to Stephan’s professionalism and dedication, it was a total breeze!

It was not easy. In fact, it was very stressful. A colleague, from my art academy, highly recommended Stephan Roelofs. From the moment he started to work on my case, his professionalism gave me enough peace of mind to allow me to concentrate on my art. His confidence is inspiring and he is easy to communicate with. I have recommended Stephan to others people and will continue to do so.

This particular visa is known to have complex procedures, which can result in a denial if you’re not careful in following the requirements. I was referred to Susanne Mooij by one of my professors. Recognizing how professional she was, I instantly felt grateful. She helped me define the best solution for my visa situation. She gave me a detailed list of documents that I needed to obtain. Susanne has a deep knowledge of Dutch immigration law. She was very meticulous and efficient on handling my case. I also respect her integrity and openess. She will immediately inform you on whether your case is possible or not (which I very much appreciated so as not to spend my time with unreal expectations). Within three months, I received my visa without needing to resend any documents. I have since recommended her to friends and acquaintances. I have heard only satisfactory remarks from them. I will surely be asking for her assistance again should the need arise.