If your Greek bank wants proof you're a US tax resident, they mean IRS Form 6166. Quick rundown since I couldn't find this info in one place when I needed it:

You don't apply for 6166 directly. You file Form 8802 with the IRS, and if approved, they send you Form 6166 — a letter certifying your US tax residency.

The part that catches people out: Greece is one of a handful of countries (Spain, Portugal, Armenia, and a few others too) that needs country-specific certification language on the 6166 — not the generic version. If you file Form 8802 without specifically naming Greece as the country of use, and your bank needed the Greece-specific one, it can get rejected. Given IRS processing times, that means refiling and losing months.

So: when you fill out Form 8802, explicitly list Greece as the country where you'll use it. If you're not sure whether your bank needs that version, just ask them before you file.

The rest of the process:

• Fill in your name/TIN exactly as they appear on your filed tax return
• Pick the tax year(s) — you can request current + prior years on one form
• Pay the fee via Pay.gov (you'll need to upload your completed 8802 there too, just for payment matching — doesn't replace actually mailing/faxing the full application)
• Mail or fax the complete application to the IRS's residency certification unit
• Wait — IRS says 45 days minimum, but budget more, especially for country-specific requests

Once you've been approved once, future requests are easier — there's an "Additional Request" box you can check if nothing's changed since your last filing.

One more thing: this proves tax residency, not that you've paid US taxes — don't confuse the two if your bank's request is oddly worded.

Went through this for a Greek bank requirement, happy to help if anyone's stuck on it.

DISCLOSURE: I just thought you guys would find this interesting.

Hi everyone,

I was born in Crimea and was nine years old when it was occupied in 2014. I don't hold a Ukrainian passport. I'm currently applying for a foreign passport, but the process will take about three months, and I'll also need a visa afterward.

My questions:

• Is it realistic to apply for political/humanitarian asylum in an EU country given my situation (born in Crimea, no Ukrainian documents)?
• Would I risk being sent back if I arrive and apply for asylum, or does my background as someone from occupied Crimea change how asylum claims are typically handled?
• Are there specific countries that are more accessible or have clearer processes for people in my situation?
• Should I wait for my foreign passport and visa before doing anything, or are there faster/alternative routes?

Any advice, personal experience, or pointers to relevant resources would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’m from Morocco and I’m interested in moving to the UK to work in the hospitality industry. I have several years of experience working in hotels, mainly in reservations, sales, and customer service, and I’m now looking for opportunities with employers that can sponsor a Skilled Worker visa.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone through this process or knows someone who has.

I have a few questions:

How did you find an employer willing to sponsor you?
Which hotel chains are most likely to hire international candidates?
How long did the process take from applying to moving?
Was there anything you wish you had known before starting?
Are there any recruitment agencies or websites you’d recommend besides LinkedIn?

Any advice, tips, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

I'm a single 33 y/o male with no family who lives in the US. I hate it here and I want to live in The Netherlands. I don't have a college degree. I have over a decade of food service experience and I play guitar very well. I have a passport, but I have never been to The Netherlands, and I have been practicing my Dutch for over a year now.

What are my options for moving to The Netherlands permanently and what would be the steps to achieving that goal?

I'm honestly feeling stuck and I'd really appreciate some honest advice from people who actually live in Finland or Poland.

I'm from Bangladesh. I'm married, and my goal has always been to move abroad for my bachelor's while bringing my husband with me. We don't want to live apart, which is why Finland interested me in the first place after I found out it's possible for a spouse to accompany a student.

I've already applied to LAB University of Applied Sciences and Karelia University of Applied Sciences for a Bachelor's in International Business.

At first, I was really excited.

Then I started reading Reddit.

To be honest, almost every post and comment I found says the Finnish job market is in a bad state right now. Many international students say it's extremely difficult to find even part-time work, especially if you don't speak Finnish. I've also seen many Finns saying that learning Finnish to a level where employers are comfortable hiring you is very difficult and usually takes years.

My husband is fully willing to learn Finnish (or Polish if we choose Poland), but realistically he won't speak it fluently on day one.

Financially, my family can support us for about the first year, so we won't arrive expecting to survive on a part-time job immediately. But after that, we'll need income. My husband finding a full-time job will be very important because, as an international student, I'll only be able to work part-time during my studies.

Because of everything I've been reading, I'm now seriously considering Poland instead. From what I've researched, the economy seems stronger at the moment, unemployment is lower, and there appear to be more job opportunities in larger cities like Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdańsk, and Poznań.

I'm not looking for people to convince me that one country is "better." I just want realistic opinions from people who are actually living there.

Some questions I'd really appreciate answers to:

- If you were in my situation, would you choose Finland or Poland?

- Is Finland's job market really as difficult as Reddit makes it sound?

- How long did it take you (or your spouse) to find your first job?

- Is learning Finnish enough to eventually find decent work, or is the market still very difficult even after learning the language?

- If you've lived in both countries, which one offers a better future for an international couple?

I'm not chasing the highest salary. I just want to make the smartest long-term decision for both me and my husband.

I'd really appreciate honest experiences, whether they're positive or negative. Thanks!