Belgian
residence permits Here is our guide to help you cut through the red tape on
your way to gaining residency in Belgium.
Belgium is
run on a local level by the communes, through which most administrative
functions are carried out. The country currently has 589 communes, a sizeable
number but one that was the result of an amalgamation exercise in 1975. When
the Belgian State was created in 1831 there were a full 2,739 communes.
Since 1975
immigration into Belgium has been heavily weighted towards professional workers
and those with higher levels of education, as well as students and professional
sports players.
Residence
Permits
Swiss and
EEA citizens
All Swiss
and EEA nationals (EU plus Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway) may live freely in
Belgium but if staying for longer than 3 months must obtain both a ‘Declaration
of Presence’ and a ‘Declaration of Registration’. Both of these can be obtained
at the local town hall or maison communale where a person is staying, by
producing a passport or identity card
Although
citizens from EEA countries have free movement within the European area, they
are still considered foreign nationals and must register with the foreign
population register.
Long term
visa requests are dealt with by the Belgian Immigration Office of the Interior
Federal Public Service - the sole authority with final jurisdiction. Documents
required:
Identity card or passport
Three passport photos
Confirmation of good conduct or lack of a
criminal record covering the previous five years from the applicant’s national
police force
Proof of means of support, usually in the
form of an employment contract or letter from your employer (attestation
patronale/verklaring van de werkgever)
Belgian residence address
Medical certificate from an approved doctor
Copy of birth certificate
Copy of marriage certificate
Employment contract (applicable for
Romanian and Bulgarian nationals in some communes)
Belgian
residence permitsOnce registered on the foreign population register the
municipality will provide nationals with a Certificate of Residence (proof of
registration B, with the note “posted in the context of EU service provision”),
which shall be valid for the length of the service provision. EEA nationals
receive an E-card (identity card), proving that the person has been included in
the national register. These are normally valid for five years. It is not just
foreigners who are issued identity cards - everyone living in Belgium over the
age of 12 is required to have an electronic identity card.
Non-EEA
nationals
All
non-Swiss/EEA nationals staying for longer than 90 days must apply for a longer
stay visa (type D) with the Belgian consular authority for their country before
coming to Belgium.
It has
recently become possible for non-EEA nationals of some countries to enter
Belgium just using their passport, if they have a family member who is an EEA
citizen. This specifically applies to nationals of the USA, Japan, Argentina,
Australia and Brazil. Upon entering the country the person must register at the
local town hall in Belgium, where they will obtain a temporary residence card.
This is valid for 6 months but can then be extended for an additional 6 months.
You can
later apply to extend your visa in Belgium by applying to the Foreigners
Department. Once they have approved your request you must also submit your
passport to the FPS Foreign Affairs (Rue des Petits Carmes 27, 1000 Brussels –
Monday to Friday, 9:30 – 11:30). A fee may be payable (usually €30).
Residence
visas for non-Swiss/EEA nationals are restricted to purposes such as study,
work (if a work permit is in hand) and family reunification.
All
nationals are obliged to register at their local municipality within eight days
of arriving in Belgium. Upon doing this you will receive a Certificate of
Enrolment in Registry of Foreigners, a certificate that is renewable annually.
You and
your family must also register on the foreign population register at the
municipality town hall and obtain a foreigner identity card, within two weeks
of moving into a permanent residence. The foreigner identity card is associated
with your residence so if you move to a new permanent residence, you must also
apply for a new card.
In addition
to the requirements for EEA nationals, you may also need the following,
depending on the commune:
Identity card or passport
Up to
four passport photographs
Medical certificate signed by a doctor
recognised by the Belgian Embassy
Certificate of good conduct (criminal
history record) covering the last 5 years, issued by the police authorities of
your last country of residence
Work permit
Proof of means of support, usually in the
form of an employment contract or letter from your employer (attestation
patronale/verklaring van de werkgever)
Belgian residential address
Visa
Copy of the rental agreement
Legalised marriage license (if relevant)
Copies of birth certificate for you any
children (if applicable)
Birth certificates for any children
Copy of marriage certificate
When you
visit it is preferable to be able to speak the local language, so if you don't,
it is best to go with someone who does. After the first visit, you will get a
receipt but not a card at this time. There is a small fee, which varies from
commune to commune, but it is usually no more than EUR 20, payable in cash.
A certificate
of registration in the foreigners register (E-card A) will then be delivered
you, which is valid for up to one year, although it depends on the duration of
the work permit. This can later be renewed for up to one year.
What
happens next
Belgian
residence permitsThe municipality contacts the police who visit to check that
your name is on the door of the address you gave. If their report checks out,
EU citizens get an invitation to collect a temporary three-month card. This is
renewed for a further three months if proof of employment or self-employment
and registration with the relevant social security scheme has been or is later
produced, and then in due course you get a permanent five-year card (carte de
sejour/verblijfskaart). Non-EU citizens eventually get an annually renewable
proof of registration for foreigners (Certification d'Inscription dans le
Registre des Etrangers/Bewijs van Inschrijving in het Vreemdelingen Register).
Here is a
list of the major town halls in the communal districts of Brussels. For further
information see the official site:
(http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/Communes/)
Anderlecht - 02 558 0800
Auderghem - 02 676 4811
Brussels City - 02
279 2211
Etterbeek - 02 627 2111
Forest - 02 370 2211
Hoeilaart - 02 658
2840
Ixelles - 02 515 6111
Kraainem - 02 719 2040
Overijse - 02 785 33 34
Rhode-Saint-Genese
- 02 380 2040
Rixensart -
02 634 2173
Saint
Gilles - 02 536 0211
Saint Josse - 02 220 2611
Schaerbeek - 02 244 7511
Tervuren - 02 769
2011
Uccle - 02 348 6511
Waterloo - 02 352 9811
Watermael-Boitsfort - 02 674 7411
Wezembeek-Oppem - 02 783 1211
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
- 02 761 2711
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
- 02 773 0511
Sources
www.belgium.be
www.brussels.irisnet.be
www.diplomatie.belgium.be
www.dofi.ibz.be
www.ec.europa.eu
www.embassyofireland.be
www.investinflanders.be
www.pwc.be
www.schaerbeek.be
www.socialsecurity.be
