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One of the smallest countries in Europe, Belgium is bordered by France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany. The country also has a narrow coastline along the North Sea.
Belgium primarily lies close to sea level, though the country does reach 2,277 feet (694 metres) at a point known as Botrange, which lies within the Ardennes plateau.
The Belgium residence permit is a card issued to foreign nationals who want to live in Belgium for a specific or indefinite period of time. While EU citizens need to present only their passports when moving to Belgium, immigrants from non-EU countries need to apply for a residence permit card.
There are two types of residence permits that both allow you to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days:
| Type of residence permit | Description |
| Belgium temporary residence permit | If you want to stay in Belgium for more than three months, you need to apply for a long-stay visa (known as a D visa) for a temporary residency. This residence permit allows you to study, work and live in Belgium for up to five years. |
| Belgium permanent residence permit | After you have lived in Belgium for five years, you can apply for permanent residency. Long term residence allows you to stay indefinitely in the country with the same rights as Belgian nationals. It is valid for five years, and it is renewable. |
If you want to stay longer than 90 days in Belgium, you should apply for a temporary residence permit in your home country. This is also referred to as a D visa. The types of Belgium temporary residence permits are:
These are the common documents you have to provide to the Belgian authorities when applying for a temporary residence permit:
Yes, you can renew your Belgium residence permit providing the required documents according to your residential status:
Yes, if you are already in Belgium, then you can apply for a temporary residence permit from the local municipality office. You have to contact the municipality, set up an appointment (if required), collect the required documents, and submit them on the date of your appointment.
Citizens of EU/EEA or Swiss have the right to receive permanent residence immediately after residing in Belgium continuously for five years. If you want to obtain your residence card, you should go to your local municipal office and apply for a document that gives you the right to reside permanently in Belgium. This card is valid for five years, and it is renewable.
Non-EU/EEA or Swiss citizens are also permitted to apply for a permanent residence permit after they have lived in Belgium for five straight years. However, you need to apply for it at your local office. They will send your application for review to the Immigration Office. You will get the residence card if your application is successful. After five years, you can renew your permanent residence card, but you do not need to lodge a new application.
If you have lived in Belgium for five years, you are qualified for permanent residency. Depending on your nationality and your status, you can get one of the following permanent residency cards:
You should find out which one applies to you:
| Type | Description |
| Electronic residence card type E+. | EU, EEA, and Switzerland citizens will receive this card automatically after living five years in Belgium. If you hold the E+ card, you get registered in the civil registry. |
| Electronic residence card type F+. | Family members of EU citizens will obtain the card type F+ immediately after living five years continuously in Belgium. |
| Electronic residence card type B. | If you have lived and worked legally in Belgium for five years, you are permitted to obtain the electronic card type B. This card allows you to stay outside of the country for a period of one year. If you do not exceed this one-year absence, you can return to Belgium without losing your residency rights. Type B holders are registered in the foreigner’s registry. |
| Electronic residence card type C. | After obtaining type B, you can apply for type C, which gives you the right to establish. As a holder of residence type C, you no longer have to register in the foreigner’s registry but in the civil registry. The difference between these cards is that they have access to different social welfare assistance. |
| Electronic residence card type D. | To qualify for this card, you must have a monthly income of at least €793 (plus €264 for dependent) and health insurance. If you hold the D permit, you can leave Belgium for six continuous years max, as long as you stay in the EU during that period of time. The difference between D permit, B and C permit is that other EU member states also recognize it. |
Belgium has seen an increase in the size of its migrant population over the last two decades. Around 150,000 people move to the country each year and approximately 25% of Belgian residents were foreign-born. As it is part of the Schengen Area, Belgium allows many EU residents passport-free travel into the country. The country has an international reputation as the home of the European Commission as well as being a hub of economic activity.
Citizens of the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) can travel freely to Belgium without a visa. EU and EEA citizens don’t need a work permit to work. Citizens of the 25 other Schengen Area countries within the EU/EFTA can travel freely to Belgium without a passport.
Those from EU countries that are not part of the Schengen Area (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania, and the UK) need to show a passport but don’t need a visa. The UK is currently an EU member but is due to leave very soon after the Brexit referendum vote in 2016. As a result, the future surrounding Belgian visa or entry requirements for UK citizens after Brexit is still uncertain; for the time being, the UK continues to enjoy full benefits of EU membership.
Third-country nationals (non-EU/EFTA citizens) will normally need a Belgian visa for any long-term stay (over 90 days) in Belgium. For shorter stays under 90 days, residents of many countries must apply for a short-stay visa. Some non-EU/EFTA countries have agreements with Schengen Area states to allow their citizens visa-free stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business.
Belgian visas are one of three broad types:
Full details of these visas along with qualifying conditions, costs, and application processes are available below.
A short-stay Schengen or C visa allows you to stay in the Schengen area – but not work – for up to a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. If you have a Schengen visa from another Schengen state, you can also stay in Belgium if you haven’t exceeded the 90-day allowance.
Business visa
This visa is necessary for short-term business-related trips to Belgium lasting less than 90 days. This is a requirement for non-EU/EFTA nationals but the same exemptions apply as for the tourist visa. The processes and costs for the business Belgian visa are the same as for the tourist visa. Requirements are also the same but you will also need to provide a letter from your employer explaining the purpose of your trip, or an invitation letter from the organization in Belgium requesting your attendance.
Once you live in Belgium for five years, you may qualify for permanent residency in Belgium. Certain residents will also be able to apply for Belgian nationality if they fulfill certain conditions. Both allow you to stay in Belgium indefinitely, working or otherwise, under similar conditions as Belgian citizens.
If you hold a Blue Card from another EU-member state, and have lived elsewhere in the EU for a certain period, this time can count towards your calculation of five years.
Belgium is one of the most developed and largest trading nations in Europe. It is very attractive for investors and businessmen with its highly developed infrastructure, open economy and pro-business government. They are offered a wide range of benefits in exchange for their contribution in the Belgian economy.
Main applicant must be at least 18 years old. Other requirements include:
In 3 years of a continuous and legal residence in Belgium after obtaining a temporary residence permit an individual may apply for Belgian permanent residence.
If you’re debating a move to Belgium don’t be fooled by the country’s small size. Often referred to as the ‘heart of Europe’ the country has a population of approximately 11.5 million – including an estimated 220,000 expats, so you’ll be in good company.
A federal state, Belgium is made up of three regions: Flemish (in the north), Brussels-Capital Region and Walloon (in the south). The country is multilingual with three official languages. Dutch is spoken in the Flemish community and in the capital city of Brussels, while French is spoken in the Walloon region. German is spoken by small number of the population. English is also widely understood but you will need to learn the language of your particular community in order to get by.
The job market in Belgium is competitive and language skills are in high demand. Multilingual foreign workers or those that can speak at least one of the country’s official languages, stand more chance of gaining employment.
Service and high-tech industries are typically located in the Flanders region in the north, while coal and steel manufacturing is concentrated in the south.
The majority of Belgians work in the service sector in the banking, law, media, retail, tourism and transport industries. A limited number of jobs are available in industry.
Belgium has a large expat community and European Union (EU) workers are employed in a variety of jobs. Brussels is home to the headquarters of the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), both big employers of international workers.
Other large Belgian employers include:
The majority of available jobs in Belgium are for highly skilled workers in the service sector but many international workers also capitalise on labour shortages. Belgium is in need of:
Belgium has among the highest salaries and minimum wages in Europe. In 2017, the average gross full-time salary was €3,558 per month. This rises to an average of €5,330 a month for skilled workers with a master’s degree.
The Belgian minimum wage as of mid-2020 is €1,625.72. However, Belgium also has one of the highest tax rates in Europe. This is on a sliding scale between 25-50% depending on earnings.
You can also read more in our guides to Belgian minimum wage and average salary and taxes in Belgium.
All workers in Belgium, whether full-time or part-time, will receive an employment contract. Those working on contracts lasting at least 12 months are entitled to a minimum of 20 days a year paid holiday.
Contracts will lay out the terms and conditions of employment and state the notice period that needs to be given by either party. This varies according to job sector, but the minimum is usually two weeks’ notice for the employee and four weeks for the employer.
If you are from a non-EU country, then you must apply for a Belgium work permit visa. You must submit your application for a Belgium work visa well in advance. Here are the different types of work permits available:
Work permit A: With this work permit, you can work in any job for any employer for an unlimited period. However, it is not easy to get this permit. It is available only for a certain category of foreign workers, who have already worked in Belgium for several years with a Work Permit B.
Work permit B: This is a standard work permit given to most foreigners. However, with this permit you can only work for a single employer. The validity of this visa is 12 months which can be renewed. An employee cannot enter the country without this visa. You can get this permit only if your Belgian employer gets the employment permit in advance.
Work permit C: Only certain categories of foreign workers are eligible for this permit. It allows them to stay in the country for reasons other than employment, for instance study, asylum etc. The validity of this permit is 12 months which can be renewed if required.
European Blue Card: This work cum residence permits employees who are highly skilled to work here for a period of three months.
Professional card: If you wish to stay in Belgium as a self-employed professional, then you must get a professional card. This allows a person from outside Belgium to be involved in specific activity as a self-employed person in the country for a duration of1 to 5 years.
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