Belgian Residence Permit Acquisition (Worker, Family, Long-term, Student, EU)

Researched from official sources · May 27, 2026

Belgium runs a unified electronic-residence-card regime under the Loi du 15 décembre 1980 and the Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981.

The Office of Foreigners (Office des Étrangers / Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken) decides each file; the commune of intended residence opens the file, captures biometrics, and delivers the card. Six routes feed the same workflow — Worker, two family-reunification routes, Long-term EU resident, Student, and EU/EEA/Swiss registration — each mapping to a specific card type and opening annex.

Estimated time

Roughly 3 to 6 months end-to-end from first commune appointment to electronic-card collection — 4 months statutory for the single-permit Worker route, 6 months for both family-reunification routes from file-opening or Annex 19ter date, and 3 to 5 months in observed practice for the EU/EEA/Swiss registration certificate; card production at the commune adds approximately 3 weeks after the Office of Foreigners decision

Cost

€0,00 (minor applicants and exempt categories under Article 1/1/1 §2) through €126,00 to €313,00 federal Office-of-Foreigners residence-file fee, plus €25,00 to €150,00 in City of Brussels commune card-production and file-opening charges; other communes set their own card-production fees within ranges defined by federal law

What You Need

Tap to check off items as you gather them

Additional Items

  • Brussels-Capital Region 19-commune patchwork: commune card-production fees and appointment-availability practices vary within federal limits. Etterbeek charges €30 for first registration; the City of Brussels charges €35. Appointment wait times in 2025 range from approximately 1 week at smaller communes to 6 or more weeks at the City of Brussels, Schaerbeek, and Ixelles.
  • Article 1/1/1 §2 exonerations: scholarship recipients, disabled minors, resettled refugees, and recognised stateless persons are exempt from the federal residence-file fee.
  • Carte F to carte F+ transition: carte F is the initial 5-year family-reunification card. Carte F+ certifies permanent residence and is issued automatically at 5 years continuous residence on the Article 40bis route, or at 5 years stable residence on the Article 10 route subject to ongoing sponsor conditions.
  • Carte K (établissement / unlimited) and carte L (long-term EU resident) appear in older portal text. Current dominant labels are carte B (5-year renewable) and carte D (long-term EU resident).
  • Enterprise-route variants for single-permit Article 1/1, §2 sub-categories: cited fee tiers (€126 to €313) map to specific permit categories — applicants should confirm their applicable §2 sub-clause with the commune at file-opening or via [email protected].
  • The 1 September 2025 tightening of the EU first-appointment rule was introduced via amending instructions to commune practice; the underlying Federal Public Service Home Affairs instruction text was not directly retrievable for inclusion here. Readers may consult ibz.be or contact the Office of Foreigners for the current detailed text.
  • Negative decisions on residence files are notified via Annex 14 or related forms. Appeal lies to the Conseil du Contentieux des Étrangers (Council for Aliens Law Litigation) within 30 days of notification.
  • Annex 49 is valid for a maximum of 135 days from issue, extendable in 45-day blocks up to three blocks (total 270 days). Workers whose carte A is not delivered within this window risk a gap in work authorisation.

Step-by-Step

  1. 1

    Identify the applicable route and prepare documents abroad

    Expat New Arrival
    1. Confirm which of the six routes applies: Worker (single permit, carte A); Family reunification with non-EU sponsor (Article 10, carte F); Family reunification with EU sponsor (Article 40bis, carte F via Annex 19ter); Long-term EU resident after 5 years (carte D); Student (Article 58, carte A); or EU/EEA/Swiss registration (Annex 19 to Annex 8 / carte E)
    2. For non-EU long-stay applicants, obtain the relevant visa D at the Belgian embassy or consulate of habitual residence — workers via the employer's regional single-permit filing, family-reunification applicants with sponsor evidence, students with admission proof
    3. EU/EEA/Swiss applicants skip the embassy stage — entry to Belgium is on national identity card
    4. Assemble civil-status documents (marriage and birth certificates) for family-reunification routes — each legalised and translated to French, Dutch, or German by a sworn translator

    💡 Tip: The route drives which annex opens the file at the commune and which card is ultimately issued. Get the route confirmed in writing from the Belgian diplomatic post or from the local commune before paying for the legalisation chain.

    Office of Foreigners — Registration and reporting obligation (general) (ibz.be ↗) Office of Foreigners — Permanent residence of EU citizens and their family members (ibz.be ↗)
  2. 2

    Enter Belgium and declare arrival at the commune

    Expat New Arrival
    1. Non-EU long-stay (over 90 days): appear at the commune of intended residence within 8 days of arrival
    2. Non-EU short-stay (under 90 days, not in registered lodgings): appear at the commune within 3 working days; commune issues *Annex 3* (déclaration d'arrivée)
    3. EU/EEA/Swiss long-stay (over 90 days): appear at the commune within 3 months of arrival
    4. EU short-stay (under 90 days): commune-level reporting required within 10 days; commune issues Annex 3ter; non-compliance carries an administrative fine of €200

    💡 Tip: The commune is identified by the address of intended residence — not by nationality, not by city of arrival, and not by the city the visa was issued in. Confirm the deadline that applies to the applicant's specific situation before arrival.

    Office of Foreigners — Registration and reporting obligation (general) (ibz.be ↗)
  3. 3

    Open the residence file at the commune and receive the opening annex

    New Arrival
    1. Attend the commune appointment in person at the address of intended residence with passport, photographs, proof of address, and route-specific supporting documents
    2. Commune captures personal data, photographs, biometric fingerprints, and opens the file
    3. Single-permit worker: receive Annex 49 authorising paid employment to begin immediately for up to 135 days
    4. Family reunification with EU sponsor: receive Annex 19ter valid 6 months from issue date
    5. EU/EEA/Swiss registration: receive *Annex 19* (pending application for registration certificate)
    6. Non-EU short-stay declaration of arrival: receive Annex 3
    7. Pay the commune file-opening fee and the federal residence-file fee per Article 1/1/1 of the Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981

    💡 Tip: Bring originals plus two photocopies of every document. Confirm the annex received against the route on issue — Annex 19 (EU registration) and Annex 19ter (family reunification with EU sponsor) are commonly conflated on commune-facing pages. The City of Brussels describes the worker route plainly: "At the end of the appointment at city hall, you will be given an Annex 49 authorising you to work."

    City of Brussels — Foreign employee registration (brussels.be ↗)
  4. 4

    Police residence-verification visit

    New Arrival
    1. After file-opening, a neighbourhood police officer visits the declared address to verify the applicant's effective presence
    2. The visit is unscheduled — applicants should remain reachable at the declared address in the first weeks after the commune appointment
    3. Label the mailbox with the applicant's name; this is the first sanity test the police officer performs
    4. Multiple absences at the visit cause file closure and exposure to an administrative fine of €200 under Article 41bis of the Loi du 15 décembre 1980

    ⚠️ Watch out: If the file closes for failed verification, the applicant must re-open at the commune and risks losing the fees already paid. Restart with a written explanation of the absence and corrected address evidence.

  5. 5

    Office of Foreigners decision

    New Arrival
    1. Worker route (carte A): statutory maximum 4 months from complete file; observed 6 to 16 weeks in practice
    2. Family reunification with non-EU sponsor (carte F): 6 months from file-opening, extendable to 9 months in exceptional circumstances
    3. Family reunification with EU sponsor (carte F via Annex 19ter): 6 months from Annex 19ter date
    4. Long-term residency upgrade (carte D): 5 months federal decision time, plus commune card-production
    5. Student route (carte A): generally within 3 months for first issue; renewal aligned with academic year
    6. EU registration certificate (Annex 8 / carte E): no fixed statutory maximum; typically 3 to 5 months from Annex 19
    7. EU permanent residence (Annex 22 to Annex 8bis / carte E+): 5 months from Annex 22 submission

    ⚠️ Watch out: Negative decisions are notified via Annex 14 or related forms. Appeal lies to the Conseil du Contentieux des Étrangers within 30 days of notification. Sponsor-based files may first receive Annex 15bis (suspension pending more documents).

    Office of Foreigners — Permanent residence of EU citizens (ibz.be ↗)
  6. 6

    Second commune appointment — electronic card delivery

    New Arrival
    1. On approval, the commune schedules a second appointment to deliver the electronic residence card
    2. Standard delivery is approximately 3 weeks from the appointment; urgent (next-day) delivery is available at the City of Brussels for €150
    3. The card must be collected in person; biometrics are confirmed at delivery
    4. PIN and PUK codes for card activation are issued at delivery or by separate secure post — keep them separately from the card

    💡 Tip: Card-production fees vary across the 581 Belgian communes; the City of Brussels publishes €25 standard / €30 renewal / €150 urgent as published on its Foreign employee registration page. Confirm the local commune's figures at file-opening to avoid surprise.

Local Tips from the Community

  • Book the commune appointment as soon as the rental contract is signed — most communes accept appointments scheduled before the move-in date, and Brussels-Capital communes can have wait times of 6 or more weeks at the largest municipalities.
  • Bring originals plus two photocopies of every civil-status document. Communes routinely retain photocopies for the file and return originals.
  • Label the mailbox with the applicant's name immediately on move-in. The police residence-verification visit checks the mailbox label as the first sanity test of declared presence.
  • Confirm in writing — by email to the commune's foreigners desk — the specific document checklist for the applicant's route before the appointment. Practice varies commune by commune within federal limits.
  • For family-reunification routes, plan the document-legalisation chain 3 to 6 months ahead. Marriage and birth certificates flow through three handoffs (issuing authority, legalisation authority, sworn translator), each with its own waiting time.

What Could Go Wrong

Confusing the 8-day non-EU deadline with the 3-month EU deadline: The deadline depends on nationality, not on stay duration. Non-EU long-stay applicants have 8 days from arrival to appear at the commune regardless of intended stay duration; EU/EEA/Swiss applicants have 3 months; short-stay EU have 10 days for an Annex 3ter.

Recovery: Identify the applicable deadline from nationality and intended-stay length before arrival. Book the commune appointment as soon as the rental contract is signed — most communes accept appointments scheduled before the move-in date.

Missing documents at the first EU commune appointment after 1 September 2025: Commune guidance reported from 1 September 2025 indicates EU applicants must present proof of citizenship and full intended-status documents at the very first appointment, with no grace period to supplement missing items; on this guidance the file is dismissed and the applicant must restart. Confirm current practice with the commune.

Recovery: Assemble the complete dossier abroad — national identity card, employment contract or study enrolment, proof of resources where relevant, and family-member-of-EU-citizen evidence where applicable — before the first commune visit. Confirm the commune's specific checklist by email in advance.

Not being home for the police residence-verification visit: The visit is unscheduled; multiple absences cause file closure and exposure to an administrative fine of €200 under Article 41bis of the Loi du 15 décembre 1980.

Recovery: Remain reachable at the declared address in the first weeks after the commune appointment. Label the mailbox with the applicant's name; if travel is unavoidable, contact the commune in writing in advance to flag the absence window.

Confusing Annex 19 with Annex 19ter: Annex 19 (EU registration pending) and Annex 19ter (family reunification with EU sponsor — third-country national applicant) are commonly conflated on commune-facing pages. Issuing the wrong annex delays the file and may force re-opening on the correct route.

Recovery: Confirm the annex on issue by reading the form heading; preserve the 'ter' suffix in all subsequent correspondence. If the commune issues the wrong annex, raise the correction at the same appointment or by written request to the commune's foreigners desk.

Sponsor income or housing threshold not met (family-reunification routes): Article 10 (non-EU sponsor) and Article 40bis (EU sponsor) require the sponsor to demonstrate stable, regular, and sufficient income (typically 120% of the social-integration income reference) plus housing meeting cohabitation norms. Income, housing, and insurance thresholds are higher under Article 10 than under Article 40bis.

Recovery: Compute the threshold conservatively before submitting the file. Sponsors close to the threshold should request a written pre-assessment from the commune or seek legal counsel before paying for document legalisation.

Costs

Item Amount Payment Notes
Federal residence-file fee — applicants under 18 (minors) €0 No charge under Article 1/1/1 of the Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981; same exemption applies to scholarship recipients, disabled minors, resettled refugees, and recognised stateless persons Minor exemption is automatic on age at filing.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 9° to 18° €126 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening, depending on local practice; payable by bank transfer or commune-counter payment Fee tier per Article 1/1/1, Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981. Adjusted on 1 January each year per §4 of that article — rounded up to the nearest euro.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 5°, 8° €168 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 3°, 4°, 6° (incl. several long-stay categories) €181 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening Fee tier per Article 1/1/1; covers long-stay categories including most family-reunification files.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 1° (specific permits) €201 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 7° €208 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 2° (specific permits, higher tier) €313 Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening Highest federal tier under Article 1/1/1.
City of Brussels file-opening fee at commune €35 Paid at the City of Brussels commune at first appointment Commune-set fee; other communes set their own values within federal limits. The City-of-Brussels figure is published on the Foreign employee registration page.
City of Brussels electronic residence card — standard delivery (approximately 3 weeks) €25 Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the file-opening appointment Card-production fee published by the City of Brussels.
City of Brussels electronic residence card — urgent delivery (next day) €150 Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the file-opening appointment if urgent delivery is requested Urgent-delivery option for time-critical cases.
City of Brussels residence permit card renewal €30 Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the renewal appointment Renewal fee at City of Brussels.
Federal residence-file fee — applicants under 18 (minors) €0
Payment:
No charge under Article 1/1/1 of the Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981; same exemption applies to scholarship recipients, disabled minors, resettled refugees, and recognised stateless persons
Notes:
Minor exemption is automatic on age at filing.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 9° to 18° €126
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening, depending on local practice; payable by bank transfer or commune-counter payment
Notes:
Fee tier per Article 1/1/1, Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981. Adjusted on 1 January each year per §4 of that article — rounded up to the nearest euro.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 5°, 8° €168
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening
Notes:
Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 3°, 4°, 6° (incl. several long-stay categories) €181
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening
Notes:
Fee tier per Article 1/1/1; covers long-stay categories including most family-reunification files.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 1° (specific permits) €201
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening
Notes:
Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 7° €208
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening
Notes:
Fee tier per Article 1/1/1.
Federal residence-file fee — adult applicants under Article 1/1 §2 2° (specific permits, higher tier) €313
Payment:
Paid at the Office of Foreigners or commune at file-opening
Notes:
Highest federal tier under Article 1/1/1.
City of Brussels file-opening fee at commune €35
Payment:
Paid at the City of Brussels commune at first appointment
Notes:
Commune-set fee; other communes set their own values within federal limits. The City-of-Brussels figure is published on the Foreign employee registration page.
City of Brussels electronic residence card — standard delivery (approximately 3 weeks) €25
Payment:
Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the file-opening appointment
Notes:
Card-production fee published by the City of Brussels.
City of Brussels electronic residence card — urgent delivery (next day) €150
Payment:
Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the file-opening appointment if urgent delivery is requested
Notes:
Urgent-delivery option for time-critical cases.
City of Brussels residence permit card renewal €30
Payment:
Paid at the City of Brussels commune at the renewal appointment
Notes:
Renewal fee at City of Brussels.
Total: €1,437

FAQ

General

How long does the whole process take for a single-permit worker?

Statutory maximum is 4 months from a complete file at the Office of Foreigners. Including regional work-permit pre-approval and commune card-production, total elapsed time is typically 3 to 5 months. The Annex 49 issued at the commune file-opening appointment authorises work to begin immediately, so the carte A delivery delay does not block paid employment in most cases.

Can I start working in Belgium before my carte A arrives?

Yes, on receipt of Annex 49 at the commune file-opening appointment. The Annex 49 authorises employment for up to 135 days while the carte A is produced, extendable in 45-day blocks up to three blocks. In the Walloon Region, work authorisation begins on single-permit decision receipt rather than on Annex 49 issuance — Flanders and Brussels-Capital require the Annex 49 milestone first.

Do EU citizens need a residence permit?

Strictly, EU citizens have an EU-treaty right of residence and do not need permission. They do need to register their residence at the commune within 3 months and receive an Annex 8 paper registration certificate, with an optional carte E electronic card valid 5 years. After 5 years continuous residence, EU citizens may apply for permanent residence via Annex 22; on approval, the commune delivers Annex 8bis or carte E+ (5 years renewable).

What's the difference between carte E and carte E+?

Carte E is the temporary 5-year residence card issued to EU citizens alongside or instead of the paper Annex 8 registration certificate. Carte E+ certifies permanent residence after 5 years of continuous residence and is issued via Annex 22 application; validity is 5 years renewable. Both are issued by the commune; both require continuous registered residence as the predicate.

What fees does the Office of Foreigners charge?

Per Article 1/1/1 of the Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981, federal residence-file fees range from €0,00 for minor applicants to €313,00 for the highest §2 2° tier. Most long-stay categories — family reunification, study, and specific permits — fall in the €126,00 to €201,00 range. Minor applicants and exempt categories pay nothing. Fees are indexed annually on 1 January and rounded up to the nearest euro. Confirm the applicable §2 sub-clause for your file with the commune.

What happens at the police residence-verification visit?

After file-opening, a neighbourhood police officer visits the declared address to verify the applicant's effective presence. The visit is unscheduled, and absence at the visit can trigger re-attempts; multiple absences cause file closure with administrative-fine exposure (€200 per Article 41bis of the Loi du 15 décembre 1980). Applicants are advised to remain reachable at the declared address in the first weeks after appointment, and to keep mailboxes accessible and labelled with the applicant's name.

What changed for EU applicants on 1 September 2025?

Commune guidance reported from 1 September 2025 indicates EU applicants opening an Annex 19 must present proof of EU citizenship and all documents demonstrating intended status — work, study, sufficient resources, or family-member-of-EU-citizen — at the very first commune appointment. On this guidance, missing documents can no longer be supplemented within a grace period; an incomplete file is dismissed at first appointment and the applicant must restart. The change is reported as introduced via amending instructions to commune practice and enforced commune by commune; the primary instruction text was not directly retrievable, so confirm with the commune.

Can I leave Belgium while my file is pending?

With Annex 49 (workers): yes, the document allows travel within the Schengen Area. With Annex 19 (EU pending): yes, but absence over 3 months may complicate the police residence-verification visit. With Annex 3 short-stay declaration: travel does not affect status but file opening is delayed until return. Long-stay non-EU applicants should consult the commune before extended trips, particularly during the 4 or 6-month statutory decision window.

What happens if my file is rejected?

The Office of Foreigners issues a negative decision via Annex 14 or related notification. Appeal lies to the Conseil du Contentieux des Étrangers (Council for Aliens Law Litigation) within 30 days of notification. Sponsor-based files may first receive Annex 15bis (suspension pending additional documents) rather than outright refusal — applicants supply the requested evidence within the deadline stated on the annex.

After This Process

  • → Register children at the commune of residence for school enrolment under Belgian compulsory-education law
  • → Obtain Belgian eID activation at the commune (see the Belgian eID guide for the Rijksregister / Registre National enrolment workflow)
  • → Open a Belgian bank account or invoke the statutory basic-banking-service right (see the Belgium bank-account guide for the individual route under Articles VII.56/1 to VII.59/3 of the Code de droit économique)
  • → Apply for health-insurance affiliation with a recognised mutualité / ziekenfonds within the deadlines set by federal law
  • → Track the 5-year continuous-residence milestone for carte F+, carte E+, or carte D upgrade

Sources

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More in Belgium

6 sources cited last accessed 2026-05-27

T1 official portal · T2 embassy/consulate · T3 news · T4 community — higher tier wins on conflict. methodology →

  1. T1
    Federal Public Service Home Affairs — Registration and reporting obligation (general) 2026-05-27

    Non-EU long-stay applicants must appear at the commune of intended residence within 8 days of arrival. EU/EEA/Swiss long-stay applicants register within 3 months. Short-stay non-EU receive an Annex 3 declaration of arrival; long-stay EU receive an Annex 19 pending application, then a paper Annex 8 registration certificate on approval. Penalty for non-compliance with short-stay EU 10-day rule is an administrative fine of 200 euros.

    ibz.be
  2. T1
    Federal Public Service Home Affairs / Belgian Immigration Office — Right to permanent residence of EU citizens and their family members 2026-05-27

    After 5 years of continuous residence, EU citizens and their family members apply for permanent residence via Annex 22. The Belgian Immigration Office renders a final decision within 5 months. On approval, the commune delivers Annex 8bis (paper) or carte E+ (electronic, valid 5 years renewable).

    ibz.be
  3. T1
    Belgian Official Gazette — Arrêté royal du 8 octobre 1981, Article 1/1/1 2026-05-27

    Article 1/1/1 sets the federal residence-file fee schedule. Minors under 18 are exempt (gratuit). Adult applicants pay €201 under §2 1°; €313 under §2 2°; €181 under §2 3°, 4°, 6°; €168 under §2 5°, 8°; €208 under §2 7°; and €126 under §2 9° to 18°. Paragraph 4 mandates annual indexation on 1 January with the result rounded up to the nearest euro.

    ejustice.just.fgov.be
  4. T1
    City of Brussels — Foreign employee registration (non-EU) 2026-05-27

    Single-permit worker procedure at the City of Brussels: at the end of the commune appointment the applicant is given an Annex 49 authorising employment. A neighbourhood police officer visits the declared address to verify presence. A second appointment is scheduled by the Office of Foreigners to deliver the carte A. City-of-Brussels card-production fees: €35 file-opening, €25 standard delivery (~3 weeks), €150 urgent (next-day), €30 renewal.

    brussels.be
  5. T1
    Federal Public Service Home Affairs — Immigration, Residence Permits and Foreigners (parent portal) 2026-05-27

    The Office of Foreigners (Office des Étrangers / Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Ausländeramt) is the federal authority deciding residence files within the Federal Public Service Home Affairs. Contact: [email protected] ; +32 (0)2 793 80 00.

    ibz.be
  6. T1
    Federal Public Service Home Affairs — Office of Foreigners (commune-practice guidance) 2026-05-27

    An EU first-appointment completeness tightening is reported to have taken effect around 1 September 2025: EU applicants opening an Annex 19 must present proof of citizenship and full intended-status documents at the first commune appointment, with no grace period to supplement missing items. The underlying Federal Public Service Home Affairs instruction text was not directly retrievable at research time; the change is reported through commune practice and should be confirmed with the commune or the Office of Foreigners before relying on it.

    ibz.be
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