Moving to Belgium is an important life decision and it will include a number of mandatory steps, in order to make sure that the new resident is compliant with the laws in force. Our immigration lawyers in Belgium offer tailored services, fitted to the needs of our clients looking to relocate to the country.
Belgium’s Immigration Law is of interest when discussing any type of relocation, whether this is a permanent or a temporary one, one intended for employment or family reunification. Working with a team of specialized lawyers can be significantly helpful for all foreign nationals, including those from the European Union. Our services are also helpful for those who are already living in the country and are ready to apply for citizenship. How can our immigration lawyer in Belgium help you? Read on to find out more.
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Pre-arrival services offered by our immigration lawyer in Belgium
Our services can be divided into pre- and post-arrival ones, as well as according to the main reason for the individual’s relocation. As such, we provide assistance for obtaining the following types of residence permits:
- Employment: foreign nationals who intend to engage in a professional activity and have secured employment with a Belgian employer will apply for the work permit in Belgium; this is paired with the long-stay visa;
- Study: coming to study in Belgium is another option for long-term relocation and the permit can be applied for once the individual has been admitted to a Belgian University, such as the University of Antwerp;
- Investment: investing in Belgium is available to all foreign nationals as there are no restrictions on company foreign ownership; the procedure for setting up the business will include the registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises; a long-term visa type D will also be required and our immigration lawyer in Belgium can provide more details;
- Family reunification: it is possible when the applicant already has a relative who is a resident in Belgium or perhaps has already obtained Belgian citizenship.
A special category of applicants includes digital nomads who intend to spend a longer time in the country while working for a foreign-based employer. A key condition for this type of visa is that the applicant must work for a non-Belgian based company. This is different from the intra-company visa and certain conditions apply for self-employed EU and non-EU nationals.
Understanding the main requirements for each of these permits is important and this is where our team of immigration lawyers in Belgium can provide complete assistance.
Some examples of permit-specific documents include the following:
- The employment agreement (signed by the parties, with the agreed terms) for those who will work in Belgium;
- The student acceptance and enrolment letter, for those who have been accepted for studies at a recognized Belgian university;
- Proof of family ties (such as a birth or marriage certificate) for those who are looking forward to reuniting with their spouses or other family members who already reside in Belgium.
We can offer you more details about the needed documents, both the general ones (that are required in case of all permits, such as a valid passport), as well as the permit-specific ones.
Post-arrival solutions for those who move to Belgium
Our Belgium immigration lawyer can also help you with a number of post-arrival procedures, such as:
- Housing: reviewing and providing legal assistance when signing rent or property purchase agreements;
- Registration: assistance for local registration with the municipality in your area of residence; our immigration lawyer in Belgium can give you information based on the region where you live (as there are differences between Flanders and Wallonia, for example);
- Taxation: information about the tax laws in Belgium applicable to employees as well as those who wish to start their own business;
- Others: assistance for opening a bank account in Belgium, signing up for insurance, the equivalence of diplomas in Belgium, and the exchange of the driver’s license, when needed.
Please keep in mind that these are only part of the expat services we provide in Belgium. Each individual or family who chooses to relocate to the country, for example, from the US, will do so under different circumstances, all of which are to be taken into consideration.
Our team of Belgium immigration specialists knows that each visa application is to be treated with consideration for its main purpose (study, employment, etc.) as well as the applicant’s general situation. You can always reach out to our immigration lawyers in Belgium to find out more about our personalized services.
Complete assistance for moving to Belgium
Working with an immigration lawyer has numerous advantages, starting with the fact that you can reduce the overall application time because you will be fully informed on the visa and/or work and residence permit application requirements. The distinction between the visa and the Belgium residence permit is an important one, especially for foreign nationals who come from a country that has not signed a visa liberalization agreement with the European Union. An example can include Chinese citizens, however, many more foreign nationals from third countries who are interested in Belgium immigration will need to observe this requirement.
Our team of immigration lawyers offers fully tailored answers to questions regarding visa requirements, Schengen visas, as well as the work and Belgian residence permit, and other types of residence documents. You can reach out to our agents from the earliest stages of the relocation process, right before you decide to submit the visa application with your local Belgian Embassy or Consulate.
Guidance for those applying for Belgian citizenship
An immigration lawyer can also answer questions about a foreign national’s eligibility for Belgian citizenship. This is awarded following a complex evaluation of not only the minimum lawful time spent in the country (which is five years in most cases), but also other criteria. Acquiring citizenship in Belgium is possible for those who are socially and economically integrated in the country.
A special category of applicants consists of those who obtain citizenship by descent in Belgium. For this to be possible, the foreign applicant’s parentage has to be recognized by a Belgian citizen, meaning that at least one of the parents is a Belgian national. In this case, lighter naturalization requirements can apply, for example, the foreigner will not generally be asked to provide proof of language knowledge. Our team that can help you with Belgium immigration can give you more details if one of your parents is or was a Belgian national.
Belgium immigration statistics
According to the Belgian Statistical Office (Statbel), the international migration balance consisted of 66,044 individuals in 2024. Other data listed below by our Belgium immigration lawyer show that:
- The number indicates that more people were interested in Belgium immigration (more people immigrated than emigrated);
- The positive international migration balance is somewhat lower than that recorded in 2023 (that year, the number of immigrants was 66,349);
- Romanians are one of the largest categories of immigrants (9.7%), followed by the French (7.4%);
- There were fewer immigrants from Ukraine, compared to recent years;
- At the same time, while many foreigners choose to move to Belgium for various purposes, Belgian nationals are also moving back to the country (or moving for the first time if they never lived in the country as adults). 11.6% of those who chose to relocate to Belgium in 2024 were Belgian nationals;
- The international migration balance remains the most significant supporter of the country’s population growth.
For more information about the services we provide, please contact our Belgium immigration lawyer.
