Your visa will be determined depending on the purpose of your travel. It makes a difference if you are planning to visit, study, work or reside permanently in Belgium. Belgium is part of the Schengen Visa and therefore the Schengen Visa rules apply. Firstly, you will have to fill in the required documents. These can be found here . It is very important that you fill in all the required documents and requested information. If you are having problems with filling in the documents be sure to contact your nearest Belgium embassy in your country of origin. In the end the Office des Etrangers (which is part of the Service Public Fédéral Intérieur, or Federal Interior Ministry) will make the decision authorizing you to stay in Belgium or not.

It is compulsory that you register yourself with the local municipality as soon as you have taken up residence in Belgium. You should register yourself at least 8 days after your arrival in Belgium. Once you have given the municipality all the required information a neighbourhood officer will stop by your house to ensure that you actually live on that address.

Belgians have quite a strict administrational agency, and it is therefore of high importance that you respond timely to summons, letters or calls from the government or other authorities.

If you are an expat is important that you obtain in addition to your resident card a work permit. There are several types of work permits and each permit comes with different conditions. Of course, all jobs should be properly declared and comply with labour law. If you have your work permit, you must register as a job-seeker at your region’s employment office.