Documents

In what situation do you need a visa and how do you get one?

As a non-EU national, you need to apply for a visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate in your home country.
You can find their addresses here: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/embassiesand-consulates

• Updated visa information
• Updated scientific visa information

Please note that local visa requirements, as well as processing times, may vary according to each embassy/consulate. The visa application must be completed by the applicant in person. As always, please bear in mind that the lists below are not exhaustive. Additional documents or information may always be requested by the relevant embassy or consulate.

Stay of less than 90 days

Third-country nationals planning to visit Belgium for a short period (less than three months) must apply for a short-stay visa (type C visa).

The following documents are required when applying for a visa:

• a national passport valid for at least 3 months longer than the intended stay in Belgium, in which a visa can be affixed;
• two completed visa application forms;
• documents explaining the purpose of the trip and the circumstances of the intended stay;
• proof of sufficient financial sources to cover the stay and return;
• proof of travel insurance;
• proof that you intend to leave Belgium before the visa expires.

When the visa is approved, a copy of the return ticket (in the name of the third-country national and non-transferable) will be required.

Depending on the reasons for the stay, additional documents may be required.

Be aware that nationals of certain countries, such as Australia, the USA and Canada, do not need a visa to come to Belgium if their intended stay is less than 90 days. You can check whether you need a visa to come to Belgium at https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-belgium/visa-belgium.

Staying for more than 90 days

When third-country nationals need to stay in Belgium for more than three months, i.e. for a long-term stay, they must apply for a temporary residence visa (type D visa) from the Belgian consular authorities, either in their country of origin, or in their current country of residence (if different), i.e. when a visa is required (see above).

In this respect, it is important that foreigners maintain their current residence in one of these countries until the visa is issued, as abandoning residence may result in a declaration of incompetence by the embassy or consulate and, consequently, refusal to issue the visa.

The following documents will be required when applying for a visa:

• a national passport valid for at least 15 months, on which a visa can be affixed;
• two duly completed visa application forms;
• two recent passport-size photographs;
• a certificate of background check covering the last 5 years (if the foreigner is in possession of a work permit, a certificate of good conduct covering the last year is sufficient). If the third-country national has legally resided in more than one country over the past five years, a certificate of good conduct must be requested in each country of residence;
• an original work permit, a signed hosting agreement (scientific visa) with a recognized Belgian research center, a professional card or proof of sufficient financial sources;
• proof of payment of the contribution for the long-stay visa (fee);
• a visa fee.

Spouses

Spouses of third-country nationals are generally required to present the following documents to the embassy or consulate:

• a national passport valid for at least 12 months, on which a visa can be affixed;
• two completed visa application forms;
• two recent passport photographs;
• an official copy of the marriage or registered partnership certificate and birth certificate;
• an official copy of the divorce decree, divorce certificate or death certificate of the previous spouse if previously married;
• a certificate of good conduct covering the last 5 years, to be requested from the police authorities in the place of residence abroad. If the spouse has legally resided in more than one country over the past five years, the certificate must be requested in each country of residence;
• an original legalized medical certificate;
• proof that the spouse is covered for health and sickness expenses during his/her stay in Belgium ;
• proof that the spouse will have decent accommodation during his/her stay in Belgium (only in the case where the spouse submits
• a visa application while the third-country national is already residing in Belgium);
• a visa fee.

Children

Finally, children of third-country nationals under the age of 18 will need to present the following documents to the embassy or consulate:

• a national passport valid for at least 12 months, on which a visa can be affixed;
• two visa application forms, duly completed, dated and signed by the parents;
• two recent passport-size photographs;
• an official copy of the birth certificate;
• an official statement from the child's guardian or the divorced parent with whom the child does not live, indicating that the child may leave the country and settle in Belgium (if applicable);
• a visa fee.

For children aged 18 or over, proof that they are dependent on their parents will be required. Please note that this is a question of fact that will be decided by the Belgian immigration services. It is not possible to fill in a standard form in this respect or to provide a standard document.

For certain visa applications, a fee must be paid in advance to the Immigration Office. Proof of payment must be provided with other documents when submitting the visa application.

Changing status after settling in Belgium may also give rise to the payment of a fee.

The amount of this fee varies according to the reason for your stay: study (doctorate) (€207), research (post-doc or other) (€363), work (contract with work permit) (€363).

However, you may be exempt from paying this fee if you submit a form completed by the University of Namur. This exemption applies to scholarship students and scholarship researchers. Contact the Researchers Helpdesk if you think you may be entitled to this exemption.

As with the whole visa application procedure, you should first contact the Belgian consular authority in your place of residence to find out exactly what documents you need to provide, as well as the amount of fees to be paid and how to pay them.

Further information: https://dofi.ibz.be/en/themes/faq/fee

This is only for holders of an employment contract.

The single permit is the combination of the residence permit and the work permit. The conditions for issuing the single permit are the same as for the work permit.

Situation requiring a single permit

In Belgium, current regulations stipulate that any employer wishing to employ a foreign worker (non-EU national) in the country must first apply for and obtain a single permit for that worker.

There are different types of single permit in Belgium:

• Type A single permit: this is issued (provided all the necessary conditions are met) for an indefinite period and is valid for all employers on Belgian territory. It is granted to foreign nationals who can justify 4 years of work covered by a single type B permit, during a maximum uninterrupted period of residence of 10 years.
• Single type B permit: this is a temporary permit (valid for a maximum of 12 months but renewable) and is strictly limited to a single employer.
• Type C single permit: this is valid for one year (but is renewable) for all salaried jobs and is granted to people with a specific residency status, such as students, refugees, etc.

How to apply?

The employer in Belgium is responsible for applying for the right to employ a foreign citizen and for the type B single permit.

More than 30 single permit exemptions exist in Belgium, some of which are applicable to researchers and students under certain conditions.

At the University of Namur, the Human Resources department (contact person: Ms. Anaïs Laurent) submits the single permit application to the administration of the Walloon Region. Once the Walloon Region has granted the work permit, it forwards the file to the Immigration Office, which must rule on the residence permit.

Prolongation of the single permit

Your single permit must be renewed every year. The University's human resources department will request it and inform you as soon as it is available at the commune.

In application when you receive a salary. An employment contract exists as soon as you take a job at the University. You sign it when you arrive at the University's Compensation Unit.

Restricted to researchers from non-EU countries. This document is required for certain single permit applications. You don't need to do anything. UNamur's administrative services will produce it.

For any stay of more than 3 months, a Belgian temporary residence permit is granted for a maximum period of one year, but is renewable. Depending on the reason(s) for granting the residence permit, different documents may be required to extend a Belgian temporary residence permit.

Steps

The procedure takes place in three stages:

• First visit: you must justify your presence in Namur with official documents. You will receive a registration request certificate (Appendix 15 or Appendix 19).
• Within one month, a neighborhood or proximity agent will visit your home. He/she will check that the address corresponds to your place of residence. There's no problem if you're not at home when he arrives, in which case he'll make an appointment with you. Once this has been done, he sends a report to the municipal administration.
• At the end of the following two weeks, you are then invited to finalize the registration and hand in any documents you didn't have on the first visit.
  European citizens can choose between a paper residence permit or an electronic card (costing 23.00 euros and requiring two additional passport photos). Non-Europeans will need to apply for an electronic card (costing 23.00 euros and requiring two additional passport photos).

As soon as you have received your code by post, you can go to the Mairie to collect your identity card. Remember to bring the provisional document, your passport or national identity card, and the code you've received.

Note: For long stays (over six months), we recommend opting for the electronic card. It deteriorates less easily and is generally better accepted by banks, health insurance companies and hospitals, as the electronic chip allows your data to be updated quickly.

European nationals

For a stay of more than 3 months, EU nationals can enter Belgium by presenting a valid identity card or passport. They do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Belgium.

You must register in person with the municipal administration of the town of intended residence. You must present the following documents to the commune:

• passport or national identity card;
• proof of employment and sufficient financial resources;
• rental contract;
• 3 passport photos;
• attestation of medical insurance;
• for PhD students: standard form template
• 6 €.

Spouse and children will need to provide the following documents:

• passport;
• original legalized marriage certificate / original legalized birth certificate (or international birth certificate);
• original legalized translation of marriage certificate / birth certificate, issued by a sworn translator. Some communes accept documents in English;
• 3 passport photos;
• proof of medical insurance.

Please note that these lists are not exhaustive. Depending on the case, additional documents or information may be required. The commune will provide the EU national with proof of registration.

Non-EU nationals

Non-EU nationals planning to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days will need to register with the commune administration in their town of residence in Belgium (within 8 days of arrival in Belgium) and obtain a Belgian identity card.

To obtain a Belgian identity card for foreigners, you will need to present the following documents to the Belgian communal authorities:

• original passport, including type D visa;
• original work permit, host agreement (for researchers employed by a recognized research institute), professional card or proof of sufficient financial sources;
• rental contract;
• 3 passport photos;
• for PhD students: standard form template
• 6 €.

Third-country nationals who have lived in another EU country immediately prior to their arrival in Belgium must provide a background check certificate issued by their country's competent authorities.

To enable a spouse to complete a registration application form, the following documents must be presented:

• the original passport, including type D visa;
• 3 passport photos;
• the original legalized marriage certificate;
• an original legalized translation of the marriage certificate, issued by a sworn translator (if the original marriage certificate is not issued in Dutch, French or German). Please note that most communes accept documents in English.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. In some cases, additional documents or information may be required.

Extension of residence permit

To extend your residence permit, you must submit the application at least 45 days before the expiry date.

Required documents:

• Valid residence permit;
• passport;
• proof of employment and sufficient financial resources;
• health insurance certificate;
• 2 passport photos;
• for students only: a progress report on your doctoral research;
• for doctoral students: standard form template
• €23.00 (for e-card only).

If your residence permit has expired, you have not yet received a reply from the Mairie and you have submitted the renewal application at least one month before its expiry date, you can apply for an "annexe 15". You need to go to the town hall with a photo and your residence permit. This document is free and valid for 45 days.

Only for short-stay third-country nationals.

This is issued by the commune.

When your stay does not exceed three months, a single visit is enough to declare your arrival. You will receive a document called a "Declaration of Arrival". If your scientific stay is prolonged and you are not a "Schengen citizen", you must take out a "Welcome to Schengen" insurance policy.

You must inform the municipal authorities of your place of residence and presence in Belgium, in person, by requesting a declaration of arrival. If the foreigner is staying in a hotel, this formality will be completed by the hotel management. In this case, the foreigner will not be physically in possession of a declaration of arrival.

A declaration of arrival can be obtained from the municipal authorities of the city where the foreigner resides. To obtain this document, the foreigner will need to present himself or herself within 10 days of arrival, with a passport and three passport photos. Some municipal authorities require payment of a fee.

In practice, this formality is virtually never completed by foreigners, and there are no penalties for non-compliance.

Documents to be provided:

• Passport;
• Lease contract;
• 3 passport photos.

In Namur, this document is free of charge.

Extension of declaration of arrival

As soon as you are informed that your stay initially planned for a maximum of 90 days is being extended, you must request an extension of your declaration of arrival.

You must go to the town hall with the following documents:

• passport;
• declaration of arrival (the document you received from the town hall when you registered);
• any official document proving that the extension of your stay is approved for scientific work ;
• the "Welcome to Schengen" insurance.

Only for short-stay EU nationals, this is issued by the commune.

When your stay does not exceed three months, all you need to do is visit the town hall once to declare your arrival. You will receive a document called a "Declaration of Presence".

For a stay of less than three months, EU nationals can enter Belgium by presenting a valid identity card or passport. They do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Belgium.

Under Belgian law, all foreigners staying in Belgium for less than 90 days must inform the municipal authorities of their place of residence by requesting a declaration of presence within 10 days of arrival. If a foreigner is staying in a hotel, the hotel management will take care of this formality. (In practice, however, this formality is virtually never completed by foreigners, and there are no penalties for non-compliance). You must keep your "Declaration of Presence" with your national identity document (passport, identity card).

Documents required:

• Passport or national identity card;
• 1 passport photo;
• Rental contract.

In Namur, this document is free of charge.

Only for students from countries bordering Belgium (France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany) for a maximum stay of one year.
In this case, you remain domiciled in your country of origin and are not taxed in Belgium. This document is very useful when you don't receive any money from Belgium.

You can request this document from the commune. The documents required are as follows:

• National identity card or passport;
• Accommodation rental contract;
• Attestation of registration as a student at UNamur;
• 3 passport photos;
• 6 euros.

Make sure your mutual insurance company covers you for your stay in Belgium.

You can apply for long-term resident status (residence permit D) if you meet the following conditions (non-exhaustive list):

• you have lived in Belgium for an uninterrupted period of five years;
• you have stable, regular and sufficient means of support: the last 6 pay slips are required;
• you have health insurance (with a mutual insurance company).

This status must be requested from the municipal administration. Find out more

When do you need to legalize documents and how do you apply?

Only students enrolled at the University of Namur are entitled to a student card. This card is issued by the Registrations Department.

A list of sworn translators is available at the Palais de Justice in Namur, located in front of the Faculty of Medicine (Place du Palais de Justice). You can request a free copy of the list of sworn translators from and into the language you require.

Certified copies of documents

When you need to hand over a certified copy of a document, such as a diploma, to an official entity, you must present the original and its photocopy to the communal administration, so that it can certify the photocopy. Copies of documents relating to birth or marriage registers issued by the civil registrar cannot be copied and authenticated by the municipal administration. Please contact your home town.

Practical tip: it's not easy to remember to have all the necessary documents with you at all times. It is advisable to photocopy or scan all documents and leave them in a safe place, and/or save them on a server (not on cell phones, i-pods, i-pads or laptops). This must be done as quickly as possible to avoid any form of fraud or malicious act. It is sometimes possible (but rare) to find your lost papers at the police station if an honest person has found them and taken them away.

Declaration at the police station

When you come to lodge your complaint at the police station, list all important lost or stolen documents (passport, residence permit, bank card, university access card, library card....) and give a description of your wallet, bag, jacket... in which your documents were found.

You will be given a document enabling you to go to the respective administrations to have all your papers redone.

Residence permit

If you have lost your residence permit or had it stolen, the first thing to do is go to the police station where you will be issued with a declaration. This document is only valid in Belgium.

You must then go to the local administration (at the town hall) with this police-issued declaration in order to obtain a new residence permit.

Bank card

Call the following number: +32-(0)70-344 344 to block your card (from an account opened in Belgium). Report the loss or theft of your card to your bank.

Passport, national identity document

If your passport or national identity document has been lost or stolen, the first thing to do is go to the police station where you will be issued with a declaration. You'll need to quote your passport number. Contact your country's embassy in Belgium.