Standing surety for a foreign student or graduate (annex 32)

Do you want to stand surety for a foreign student or graduate? Then sign a ‘formal obligation’ (annex 32). By means of this document you confirm that you will pay for the costs of health care, sojourn and repatriation of this person if they are unable to do so themselves. 

For whom can you stand surety?

  • A student who is not an EU, EEA or Swiss national. The student resides in Belgium for more than 3 months.
  • A graduate who is not an EU, EEA or Swiss national and who is applying for a search year.

AttentionNot intended for a student who is coming to Belgium as a tourist for maximum 3 months. For this purpose, you can sign another formal obligation (‘annex 3bis’).

Can you stand surety?

In order to stand surety, you must have sufficient income.
Check the minimum amount

You must furthermore comply with one of these conditions:

  • You are a Belgian.
  • You are an EU national and you reside in an EU country.
  • You are not an EU national and you have permanent stay in an EU country.
  • You are not an EU national and you are one of the following family members:
    • Spouse or legal partner
    • Parent, parent-in-law or stepparent
    • Child, child-in-law or stepchild
    • Grandparent
    • Grandchild
    • Sibling
    • Cousin (child of sibling)
    • Uncle or aunt (sibling of parent)

You can obtain more information about the conditions from the Immigration Office of the federal authorities.

How long can you stand surety for?

  • For a student
    You can choose between:
    • 1 academic year
    • 1 study course (e.g. bachelor or master)
  • For a search year
    You stand surety for the entire search year.

What do you have to do?

This depends on your situation.

Who do you want to stand surety for? *
What is your situation? *
What is your situation? *

What do you need to do?

Step 1: Come to the city office together with the student

Come along to the appointment which the student made so as to renew their stay. 

We will immediately process the annex 32 as well. We authenticate your signature on the document and verify whether you meet all the conditions. 

What do you need to bring?
  • Proof of identity
    • You are a Belgian: identity card
    • You are not a Belgian: national passport or identity card and Belgian or EU residence permit
  • ‘Formal obligation’ (annex 32)
  • Proof of the kinship
    • Only required if you are a family member who is not an EU national.
    • Not required if you have permanent stay in an EU country.
    • You prove the kinship with one or several birth or marriage certificates. Pay attention to the  rules on translation and legalisation of certificates
  • Proof of your income
    • Employee:
      • 3 most recent pay slips
      • Work contract or employer's certificate 
        At least valid during the academic year or study course for which you want to stand surety 
    • Self-employed:
      • Proof of your income, issued by a public authority
      • Proof of payment of social security contributions
      • Proof of registration with the Crossroads Bank of Enterprises

Step 2: The student applies for renewal of stay

If we approve the annex 32, the student can continue submitting their application for renewal of stay during this appointment. 

Are you unable to come along with the student? 

Make an appointment and come alone.
Pay attention: schedule your appointment shortly before the student's appointment. This way, you avoid the conditions for your income having changed in the period between the 2 appointments.

If you are not in Belgium, you can only make an appointment by phone.
Make an appointment

What do you need to do?

Step 1: Make an appointment in the city office 

How to make an appointment?

If you are not in Belgium, you can only make an appointment by phone.

Make an appointment

What do you need to bring?
  • Proof of identity
    • You are a Belgian: identity card
    • You are not a Belgian: national passport or identity card and Belgian or EU residence permit
  • ‘Formal obligation’ (annex 32)
  • Proof of the kinship
    • Only required if you are a family member who is not an EU national.
    • Not required if you have permanent stay in an EU country.
    • You prove the kinship with one or several birth or marriage certificates. Pay attention to the  rules on translation and legalisation of certificates
  • Proof of your income
    • Employee:
      • 3 most recent pay slips
      • Work contract or employer's certificate 
        At least valid during the academic year or study course for which you want to stand surety 
    • Self-employed:
      • Proof of your income, issued by a public authority
      • Proof of payment of social security contributions
      • Proof of registration with the Crossroads Bank of Enterprises

Step 2: Provide the documents to the student 

Provide these documents to the student:

  • Authenticated annex 32
  • All other documents which you had to bring along during your appointment

What do you need to do?

Step 1: Contact the competent Belgian embassy there

The embassy authenticates your signature on the ‘formal obligation’ (annex 32), verifies whether you meet all the conditions and legalises the document. 

Step 2: Provide the annex 32 to the student 

Provide to the student: 

  • A printout of the annex 32, together with the receipt for legalization (the ‘LegalWeb’ document with QR code that you received from the embassy)  
  • If the Belgian embassy does not yet issue a digital legalisation: the original authenticated and legalised annex 32

Pay attention: check whether the annex 32 carries a stamp ‘sufficient solvency’.

What do you need to do?

Step 1: Make an appointment in the city office 

How to make an appointment?

If you are not in Belgium, you can only make an appointment by phone.

Make an appointment

What do you need to bring?
  • Proof of identity
    • You are a Belgian: identity card
    • You are not a Belgian: national passport or identity card and Belgian or EU residence permit
  • ‘Formal obligation’ (annex 32)
  • Proof of the kinship
    • Only required if you are a family member who is not an EU national.
    • Not required if you have permanent stay in an EU country.
    • You prove the kinship with one or several birth or marriage certificates. Pay attention to the  rules on translation and legalisation of certificates
  • Proof of your income
    • Employee
      • 3 most recent pay slips
      • Work contract or employer's certificate 
        At least valid for the entire search year  
    • Self-employed
      • Proof of your income, issued by a public authority
      • Proof of payment of social security contributions
      • Proof of registration with the Crossroads Bank of Enterprises

Step 2: Provide the documents to the graduate 

Provide these documents to the graduate:

  • Authenticated annex 32
  • All other documents which you had to bring along during your appointment

What do you need to do?

Step 1: Contact the competent Belgian embassy there

The embassy authenticates your signature on the ‘formal obligation’ (annex 32), verifies whether you meet all the conditions and legalises the document. 

Step 2: Provide the annex 32 to the graduate 

Provide to the graduate:

  • A printout of the annex 32, together with the receipt for legalization (the ‘LegalWeb’ document with QR code that you received from the embassy)  
  • If the Belgian embassy does not yet issue a digital legalisation: the original authenticated and legalised annex 32

Pay attention: check whether the annex 32 carries a stamp ‘sufficient solvency’.

More information

Do you have a question?

Contact us. We are happy to help you.

Call us

016 27 21 94

Mail us

nietbelgen@leuven.be
We will get back to you as soon as possible.
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