Applying for permanent residence

Where to apply?

At the municipality where you reside.

For whom?

You have an EU card, an annex 8 or an E card

You are free to apply for permanent residence yourself, but this is not mandatory. You will then obtain an EU+ card. It is valid for 10 years.

You have an M card

You are free to apply for permanent residence yourself, but this is not mandatory. You will then obtain an M+ card. It is valid for 10 years.

You have an A or H card

We recommend that you apply for permanent residence yourself, as you will no longer have to apply for renewal of your stay. Sometimes the Immigration Office of the federal authorities grants a B card of its own accord.

• You have the residence status 'recognised refugee' or 'subsidiary protection'.
  You can appy for a B card. It is valid for 5 years.
• You do not have the residence status 'recognised refugee' or 'subsidiary protection'.
  You can apply for an L-card. It is valid for 10 years.
  Pay attention:
  • This is not possible if your residence status is ‘medical regularisation’ or ‘humanitarian regularisation’.
  • Neither the family member you are in family reunification with nor yourself may have the residence status 'student' at the time of application.
    

You have a B card

You already have unlimited stay, but you can also apply for permanent residence yourself. You can submit your application immediately after obtaining your B card or at a later stage. You can choose between:

• K card
  It is valid for 10 years.
• L card
  It is valid for 10 years.

You have an F card

You are automatically entitled to permanent residence. Shortly before your F card expires, we will invite you to apply for an F+ card. It is valid for 10 years.

After 5 years, are you no longer living at the same address as the person you are in family reunification with? Then you may have to apply for a K card.

When is it possible to submit your application?

• After you have legally resided in Belgium for minimum 5 years.
  This period must be continuous and immediately precede your application.
• Are you a recognised refugee or have you been granted subsidiary protection?
  You can apply for a B card 5 years after submitting your asylum application (‘application for international protection’).
• Some periods of your stay are only taken into account partially or not at all.
  E.g. a period during which the family member you are in family reunification with or yourself had the residence status 'student', only counts for half.

These are general guidelines, and your specific situation may differ.

What are the consequences?

• You will be registered in the population register
  • Before, you were registered in the foreign nationals register.
  • With a B card, you remain registered in the foreign nationals register.
• You no longer require a work permit
  You no longer require a work permit (single permit) to work in Belgium.
• You can become a Belgian
  You can apply for Belgian nationality if you meet the conditions.
• You can be absent for a longer period
  Check the conditions for a temporary absence from Belgium.

How to apply?

Step 1: Provide us with your information

Provide us with your information, so that we can assess whether you may submit an application for permanent residence.

Attach these documents to your application (in pdf, 1 scan per document):

• National identity card or passport: biodata page (not applicable for recognised refugees)
• Residence card or annex 8
• Do you also want to request information for other family members? Then include their names and Belgian national registration numbers.

Ask whether you can apply for permanent residence

Step 2: We assess your file

• We check whether you meet the conditions.
• If you meet the conditions, we will email you the list of documents required for your application and from which date you may submit your application.
• Who decides on your application?
  • You have an EU or M card
    The city decides on your application. You can skip step 3 and 4.
  • All other cases
    The Immigration Office of the federal authorities will decide on your application. We can only give you advice.

Step 3: Submit an application for permanent residence with the city

What you need to know before you start

• You must add documents. You can check which ones in the email you received from us
  • Add the documents in pdf, 1 scan per document.
  • If possible: upload the documents consisting of several pages or belonging together as 1 pdf file (e.g. upload several pay slips as 1 document so that we have 1 proof of financial income).
• Are you applying for permanent residence for other family members? Then submit an application for each family member separately.
  Does your entire family have the residence status ‘recognised refugee’ or ‘subsidiary protection’, do you live at the same address and are you all eligible for a B card? Then you may submit a single application for all family members.

Apply for permanent residence

Step 4: The Immigration Office processes your application

Do you not have the nationality of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland? And does your residence card expire during the processing period? Then we advise you to still apply for renewal of your stay.

Step 5: Application for residence card

If the Immigration Office or the city approves your application, you will be invited to apply for a new residence card, by appointment.

How to make an appointment?

Online

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

Make appointment for application residence card

Call us

What do you need to bring?

• National passport (not applicable for recognised refugees)
• Current residence card
• Invitation from the city office
• Money: you can pay using cash or a debit/credit card

You do not need to bring a passport-size photo. We will take a photo during your appointment.

Price

• Normal procedure
  € 22
• Expedited procedure
  If the application is submitted before 2 pm​​​​​​, delivery the following working day: € 125