Menu
Expat.com

Partner of an EU citizen - moving to Brussels for family reunion.

Post new topic

Clouderzzz

Hello everyone,


I am writing this message in order to ask your help/recommendations/suggestions. Thank you so much in advance for your time.


I am a NON-EU citizen living in France with my partner who is a French citizen (we are PACSE). I have a French student resident permit that will expire in mid-february. My partner found a job in Brussels and she will start to work on 20th of January. We have found an appartment and we signed a rental contract together.  We will be moving together and living together. I will be accompanying her. We have both an appointment with the commune on 27th of january to register with the commune. Since my residence permit will be expired on mid-february, should i do something about it or everything is ok since we are registring before the expiration of my residence permit ?


Thank you so much.


Cheers

AlexFromBelgium

Hello,


as you have a legal partnership (PACS) from France, which is recognized in Belgium and is assimilated to legal cohabitant, you've the right of free movement within the Schengen area as you're following your partner to live abroad.


Basically your stay will depend on the fact that your partner is working and you'll cost 0€ to our government.

So, 0 problem.

Don't forget to bring ID pictures with you, your old resident permit + your passport :cheers:

Clouderzzz

@AlexFromBelgium thank you so much for your reply :)


I don't understand why, the commune was telling me that PACS is not recognized in Belgium as equivalent to "Cohabitation Legal" and there for they can register me as partenaire de fait and my PACS will be a document that works as proof of relation with my partner. However, i am a bit shocked that Belgium wouldn't recognize a partnership from a fellow EU country !?!?


My french residence permit is valid until 10th of february. We are both moving on 20th of january to Brussels and we have an appointment in the commune on 27th january. We took 1 appointment for me and 1 for my partner as suggested by the commune.  As i wont have a permit after 10th of february, the fact that we register together in the end of january is ok for me ? The thing is i contacted the Belgian Consulate in Paris and they told me that I wont need a visa and i should directly go to the commune to do the application. I am afraid that the process of getting the orange card will take some time and my residence permit will be expired during this time. For instance, agent de quartier will check my residence permit or he checks only if i am living in this place and i just show a valid passport ?


I wont cost anything to the Belgian state 1f601.svg as my partner has a job and i have some savings that will allow me to live until i find a job!


Once again thank you for your reply Alex :)

AlexFromBelgium

French Pacs is recognized as a partnership, but as the laws between France & Belgium are different, pacs is not exactly the legal cohabitation in Belgium. That's normal.

Althrough what matter is that the relationship is recognized in EU and that grant you access to follow your partner abroad without a visa, that's all that really matter right now.

And yeah, you don't need a visa because your partnership with an EU is recognized. Simple. You've 10 millions more rights than any other 3th country, just because of that.


If your partner or you don't cancel the PACS in France, you've 0 issue for your legal stay in Belgium.


As long as there's a renewal/new process ongoing in Belgium, you've zero issue about your right to stay, even if your current french resident permit expire. You're on time and you come in Belgium with legal stay, 0 problem, don't worry and just follow the process (orange card until you get the F card, after your partner get the E card)

Clouderzzz

@AlexFromBelgium once again thank you so much for your answer :) Looking forward to our appointment in the commune. We'll be registering both together on the same day.

The only problem is, my orange card probably wont give me the right to work :( As far as i understood, if they wont register me as "partenariat enregistré conformément à une loi" then, I do not have the right to work until they issue me an F card which will take aprox. 6 months.

Articles to help you in your expat project in Belgium

  • Work permit in Belgium
    Work permit in Belgium

    When moving to Belgium, you'll probably need to work to maintain a decent lifestyle. Suppose you're lucky ...

  • The Working Holiday Visa for Belgium
    The Working Holiday Visa for Belgium

    Energetic and carefree, Belgium is undeniably a country that welcomes foreigners warmly. But above all, Belgium is ...

  • Visas for Belgium
    Visas for Belgium

    You'll likely need a visa, even for a brief visit when entering Belgium. If you want to make this country your ...

  • A guide to Brussels' neighbourhoods
    A guide to Brussels' neighbourhoods

    A very safe and laid-back city to live and work in, Brussels has many different sides for expats and tourists to ...

  • Doing an internship in Belgium
    Doing an internship in Belgium

    Students usually have to do an internship to validate their academic training. What's the process of doing an ...

  • Buying a car in Belgium
    Buying a car in Belgium

    Some formalities apply when buying a vehicle in Belgium, both before and after the sale. Here's what to expect.

  • Buying property in Brussels
    Buying property in Brussels

    Compared with other European capitals, buying property in Brussels is very affordable. Consequently, it's ...

  • Buying a property in Belgium
    Buying a property in Belgium

    The real estate in Belgium has the reputation of being relatively cheaper than its neighbors. We'll give you ...

All of Belgium's guide articles