Preparing for Belgium Nationality 2024

Hello,

I think what matters is that you have a PR when you apply for nationality and for PR, 5 years legal continuous stay is required.

If you are able to apply for L or F card next year at exactly the same time and could choose between these two, you should go for the one which takes lesser time to be approved.

Hope this answers your question.

No you don't need to extend the A card if you're applying for a PR card.

You'll receive an annexe from the commune to cover your stay legally in Belgium while waiting for the answer. (that also means NO travel outside Belgium during that timeframe!)

Your question depends if you're working AND need a work permit, or not.

If you need a work permit, then you should switch to the F card IF and ONLY IF your EU partner got +/- 2000€ after tax per month, accomodation (myrent certificate if rent, ownership, in order of mutuality)

But... as you're talking about next year, you should already have requested unlimited work permit after your 4 years of stay...............

If F card is not possible for you, then request the L card if you've been working 5 years straight in Belgium.

If you didn't work 5 years straight, request the B card.

In the end, you'll have your permanent resident card + family member of EU, so............ 0 problem on that part

@AlexFromBelgium Since when is the requirement for L card that person has been WORKING 5 years straight in Belgium?

L card is the previous D card... which is only granted for the one with 5 years of work...

@AlexFromBelgium

Thank you for the response,

At the end you want to say you prefer F Card rather than L Card before applying for nationality?

It doesn't really change anything about the nationality request.

You just need to show that you've a permanent resident card, that's the law's requirement.

Both have pro & con in the administration to do, it will depend on the context.

F card is often way easier to have as long as the partner is working but you'll need to write a history of relationship, show proofs that you need each other for a least 1 year, blablabla it's a very specific context.

L card is more about work documents/tax/...

I would suggest to make sure you have more than 6 months left on your A card when you apply for L or F.

The reason for that is to avoid having to avoid downgrading to orange card. Having an Orange Card just for 50 days as my A card was expiring and I was waiting for F card I encountered all kind of confusion and headache during my nationality application. I had to hire a lawyer just for that and ended up winning but cost me a lot of time and money. My advise is:

1.Renew A card if you can.

2.Check all the requirements.

If you fulfil them apply for F card

If you do not fulfil requirements for F card then check and fulfill requirements for L card.

Anyway I believe F card is easier and as soon you have it and I you have completed 5 years in Belgium then you might be eligible to declare yourself as Belgian national.

@Edigj

Thank you for sharing your experience with us