Permanent residence (B card)

@Fahdijbeli If you check website of Antwerpen, there is stated that you cannot submit an application for B card. The Immigration Department of the Federal Public Service Home Affairs (FPS-BZ) decides when you will be granted an unlimited stay. The Immigration Office will only consider this 5 years after your residence application.

https://www.antwerpen.be/product/elektronische-vreemdelingenkaart-b

If you meet the conditions, at the next extension of the A card (when  you submit required documents), they will grant you a B card.

Hi @residencecuriousity,

The commune told me that I am eligible from 10/12/2023 (previous year), the thing is that before that date on 01/10/2023 I changed the employer and hence my new A card will be valid till 2026 (3 years), this is not fair because I would like also to apply for the nationality so I could have unrestricted jobs, I got rejected many times from employers because I do not have the nationality (especially when the employer works with government, like providing services to the defense ministry,etc). I am not sure if there is any other type of card I can apply so I would be eligible for the nationality ? if I wait for 2026 it means I am going to get the card after 8 years and not 5 years. this is very strange and people in Brussels they changed to the permanent residency without waiting for the renewal.

Why not apply for L-card if you have worked for 5 years, you don't have to wait for the expiry then.

@hssn601

Yes it is in my plan, I do not know why the commune suggested to me the B card, when I asked them for a permanent residency I did not mention I want a B card or L card, I just mentioned I want a permanent residency and they stared talking only about B card. May be I will elaborate the L card in this case, thanks.

You just go there and ask you want to apply for L card and you are eligible for that, they will send you application to ibz then and give you annex 16.

@hssn601 Yes thank you, I just took an appointment with them to discuss this.

Normally small communes don't have enough knowledge about these. Ask them again for L card application. I think the B card is no more available (unless converted from a 4 year card)