New Single Work Permit Procedure - Belgium

Hello Everyone

I finally had received my single permit and Visa from Belgium consulate in New york at end of Feb. I was planning to arrive in Mid march but due to corona situation I delayed my trip.  I plan to come in June to Belgium

My question is since I have valid long term VISA D - Am I allowed Entry into Belgium or not? According to IBZ website only essential travel is allowed. Is travelling for job considered essential travel?

My furniture from US was already shipped to Brussels and I am staying with family in US for the time being.

I cannot delay my move any further, If I do not come by end of June, I will not be able to come at all.

Thanks

I don’t see any issue, with D visa type should not be any issues with entering the country even due to corona, if only there’s a flight available.

Hi,

Have a look on Belgian Embassy website. You will find the actual position of Belgium.

https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium … d-19-virus

My application was accepted on 27 jan, I am not in a hurry for my sp  but wanted to check the status. I got a mail like this from Brussels region

Please verify directly with the competent services for residence (Immigration Offices) the status of your file.

I kindly recommend you to inform them as well that all files has been send to the immigration office on the general address for single permit on 03/05/2020 at 09.43

Do not hesitate to transfer this mail to the Immigration Office

Does that mean my wp is issued and sent to immigration office for  residence permit

gskataria1 wrote:

Hello Everyone

I finally had received my single permit and Visa from Belgium consulate in New york at end of Feb. I was planning to arrive in Mid march but due to corona situation I delayed my trip.  I plan to come in June to Belgium

My question is since I have valid long term VISA D - Am I allowed Entry into Belgium or not? According to IBZ website only essential travel is allowed. Is travelling for job considered essential travel?

My furniture from US was already shipped to Brussels and I am staying with family in US for the time being.

I cannot delay my move any further, If I do not come by end of June, I will not be able to come at all.

Thanks

End of June seems safe, our schedule here is 4 Mai - Stores that can keep the social distance, 11 Mai - All remaining stores, 18 Mai - Some restaurants (No buffets) and Schools, 8 June - Everything else and Travels (but again this is Belgium, doesn't mean external).

I recommend to keep an eye on these decisions, they are changing everytime. And as your visa is Belgium, i recommend your Immigration to be on Belgium, not other EU.

Thank you. I will wait and see. But right now hardly any flights to Belgium. I can find some flights to Amsterdam not sure if it will cause any issues with immigration in Amsterdam and driving across the Border to Belgium.
I will wait till early June to see flights get started to Belgium or take the risk of going to Amsterdam.

gskataria1 wrote:

Thank you. I will wait and see. But right now hardly any flights to Belgium. I can find some flights to Amsterdam not sure if it will cause any issues with immigration in Amsterdam and driving across the Border to Belgium.
I will wait till early June to see flights get started to Belgium or take the risk of going to Amsterdam.

Usually is the same, to be fair Zaventem is a HUB for only few companies, the biggest international companies will fly to Schiphol, Paris, London. You can have a Flying here, but with a stop. Brussel Airlines will only restart flying after 1 June.

In usual times you won't have any problem, but in these confuse times i hard to say. Probably Schiphol is a safe option, even you if can't find a fly here (to Charleroi in this case) you can pick a Train (there is one each 15min).

just avoid the Charles de Gaulle as a Stop.

Hi. I don't know if you already checked United Airlines. There are plenty of flight offered there directly to Belgium from JFK airport. Prices around $1.5K Good luck with your move to Belgium.

Hi everyone

Please can you start a new thread regarding flights, you are going off-topic as this topic is regarding New Single Work Permit Procedure.

SimCityAT
Expat Team

SimCityAT wrote:

Hi everyone

Please can you start a new thread regarding flights, you are going off-topic as this topic is regarding New Single Work Permit Procedure.

SimCityAT
Expat Team

Hi mate,

If you only look the title, you're right. But if you read the first post, you're wrong.

But whatever, it's great to have you on our forum.

Have a nice day

Hello everyone,

Finally received my Single Permit today, so I thought I would share the timeline with you that are still waiting:

Region: Brussels
Submission: 04/12/2019
Admissibility: 09/01/2020 (only communicated along with the WP)
Work Permit: 22/01/2020
Single Permit (Annex 46): 07/05/2020

The Single Permit was sent today (08/05/2020) via email to my employer, with me and with the local consulate-general responsible for visa emissions in copy.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned here that I contacted the dofi helpdesk and got as a response that they "had not find any process under my name". I guess it was just a misplacement, as the final decision still came under the 4 months time range.

Now waiting for the consulate general to restart the suspended visa activities if the deconfinement plan goes well, hopefully.

Good luck to all still waiting

Hello,

Please kindly help me.

I am moving to Ghent on single permit in June. I read that I will submit Rental contract as part of the documents required during City hall registration.
Is 3-months rental contract (without domicle) accepted by City Hall?

Also, I learnt you have to register within the first 8 days upon your arrival. what happens if you delay due to accommodation search.?

No, you need a formal and official Belgian rent contract, and in your name.

Why would you delay? You just need to go to the City hall present yourself, with the Passaport and Annex 46/47. Then you can have your time and look for a permanent residence.

They do not accept any non-permanent residence, and do not even try to use these addresses.

fmmaciel wrote:

Hello everyone,

Finally received my Single Permit today, so I thought I would share the timeline with you that are still waiting:

Region: Brussels
Submission: 04/12/2019
Admissibility: 09/01/2020 (only communicated along with the WP)
Work Permit: 22/01/2020
Single Permit (Annex 46): 07/05/2020

The Single Permit was sent today (08/05/2020) via email to my employer, with me and with the local consulate-general responsible for visa emissions in copy.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned here that I contacted the dofi helpdesk and got as a response that they "had not find any process under my name". I guess it was just a misplacement, as the final decision still came under the 4 months time range.

Now waiting for the consulate general to restart the suspended visa activities if the deconfinement plan goes well, hopefully.

Good luck to all still waiting

Great! Boa Sorte!
If you need any help don't hesitate to contact me.

Berheme wrote:

Hello,

Please kindly help me.

I am moving to Ghent on single permit in June. I read that I will submit Rental contract as part of the documents required during City hall registration.
Is 3-months rental contract (without domicle) accepted by City Hall?

Also, I learnt you have to register within the first 8 days upon your arrival. what happens if you delay due to accommodation search.?

You just have to go to the commune and let them know that you havent found a permanent accommodation yet. They will give you a future time-period by which you will have to find something permanent.

For me, When I went to register, they asked me to come back when I have a permanent rental contract. So its not a big issue. Just present yourself at the commune in 8 days of your arrival.

Thanks
Arjun

Thank you

fmmaciel wrote:

Hello everyone,

Finally received my Single Permit today, so I thought I would share the timeline with you that are still waiting:

Region: Brussels
Submission: 04/12/2019
Admissibility: 09/01/2020 (only communicated along with the WP)
Work Permit: 22/01/2020
Single Permit (Annex 46): 07/05/2020

The Single Permit was sent today (08/05/2020) via email to my employer, with me and with the local consulate-general responsible for visa emissions in copy.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned here that I contacted the dofi helpdesk and got as a response that they "had not find any process under my name". I guess it was just a misplacement, as the final decision still came under the 4 months time range.

Now waiting for the consulate general to restart the suspended visa activities if the deconfinement plan goes well, hopefully.

Good luck to all still waiting

Congratulations! Hopefully mine will be also out soon...

Hi All. 
I have got two question regarding Visa D documents.
1. It is mentioned that the apostille of birth certificate and marriage certificate should NOT BE MORE THAN 6 MONTHS OLD. Is this true?
Any experience?
2. Same goes for Police Clearance Certificate not being more than 6 months old and Medical not being more than 3 months old. Any experience? We will be missing this requirement of time by a few weeks if the visa application resumes by end of this month in our country.

Would appreciate a response on this. Thanks.

you'll need more recent certificates... at least your civil act.
The embassy should tell you about that, not us

In my case, when I applied birth and marriage certificates was valid just 1 week after (considering the 6 months, but still valid).
They complain a little but it passed (again, they were still valid).

You can verify if your consulate, but they hardly will accept. But again, don't come to Belgium without the VISA, get Family reunion is 10000x harder then present the correct documents in the embassy.

After getting the SP, is there maximum time period during which Visa D has to be applied?  My employer is putting the contract on hold. But I am curious as to.how long the SP stays valid in order to apply the visa? This is for Flanders, WP is for 3 years.

Hi guys my single permit got approved today and want to share with you the timeline
WP Application:26/02/2020
Required additional document on 12/04/2020
WP Approval on 29/05/2020
SP Approval:27/05/2020
Good luck for all.

Congratz

Thanks a lot Alex and really appreciate your advises given earlier in private message.

Finally got my single permit approved

WP Application:09/01/2020
WP Approval on 04/02/2020
SP Approval:26/05/2020

I guess all I had to do was to wait!

Good luck to who ever is waiting!

Hello, Please how many days does it usually take (on average) for the police to pay visit to the address  after arrival declaring at Ghent City hall in recent times?

Legally speaking, they've 21 days calendar to do the first check.

If you're not there, and if I remember correctly they've 2-3 weeks to do the second visit.
If you're still not there, an appointment must be made (meaning you've to call them)

Someone said it takes 2 to three month for the police to visit? Is this true? does it take this long sometimes?

no, legally speaking no.
They have 21 days calendar to do the first visit.


Now... some communes are specialized and known to not respect the laws, especially some in Brussels...



As an example, in my commune, it took 6 days for the first visit of the police to check that my girlfriend was living at the same address as me. (it was on a Saturday)

One month ago, I I gave the family reunion file at the commune so my girlfriend could receive her F card. The police came the next day (on Saturday too).

So it really depends on the commune where you're living

Thank you so much

Yeah, the 21 days is correct, by my experience is a little longer, not much.

I my case was like 4 weeks for the visit + 2 week till I get the letter from the Gemeentehuis, so was ok. 
But my neighbor moved a little before Lockdown, took like 6 weeks for the visit, and + 4 for the letter. 

So don't worry much about it, just be sure if you work to inform your available time to them.

Hi guys,
I want to post my single permit application process timings.

WP Application:02/06/2020
WP Application (asked to fill in the consulate details and attached medical certificate and PCC): 16/06/2020
WP Application (documents complete status from Wallonia): 26/06/2020

Waiting for WP and SP soon. Let me know if any of you received SP these days and what is the time frame nowadays.

Hello everyone.

I recently got married to a belgian national, and fortunately was able to get a work contract with my company’s operation in Belgium. My employer‘s consultant has maintained that it is much faster to get a single permit that applying for family reunification and has asked me not to initiate that process. They mentioned that the permit will be approved within 30 days and I can apply for a visa in the consulate in NY right after. I have had trouble getting them to respond to questions since between COVID and summer, it’s been hard to get a hold of them. I find the Belgian websites fairly confusing.

1. Now based on other posts in this forum, it seems like the approval process takes much longer than 30 days. Has anyone received their single permit within a month?

2. What is the difference between single permit and blue card application process other than the wage limit? I’m not entirely certain what application has been lodged in Flanders. I thought it was single permit, but I’m not sure since my company paid 363 administrative fee. The website for Flanders mentions single permit is free.

3. The embassy’s website in the US states that they are only processing visa for “highly skilled employee’s“ with code B29 in their single permit. I haven’t been able to find what this B29 code refers to. Does anyone know what it means?

Thanks in advance for your response. I’m not sure someone probably answered this before, and I did go through several pages on this thread and in the forum before posting this. It is quite a take to go through 40 pages, but I think I covered 25% of the posts on here! 😁

My company renewed my single permit but I'm already staying here so it took just 2 weeks. First time to apply was last year and process took 3 months. I think they have revised there methods now. But 3 months usually. The money your company paid is administrative fee. Everyone pays that when processing Belgium single permit for the first time. The B...thing is the type of work permit. So yah youre in that categor. But don't apply for a Visa before getting the Annex 46. Unless you want a rejected stamp on your passport. Wait for the single permit to be accepted. Book an appointment at the embassy, print and take the necessary documents with you to the appointment.

Thanks. Thats useful. I had planned to move out of my apartment and ship my stuff in August based on the 30 day lead time. I guess I will have to wait until approval to finalize my move.

Hi Swethamani

From what I've heard and my own experience (check out a previous post of mine for summary of SP approval times)  a standard single permit takes way longer than 30 days. It looks like a 'B29' is a special type of Single Permit so maybe this is fast-tracked. 

It's possible that your new company is using the services of Besox or someone that specializes in these visas (the HR is often just as confused as we are), so ask if they can give you the contact details of these people.

Well yes and no. If you could arrive legaly in Belgium as a tourist (like before the corona), you could do the family reunion from Belgium immediately because she's Belgian...
You'd get your """work permit""" in 2 weeks, as family member of EU doesn't need WP...
But that's not the case in these strange time right now...



So, yes they're right, let them do the unique work permit.
When you arrive in Belgium, get your A card at the commune.
Once you receive it, do start the family reunion from your commune.
No more work permit needed when you start the process, and you'll get your F card 6 months later.
(But you'll still have to pay around 200€ for the family reunion)


Before the covid, some single permit were done really fast depending of your country of origin (less than 3 weeks for the ones done by my company in Madagascar), but the generic time frame is +/- 4 months.
Family reunion 6 months.


Bring your certificate of birth & certificate of marriage with you, and most probably your criminal record too. (fresh news one before coming in Belgium)
+ apostile/legalization+translation

The 363€ is the normal fee for the work permit ( articles 9,  9bis, 61/11 & 61/27, law 15/12/1980 - article 25/2 from the 08/10/1981);


B29 is the code for high skill workers (which are currently allowed to come in Belgium during the covid19)

Thank you. I see you created an excel with averages. That is useful!

Thanks! My husband did already pay the EUR200 fee. At that time travel exemption for single permit holders was not available and we thought family reunification was the only way. Hopefully two payments won’t cause an issue. 😬 oh well!

We’ll see how long this process takes for me.

Does anyone change job with Belgium recently and can you please share  work permit timeline