Obtaining a long term resident status in Belgium

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residencecuriousity Active member

Member since 12 June 2022

residencecuriousityActive member12 June 2022 09:42:10

Hi community,

I have a question regarding obtaining a long term residence status for a non-EU national.

According to this page, one of the conditions to obtain a long term residence status is Uninterrupted legal residence of 5 years (Immediately prior to applying for your permanent resident status, you have an uninterrupted legal residence of 5 years in Belgium.

How uninterrupted residence is defined? Or more precise, what defines an interruption in this case?

I started working in Belgium with a type B work permit, for a period of one year. Although my company applied few months before an expiration date of a work permit, decision for an extension one year after was not made on time (granting a residence for Combined permit, work permit was positive). Municipality issued me Bijlage 49, I was not allowed to work and that document covered a residence right only during wait for a full procedure to be completed. After a few days, I received Bijlage 46 that allowed me to start working again, and received an appointment to get a new Residence Card.

Is my legal residence interrupted in this case, and is period before this problem also counted for a process of obtaining a long term residence status in Belgium?

Thank you in advance for your feedback

Jimsen Contributor

Member since 02 February 2021

JimsenContributor12 June 2022 09:47:59

118

@residencecuriousity

Ask at commune.

Bruusels_be Active member

Member since 23 March 2018

Bruusels_beActive member13 June 2022 06:22:27

Normally, if I’m not very wrong, your stay does not counter with your work permit renewal etc. As long as you don’t leave the country more than 6 months.

To obtain RP you have to pay certain amount of tax for certain days which is a separate criteria.

Aneesh Belgium expert

Member since 11 April 2010

AneeshBelgium expert13 June 2022 13:14:01

2000

Count 5 years from the date of issue of your first residence permit. Break in job due to delay in renewal of work permit should ideally not be considered as an interruption in your stay.

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