Obtaining a residence permit in Belgium in two ways - quickly or cheaply in times of crisis

Advantages of investing in Belgium

Belgium is one of the most developed and largest trading countries in Europe. It is very attractive to investors and businessmen due to its developed infrastructure, open economy and government support for business. They are offered a range of benefits and discounts in exchange for their contribution to the Belgian economy.

• Modern, open and highly developed economy
• Developed transport infrastructure
• Tax benefits for business
• Highly skilled and productive multilingual workforce
• High living standards
• High level of education and healthcare
• Safe and stable environment with low crime rates
• Easy transport links around the world
• No residency requirements
• Residence permit for the whole family
• Dual citizenship is recognized

Procedure for obtaining a Single Permit

The maximum duration of obtaining a permit usually does not take more than 4 months. In order to start the process, you do not need to visit our office; all necessary documents can be sent by courier. The procedure goes through the following stages:

After issuing a residence permit card, you have the right to begin the procedure of reunification with your family. To do this, you need to start the procedure for obtaining a D visa.

After receiving all the necessary permits, it is necessary to register a company or branch through which wages will be paid. At the moment, the fixed minimum for the year is 46,000 euros.

After a year, the residence permit card must be renewed. This will be possible if taxes have been paid regularly throughout the year. Their size is about 50% of earnings. If there are no plans to renew your residence permit, then you may not need to register with the social fund. Thus, the residence permit status will remain for a calendar year without the possibility of further extension.

To maintain residence permit status, the following conditions must be met:

• Pay due taxes
• Have your own mailbox.

Requirements and conditions

The main applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Other requirements:

• No criminal record or violations of immigration laws.
• Good reputation.
• Relevant experience for entrepreneurs.
• Availability of funds for investment.
• Personal presence when submitting an application.

After three years of legal and permanent residence in Belgium with annual renewal of your residence permit, you will be able to apply for permanent residence in Belgium.

On what basis can Russians obtain permanent residence in Belgium?

Russians who do not have additional citizenship of the European Union can obtain Belgian citizenship solely on the basis of a previously obtained residence permit. Reasons for applying for a Belgian residence permit may be as follows:

• Family reunion;
• Availability of a work permit in Belgium; Official marriage with a Belgian citizen;
• Getting an education at one of the Belgian universities;
• Productive business conduct in Belgium;
• Direction of investment flow into the economy of the country in question;
• Acquisition of personal residential or corporate property on the territory of the state in question.

Belgium is not one of the European Union countries that readily accept refugees. However, in some cases, Russian citizens may request political asylum from the Belgian consulate. However, this petition will be accepted only if the applicant is in real danger on the territory of the Russian Federation, and further stay in his homeland threatens him with death.

Required documents for residence permit

The main step before obtaining Belgian citizenship is obtaining a residence permit. For this procedure, you will need documentation from the list below:

• Foreign passport valid at the time of submission of documents;
• 4 color visa photographs of standard format (3.5-4.5);
• European-style medical insurance;
• Certificate of absence of unsealed criminal records in the territory of the country in which the citizen has lived for the last 5 years;
• Medical certificate confirming the absence of severe infectious and sexually transmitted diseases;
• Acts confirming the existence of personal or rented housing in Belgium (lease or sale agreement);
• Fiscal details confirming the financial viability of the applicant for a residence permit in Belgium;
• Documentary grounds for granting a residence permit (documents on enrollment in a university, employment as employees, work permit, etc.).

Important! All Russian documents from the above list must be submitted in the form of original acts and notarized and legalized photocopies attached to them. Also, Russian documents require official translation.

Do they provide permanent residence when buying real estate in Belgium?

Purchasing your own real estate in Belgium not only does not guarantee permanent residence, but also does not guarantee the issuance of a residence permit. However, the presence of own or rented living space is a leading requirement for granting an interested person a Belgian residence permit (with the exception of refugee status). Below is a list of other requirements for an applicant for a Belgian residence permit:

• Stable income (at least 2,000 euros per month);
• Availability of health insurance;
• Absence of problems with the law both at home and in the country of destination;
• Satisfactory state of health;
• Knowledge of the state language at the communication level.

It must be taken into account that a Belgian residence permit does not always allow you to work in the territory of this country. According to this criterion, the residence permit is divided into the following categories:

• Blue Card - issued to students and graduates of Belgian universities, as well as employees of higher or intermediate qualifications;
• Red-white-red card - issued to rare and necessary specialists in Belgium;
• Without the right to work - provided to wealthy citizens who do not need to work in Belgium.

In any case, having your own living space will make it easier and faster to obtain the status of a Belgian citizen.

How to obtain Belgian citizenship

After five years of legal and permanent residence in Belgium immediately before applying for citizenship, a permanent resident can apply for a Belgian passport and become an EU citizen. The following conditions must be met:

• Having a permanent residence permit in Belgium for the last 2 years before applying for Belgian citizenship.
• Proof of legal residence in Belgium.
• Registration with the local population registration authority.
• Knowledge of French/Dutch/German.
• Knowledge of the Belgian lifestyle.
• Social and economic integration.
• No criminal record and good reputation.
• No debts to the tax and other authorities.

Belgium recognizes dual citizenship, so there is no need to renounce your first citizenship. After receiving a Belgian passport, you can live, study and work in any EU country.

Immigration to Belgium from Russia

Russian citizens have access to several ways to legally move to Belgium in 2021. Job

Belgians and EU citizens have the priority right to find a job. An employer can employ a Russian citizen if he has a permit issued by the Ministry of Labor. In addition, you will have to prove the absence of suitable candidates from among the applicants who are citizens of Belgium or EU countries. Such tactics help reduce unemployment and reduce the influx of labor migrants.

Holders of professional cards and work permits of categories A, B and C, which differ from each other in terms of validity and working conditions, can legally immigrate to Belgium:

• Category A permits are issued to hired workers (validity is unlimited, change of place of work is allowed).
• Category B permits are suitable for Russians working for a specific company (valid for 12 months, changing jobs is not provided).
• Category C permits are aimed at hired employees (the document issued for 12 months is subject to renewal; a change of place of work is acceptable).
• Professional cards can be obtained by specialists who work independently in a specific industry (doctors, designers, etc.). Validity period: 5 years.

Each of the listed permits gives the holder the right to reside in Belgium. It is the responsibility of the employer to submit an application to the employment service. Subsequently, the documents are transferred to the immigration service. The approved application is forwarded to the employer. Foreigners legally present in the state can pick it up in person.

The conclusion of an employment contract with citizens of countries belonging to the European Union is the basis for issuing a residence permit (residence permit) in Belgium (validity period - 3-5 months). The permit is subject to renewal. Non-EU residents are required to register in the municipality in which they reside within 8 months (counted from the date of entry). After this, you must obtain a foreigner's passport. 2 weeks are allocated to fulfill the last requirement. The passport document is subject to annual renewal.

Lawyers for the Investor Visa website recommend paying attention to the fact that employers prefer to employ Russians who speak French/English.

Business

Business activity in Belgium involves opening an OJSC/LLC and obtaining the right to carry out labor activities in the established company. Compliance with the above conditions legalizes the businessman’s stay in the country for 12 months.

Owners of companies that regularly pay taxes (the latter's share is 30% of profits) can count on an extension of their residence permit for a similar period. Profitability acts as the primary factor of importance (there are no restrictions on the volume of invested funds and the number of new jobs).

Obtaining a long-term residence permit implies the need to make all payments provided for by law. This method of immigration to Belgium is suitable for wealthy Russians who have made a choice in favor of doing business in a developed country. Other advantages should be noted:

• Opportunity to enter the European/international market.
• Obtaining permanent residence after 3 years (accelerated program) and subsequently citizenship (after 12 months).

Business immigration also includes investments in various projects, including those related to environmental protection. Double taxation is not practiced. Investors cannot but rejoice at the numerous benefits for paying contributions to funds and processing loans.

Studies

In most cases, students are admitted to universities without competition. Foreigners who want to study at prestigious educational institutions face the need to pass exams. Upon admission, knowledge of one of the official languages ​​(Flemish, English or French) is tested.

Family reunion

Russians can immigrate to Belgium if a close relative (a citizen of the country or an immigrant who has legally lived in the state for 12 months) is legally located in the territory controlled by the Kingdom in 2021. Other mandatory requirements include having a regular source of income and housing.

Immigration is possible provided that the relative provides all the necessary living conditions (state assistance is not provided).

You can be reunited with one close relative within a year. Persons in this category include:

• Spouse of a citizen living in Belgium.
• Children under the age of majority in need of parental care.
• Mother/father whose physical condition is characterized as serious.

Marriage

Foreigners who have officially registered a marriage with a citizen of the Kingdom or a person who has a residence permit and has legally resided in the country for 3 months or more can legally reside in Belgium. Cohabitation is also accepted as a significant reason for legalization (the requirements for a partner are similar).

It is permissible to get married both in Belgium and in Russia in 2021. Persons who enter into a fictitious marriage violate Belgian law. People who contributed to this illegal act are also subject to criminal punishment.

Refugees

Assignment of this status is possible if there are serious reasons. In a specially equipped camp, refugees can wait for a decision from the immigration service. There are two options for filing an application: in the transit zone and on the territory of the Kingdom. You have 8 days to contact the local Bureau for Foreign Citizens. In addition to internal and foreign passports, it is customary to provide a health certificate and other documents confirming identity and specific biographical facts.

List of documents

It is recommended that the package of papers submitted for consideration be completed with:

• International passport.
• Color photos (4 copies).
• Medical insurance policy.
• Documentary evidence of no criminal record.
• A certificate confirming financial security.
• A document proving the presence of a place of residence in Belgium (own or rented).
• Certificate of absence of dangerous diseases.
• A document allowing you to obtain a residence permit (marriage certificate, work permit, etc.).

Submission of documents

Choosing to formalize your move to Belgium involves contacting an embassy/consulate operating in Russia.

People who have chosen to obtain a Belgian permit directly in the Kingdom are required to visit the municipal administrative office serving their place of actual residence in order to register in the register of foreign citizens in 2021. To fulfill this requirement, 8 days are allotted (counted from the date of entry into Belgium).

Investing in Belgium

The amount of investment is not limited in any way. However, we recommend that at the beginning you will have to invest around €200,000 to run the company and cover operating costs. This can be either an existing business or a new company. Before receiving your passport, you may need another €100-200 thousand to run your business.

Company formation

The most popular types of companies in Belgium are BVBAs, which operate on a similar principle to limited liability companies, and SPRLs.

The costs associated with the formation of a company include the direct establishment costs of €10-20 thousand, an annual renewal fee of €5,000, rent of about €6,000 per year, administrative and operating costs of about €1,000 per year, salaries and other expenses .

Primary requirements:

• Open/buy a company with an office and get a job there. This allows citizens of other non-EU countries to show strong ties to the country.
• Registering an official address in Belgium by purchasing or renting a property and paying bills regularly.

Obtaining a residence permit for doing business or studying

As part of business emigration, an entrepreneur can open or buy a company in Belgium. However, a residence permit in this case is not issued to everyone. It is important that this business benefits the state. That is, it provided jobs to citizens of the Kingdom and generated income.

Despite lenient tax laws, absolutely all entrepreneurs are required to pay taxes regularly. The initial capital of the business being opened must be at least 12,500 euros.

For a residence permit, an entrepreneur needs to contact the Federal Service that regulates the activities of small and medium-sized businesses in Belgium. First you will have to draw up a convincing business plan. After receiving a business permit, you can provide documents for obtaining a residence permit.

Obtaining a residence permit for studying

To obtain a residence permit, students must present a certificate from a Belgian educational institution and documents confirming their financial solvency. Each student should receive approximately 617 euros per month. Residence permits are issued only to full-time students.