Moving to Belgium 2026: Permits, Registration and Fees
Belgium runs two separate tracks for newcomers. EU citizens move on the strength of their citizenship and settle things at the town hall. Everyone else needs a long-stay visa or permit obtained before or at the start of the stay, and for workers that means a single permit applied for by a Belgian employer. On both tracks the municipality where you live handles your registration. This guide sets out the deadlines, documents and fees for each, as published by the Belgian Immigration Office and regional authorities and read on 14 October 2026.
Quick answer
EU citizens report their presence to the municipality within 10 working days of entering Belgium, and apply for a registration certificate (Annex 19) before the end of their first three months if they stay longer. Americans and other third-country nationals can stay for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period as visitors, and need a single permit to work for more than 90 days. The federal fee for that application is 152 euro in 2026. Workers register with their municipality within 8 working days of entering Belgium.
Which track are you on?
| You are | Short stay | Stay of more than 3 months |
|---|---|---|
| A citizen of an EU Member State, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland | Report your presence to the municipality within 10 working days | Apply for a registration certificate (Annex 19) at the municipality |
| A citizen of any other country | No more than 90 days within each 180-day period, with a visa unless you are exempt | A national long-stay visa or a residence permit for your purpose. For work, the single permit. |
Moving to Belgium as an EU citizen
The first three months
- Report your presence to the municipal administration of the place where you are staying within 10 working days of entering Belgium. It issues a declaration of presence (Annex 3 ter) free of charge. This is not a residence permit.
- Exempt: people staying in accommodation that falls under the legislation on checking the details of all foreign guests, and people admitted to hospital.
- Online option: since 10 April 2026 an EU citizen may give the address where they will be staying through the “My Address in Belgium” application.
- ID cards: as of 3 August 2026, identity cards issued by EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway must contain a machine-readable zone.
Staying longer than three months
You have the right to stay if you are an employee or self-employed in Belgium, a job-seeker with a good chance of being hired, a person with sufficient means and health insurance covering all risks in Belgium, or a student with insurance and sufficient means. You apply for a registration certificate (Annex 19) at the municipality at the latest when the three months from your arrival expire.
| Your status | What you submit with the application |
|---|---|
| Employee | An employment contract, a hiring declaration, or a work certificate (Annex 19 bis) |
| Self-employed | Registration in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises with a company number, and a certificate of affiliation to a social insurance fund for the self-employed |
| Job-seeker | Registration with the employment service (Forem, Actiris or VDAB), or copies of cover letters |
| Sufficient means | Proof of means, and health insurance such as an EHIC, private insurance, an S1 form or registration with a Belgian health insurance fund |
| Student | Enrolment at a recognised institution, health insurance and proof of sufficient means |
- Fines: the Immigration Office may impose an administrative fine of 200 euros for failing to report your presence within the 10-day period, and the same for not applying for the registration certificate before the three months expire.
- If documents are missing, the municipality disregards the application and lists what is missing on an Annex 19 quinquies. You can submit a new application at any time once you have everything.
- Later on: the right of permanent residence, once acquired, is lost only through absences from Belgium of more than two consecutive years.
Moving to Belgium as an American
US citizens are third-country nationals under Belgian rules, so the track is the second one.
- Visiting: a short stay in the Schengen Area cannot exceed 90 days within each 180-day period. A visa is one of the entry conditions unless the traveller is exempt, so check the Immigration Office's list of countries whose nationals are exempt before you travel.
- Working: for more than 90 days you need a single permit. A US citizen cannot apply alone: the application is made by an employer based in Belgium through the one-stop counter.
- The decision: the Region decides on the work and the Immigration Office on the residence, within 4 months of the file being declared admissible.
- The visa: a worker who gave a foreign address in the application then applies for a national long-stay visa at the Belgian diplomatic or consular post competent for their place of residence.
- Self-employment needs a professional card instead of a work permit.
The work route is set out in full in our Belgium work visa guide, and the American case in our guide to moving to Belgium from the USA.
Your first weeks as a worker from outside the EU
- Register within 8 working days of entering Belgium in the register of foreign nationals of your place of residence, and apply for the single permit card.
- Bring your passport, the decision granting the single permit, the decision granting the work permit and the decision granting the residence permit.
- Receive a temporary certificate (Annex 49) that covers your stay for 45 days while your residence is checked. It can be extended twice by 45 days.
- Receive your A card after a positive residence check. It bears a reference to your access to the labour market.
- Renew in time: the renewal is applied for through your employer at the latest 2 months before the A card expires.
Fees you will meet
| Application | Federal contribution fee as of 1 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Single permit, or permit as a highly qualified worker | 152 euro |
| Residence permit for family members of a Belgian citizen, or of a foreigner authorised to stay in Belgium | 218 euro |
| Long-stay visa D for purposes such as study at a private higher education institution, au pair or a professional card | 242 euro |
| Foreigner under 18 years of age | Free of charge |
- The fee is paid per person. A family applying jointly on the same legal basis pays one fee if the partners are married or legal cohabitants.
- It is not refunded if the application is rejected or abandoned.
- In Flanders, employers also pay a regional fee of 180 euro per single permit application since 1 September 2026.
Health insurance and prices
- Insurance is a residence condition. A single permit application includes proof of health insurance covering all risks in Belgium for the worker and their family, and EU citizens relying on sufficient means or study status must show health insurance too.
- Minimum pay floor: the Flemish authorities give the guaranteed average minimum monthly income as EUR 2,233.60 since 1 July 2026.
- Inflation: Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, reports that inflation went from 3.97% to 4.69% in September 2026, with core inflation at 3.00%.
For a move budget, see our cost of moving to Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
Can a US citizen move to Belgium?
Yes, with the right long-stay status. To work for more than 90 days a US citizen needs a single permit, applied for by an employer based in Belgium, followed by a national long-stay visa and registration at the municipality.
Do EU citizens need to register in Belgium?
Yes. They report their presence to the municipality within 10 working days of entering Belgium, and apply for a registration certificate (Annex 19) no later than the end of their first three months if they stay longer.
What happens if an EU citizen does not register in Belgium?
The Immigration Office may impose an administrative fine of 200 euros for not reporting presence within 10 working days, and 200 euros for not applying for the registration certificate before the three months expire.
How long does it take to get a Belgian work and residence permit?
The Region and the Immigration Office have 4 months to decide on a single permit once the application is admissible. The Flemish Region's estimate for October 2026 is approximately 14-15 weeks at the Immigration Office for a first application.
How soon must I register with the municipality after arriving?
A worker with a single permit must apply for registration within 8 working days of entering Belgium. An EU citizen has 10 working days to report their presence.
How much are Belgian residence application fees?
As of 1 January 2026 the federal contribution fee is 152 euro for a single permit, 218 euro for family members and 242 euro for several kinds of long-stay visa D. Applicants under 18 pay nothing.
Do I need health insurance to live in Belgium?
Proof of health insurance covering all risks in Belgium is part of a single permit application, and EU citizens staying on the basis of sufficient means or study must show health insurance when they apply for their registration certificate.
Official sources
- Immigration Office (IBZ) — EU citizens: right of entry and residence
- Immigration Office (IBZ) — Single Permit
- Immigration Office (IBZ) — Short stay
- Immigration Office (IBZ) — Countries whose nationals are exempted from holding a visa
- Immigration Office (IBZ) — Contribution fee
- Flanders — Foreigners who do not need a work permit
- Flanders — Wages and allowances (Dutch)
- Statbel — Consumer price index
All deadlines, fees and rules verified against the official sources above on 14 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.