Living in :
Belgium
Once in Belgium, there are more things you need to do. These include:
Registering your arrival
As an EU national you will need a residence permit to work in Belgium although you do not need a specific work permit. However it is always best to be prepared, and have employment set up before you go.
You are able to enter the country for up to 3 months as a tourist providing you can prove that you can support yourself financially during this period and have medical insurance, however if you plan to stay longer, you must register with the local town hall (maison communale/gemeentehuis) within eight days of your arrival.
You will need to show a valid passport for the person and all family members, three passport photos each and proof of sufficient means to support yourself and your family. A letter from either your employer or statements from your bank will be required. Some communes may request a legalised birth certificate, legalised proof of your civil status eg marriage, widowed, divorced etc... A copy of a rental lease and some may even take your fingerprints! A nominal tax which varies between 5€ and 20€ depending on your commune, will also need to be paid.
Once all the paperwork is complete, your commune will notify the local police. They will then double check your residence, to ensure you do actually live at the address you provided (ie your name is on the door - so make sure it is!) Providing all checks out, you will then be issued with a temporary residence permit which is valid for a period of 5 months. This will be renewed for one month periods until proof of employment or self employpent and registration with the relevant social security scheme is produced. A permanent identity card, renewable every 5 years, is then issued and the person's name entered on the local population register.
This card must be carried at all times.
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Tax registration with the authorities
If planning on staying/working/buying a house or car, you must obtain a Social Security Number. This number identifies you to the Belgian taxman and is required when dealing with the tax office or health insurance companies. If you are employed, your employer will arrange this for you, however if you are self employed, you must arrange this yourself by contacting the National Office of Social Security.
Diplomatie - Social Security
Registration with the taxman is also essential, your employer should will do this for you. If you are self employed please talk to an accountant to ensure everything you do is legal. Contact details for your local tax office can be found via your local town hall.
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Registering children with daycare/school/universities
If you haven't already reserved a place for your child you must do so now. Places for young children can be very limited.
Crèches (crèche/kribbe) are available for babies, with priority for mothers with full-time jobs, and nursery schools (pregardienne/peutertuin) for children aged 18 months to two and a half years. You can get more details from the commune:
Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance (French/English)
Kind en Gezin (Dutch, French and English)
We believe that both of the above links will take you directly to the English pages, however if not, be aware there are English options if you look around the sites.
The rules for compulsory schooling are simple. Children are expected to start school at the age of 6 although they can start at 5 if they are considered more mature. One of the biggest decisions you need to make will be "Do I want my children educated in English, at an International school, or in a local school?" These sites may help you with this decision.
Schooling in Belgium
Newsweek - Benefits of an International School Education
About - International Schools
British International Schools in Belgium
Once you have decided on the kind of school you will be looking for, this site explains how to find a suitable school and the processes to register.
AngloInfo - Education & Schooling in Belgium
Belgium specific:
Be aware!!!! Students over the age of 15 in full-time education are entitled to work during school holidays but their work is strictly regulated. They can earn up to 2,610€ tax-free per year but must pay social security contributions on that amount. If they earn more, they are not only taxed on their income but they are no longer considered as dependents of their parents who in turn will lose their rights to tax deductions and child benefit!
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Signing up with a Dr or Dentist etc
Many Doctors and Dentists are English speaking. You have a free choice of general practitioner, paediatrician and several specialists within your area, providing your choice does not bring the doctor's/dentist's list above the maximum patients permitted. For an English speaking Doctor, ask around - other Brits in the neighbourhood can help as well as many of the locals.
It's also always a good idea to contact the consulate or look in the yellow pages as these can also provide a list of English speaking Doctors/Dentists. The community help service can be contacted too.
The site Community Help Service may also be able to help.
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Set up a bank account
If you didn't set up your bank account before you arrived, now is the time to do it.
Belgium offers newcomers a wide choice of banking institutions and facilities as well as state-of-the-art electronic banking possibilities.
Remember, when looking for a bank account, shop around. For example, most banks give you an overdraft facility, varying from bank to bank; some automatically allow you credit which is much higher than others. If you want to arrange your own limits, most banks are accommodating but it's wise to ask about bank charges which will also vary from bank to bank.
Opening a bank account is fairly straightforwad. Hopefully, these sites should give you the information you need.
Angloinfo - Banking
Vremco - How?
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Convert your driving license?
The first thing you need to be aware of is if you move abroad, you cannot have your new international address added to your British driving licence.
Directgov - Driving Abroad on a GB Licence
You can apply for an International Driving Permit as a temporary solution although the Belgian authorities will accept your UK licence so this is not necessary. Information about this can be found here:
The AA - International Driving Permit
Alternatively, you have two other choices. Either leave it with your last address in the UK, or submit it to the Belgian authorities and have it replaced with a Belgian Licence.
People with a British Licence can only be fined (no points awarded) but there are huge on-the-spot-fines for breaking the law.
Regardless of your decision regarding your licence, you should familiarise yourself with the rules of the Belgian roads!
Europe Accident - Driving in Belgium
Drive Alive - Driving in Belgium
Carhire3000 - Driving in Belgium
Europa - Getting there
And finally, please remember that although in the UK you can take and pass your driving test at the age of 17, in Belgium, your licence is not valid until your 18th birthday! Other general differences can be found here:
ViaMichelin - Driving in Europe - Similarities and Differences
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Registering or buying a car
Deciding whether to take your car or not is something you will need to think about. What is "right" varies from person to person. For example, for my first move, I took my UK car with me for the first 6 months only. This gave me the security blanket when I wasn't sure if I would stay. Had I returned to the UK, I wouldn't have then had to look for a new car. Having decided to stay, I returned my UK car to the UK, and bought a local one. Just make sure that if you decide to take your own car, your insurance covers you properly with a "permanent green card"!
Don't forget you must also notify the DVLA if you plan to take your car out of the UK either temporarily or permanently.
Direct Gov - Taking your car abroad
Importing your car is relatively simple. If you are shipping it over, your shipper will fill you in on the formalities. If however you plan on driving it over you can begin proceedings once you are registered with your commune. No import tax is due on cars more than six months old. You must have a certificat de conformité européen, it must pass the contrôle technique (their equivilant to the MOT) and then be insured with a Belgian insurer. Customs will then nstamp your insurance at the border and give you a special "705" sticker. Once you have all the documents, send them to the vehicle registration department or DIV and you'll get your Belgian registration plate within a few days.
EU legislation has put paid to the day when Belgium was the cheapest place in Europe to pick up a new car, although it still offers a good market for second-hand cars. Your best guide to new and second-hand cars is on the web or local newspapers - unfortunately, there's not that much out there in English, so it may be worth paying that little bit more and going into a dealer. Shop around and be aware that the best time to buy a new car is during the motor show traditionally held in January. Paperwork is straightforward and your dealer will give you a registration form to fill out. Once you have completed all the paperwork and insurance documentation, you will be sent your pink registration and your number plate. Be aware that your number plate stays with you, not with the car and must be returned tothe registration authority when you leave the country. One final thing to know about buying a car from a dealer. Make sure they supply you with a contrôle technique (MOT equivilent) that is less than 2 months old at the point of sale.
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Search for a job
There are a number of websites which focus on job searches in Belgium. The following are a few, however we can not take personal liability for any of their content or claims. It is also worth actually going into agencies on the street with your up to date CV.
4ICJ
Jobs Abroad
Job Centre Plus
Executives on the Web
Tip Top Jobs
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Register for language courses
We Brits are terrible when it comes to learning languages! It's awful to walk around the shops and feel illiterate. Seeing the letters but not understanding the words. It can leave you feeling very isolated. Learning the language has many benefits. Firstly, it teaches you the essentials you will need to get by. Secondly, it helps you meet people - often people in a similar situation to yourself. And thirdly, it makes people take you more seriously on a daily basis.
In Belgium you have so much choice too with their National languages being Flemish, Dutch or German.
Please check our Resources section to see if there is any further information on language courses.
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Recycling
Each area has its own recycling rules. Make sure you speak with neighbours or the local council to find out the rules for your area.
General Recycling information for Belgium can be found here:
Fostplus - sorting guide
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If a student, check out the local student life
Once you know where you will be studying, contact your campus to find out about the local social life. Find out the "in" places to go and the local club scene. Most students work hard, but play harder!
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Marrying in Belgium
When living in a foreign country, it is not unthinkable that you might meet and later want to marry someone in Belgium.
Under Belgian Law two foreigners may marry in Belgium if one of the parties is legally a resident. If neither is a resident, a temporary residency can be granted by going to your local Maison Communale/Stadhuis (Town Hall) and asking for a Certificate of Residence for Marriage Purposes (Bewijs van Woonst voor Huwelijksdoeleinden/Certificat de Domicile pour mariage depending on if you are in a Dutch or Flemish area). It can take several weeks to complete all the paperwork and at least one of the couple must have either permanent or temporary residence during this time. This information also applies to same sex marriages. More information can be found here:
AngloInfo - Marrying in Belgium
Foreign Office - Marrying in Belgium
Foreign Office - Civil Marriages
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British Nationals dying in Belgium
While in Belgium, although none of us wants to think about it, it is possible that you could be left to deal with the death of a loved one. There are many decisions to be made and the following website by the British Embassy in Belgium will be of help.
Foreign Office - Deaths involving British Nationals in Belgium
Foreign Office - Help if someone dies
The British Foreign Office have put together a booklet (PDF) which you can download.
Foreign Office - Death Overseas
Please also visit our Repatriation page where we go into this in more detail.
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Protect your pension
As a UK citizen you are entitled to a UK pension when you retire. This can and will be paid into your bank account anywhere in the world. However, whether you get a full or part pension at retirement age depends on your contributions.
Be aware that you are able to pay into a private pension for 5 years after you leave the UK, however advisers also suggest that you consider paying voluntary NI contributions to preserve your state pension entitlements.
You can find out how much to pay by calling the HMRC International Services Helpline on +44 (0) 845 9154811 giving them your UK NI Number. There are many ways to pay, the link below will be of use.
HM Revenue &Customs - Paying NI from abroad
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Keep an eye out for your work / residence permit / insurances / passport lapsing...
This may seem obvious but make sure you know exactly when each of your documents are due to expire! To begin with you may not be able to read the correspondence these companies are sending you. This makes renewal notices very difficult to understand. The last thing you want is to find out that part of your life is no longer legal... Whether it's your right to live in the country or your car insurance have those dates marked clearly somewhere that you check regularly and if it spans more than one year... make sure you copy it over to the following year!
If your passport is due to expire you will need this website:
Foreign Office - Passports
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Emergencies
Emergency Services can be reached by dialing 112, however if you want to get hold of a specific service you can call the following numbers.
Police - 101
Ambulance - 100
Fire Bregade - 100
If anything else goes seriously wrong, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office offers the following help:
Foreign Office - When things go wrong
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