Family reunification as a non-EU citizen with a Belgian national
Would you like to join your Belgian child, parent or partner as a non-EU citizen? Discover the conditions to start the registration process.
What is this about?
If you plan to stay in Belgium for more than three months, you must register with the municipality.
You will then receive an F card.
What are the requirements?
- You are a non-EU citizen.
- You reside at a private address in Ghent.
- If you do not have an address for at least one month, the registration process will be postponed until you have been living at the same address for over one month.
- Preferably, you apply for a D visa at the competent diplomatic post before travelling to Belgium.
How much does it cost?
- If you applied for a D visa, no additional fee is required.
- If you entered Belgium by other means, you usually need to pay an administrative fee.
For the orange card, you pay:
- €16
For the residence card, you pay:
| Standard procedure | 30 euro |
| Residence card for a child under 12 years old | 9 euro |
| Urgent procedure | 133 euro |
If you apply for residence cards in the urgent procedure for more than one child under 12 years old living at your address, the fee for the second card onwards is 110 euro.
Preferably pay contactless.
programme
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An overview of your options without a type D visa
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You are married
- Your passport
- Your proof of payment of the administrative fee or exemption certificate
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- Copy of your rental contract with proof of registration or a copy of the notarial deed of ownership
- Proof of health insurance
- Your marriage certificate
- translated into Dutch, French, German, or English
- legalised or with an apostille if required
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You are in a legally registered partnership
- Your passport
- Your proof of payment of the administrative fee or exemption certificate
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- Copy of your rental contract with proof of registration or a copy of the notarial deed of ownership
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof of registered legal cohabitation
- Proof of a stable and long-term relationship: 1 year of effective cohabitation, knowing each other for 2 yeard or a common child
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You are under 18 years old
- Your passport
- Your proof of payment of the administrative fee or exemption certificate
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- Copy of your rental contract with proof of registration or a copy of the notarial deed of ownership
- Proof of health insurance
- Your birth certificate
- translated into Dutch, French, German, or English
- legalised or with an apostille if required
- Proof of custody rights and parental authority: if custody is shared, also include consent from the absent parent
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You are over 18 years old
- Your passport
- Your proof of payment of the administrative fee or exemption certificate
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- Copy of your rental contract with proof of registration or a copy of the notarial deed of ownership
- Proof of health insurance
- Your birth certificate
- translated into Dutch, French, German, or English
- legalised or with an apostille if required
- Proof of inability to support yourself in your country of origin
- Proof of 6 months of financial support in the past
- Certificate stating you are not dependent on public social welfare (OCMW)
- Proof of your parents' income
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You are a parent of a child under 18 years old
- Your passport
- Your proof of payment of the administrative fee or exemption certificate
- Proof of sufficient means of subsistence
- Copy of your rental contract with proof of registration or a copy of the notarial deed of ownership
- Proof of health insurance
- Your birth certificate
- translated into Dutch, French, German, or English
- legalised or with an apostille if required
- Proof of cohabitation or evicence of an emotional and/or financial bond
- Parental authority and custody rights
- Proof of actual care for the child
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What are the steps?
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You have a type D visa
- Register online and complete the steps indicated on the form.
- You will receive a confirmation email once we have received your e-form.
- After processing your application and verifying your documents, you can collect an Annex 15. You will receive an email notification for this.
- The police will conduct an address check.
- You will receive an invitation by email to apply for your residence card. Use the provided link to schedule an appointment for your F card application. You will receive a second temporary residence document (Annex 15).
- Collect your residence card at the City Office using the codes sent to your home. This process may take 3 to 4 weeks.
No appointmen is necessary.
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You do not have a type D visa
- Schedule an appointment with Migration.
- Your file will be initiated during your appointment, and you will receive a registration certificate (Annex 19ter).
- The police will conduct an address check.
- You will receive an email invitation to complete your file. Use the link in the email to schedule an appointment.
- At your appointment, you will receive an orange card valid for six months from the start of your file. A second appointment will be scheduled to receive the final decision at the end of the procedure.
- After 6 months you wil know the result of your application at the moment of your appointment.
If the result is positive, a residence card will be requested.
If the result is negative, the procedure will be closed.
If no decision has been made, the orange card will be extended by three months. - Collect your residence card at the City Office or service centre where you applied, using the codes sent to your home. This process may take 3 to 4 weeks.
No appointment is necessary