Residence permit
Before you leave home
Ask your editor-in-chief for an accreditation document showing that you are appointed as a correspondent in Belgium, or, if you are a freelance, that you contribute to the media.
Non-EU citizens must apply for a journalist visa (type D visa) at the Belgian embassy in their home country. If you travel on a tourism visa, you will not be able to apply for a Belgian press pass or a residence permit. To obtain a type D visa, these documents are required:
- • A certificate of birth
- • A medical certificate
- • A certificate of good conduct
- • A copy of a press card for working abroad
- • An accreditation from a foreign employer.
EU citizens do not need a visa, but they will need to show an ID card.
Other documents might be useful
- • Passport
- • Birth certificate
- • Marriage certificate if your spouse will join you
- • Driver’s licence
- • Documents regarding insurance and medical benefits
It can take up to 4 weeks to get a visa.
For more information about how to get an accreditation in Belgium click here.
Register in the commune
All foreign nationals staying in Belgium longer than three months must register in their corresponding commune in order to get a residence permit and a Belgian ID card. This rule applies to both EU and non-EU citizens, people owning a house or an apartment, as well as those staying in a hotel.
Contact the town hall within eight days of arrival to get information and set up an appointment. Both the process and the documents required vary slightly from commune to commune. Journalists should bring their temporary press pass from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; copies of your lease and passport; as well documents proving you will be able to support yourself in Belgium, such as a letter from your employer. You will also need to bring 4 passport-sized photos, and some cash to pay the required fee, which, depending on the commune, is usually a little under €20.
Once the commune has all the required documentation, the police will verify your address. This usually happens within one to two weeks of your visit to the Maison Communale. If you are not at home when the police call, the officer will leave a card giving you an appointment at your local police station.
After your address has been verified by the police, your card should be issued in three to four weeks, though this can be longer at busy periods of the year. Depending on your commune, you will either be sent a letter inviting you to come to the Maison Communale to collect your identity card or the police will deliver the card to your address.
You will initially be issued with a temporary ID card, which is valid for three months. A permanent residents card will be granted once you have joined the Belgian social security system.
