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Residence permit

For all stays of more than 3 months.

A temporary Belgian residence permit is granted for a maximum period of one year, yet renewable. Depending on the reason(s) for granting the residence permit, different documents may be required in order to extend a temporary Belgian residence permit.

Steps

The procedure involves three steps:

First visit: you have to justify your presence in Namur with official documents. You will receive a certificate of request of registration (Annexe 15 or Annexe 19).
Within one month, a policeman will come to your home (called “agent de quartier” or “agent de proximité”). He has to check that the address is actually your place of residence. It is not a problem if you are not home when he arrives, in that case he makes arrangements with you for an appointment. Once this step is fulfilled, he sends a report to the City Administration.
By the end of the two following weeks, you are then invited to finalize the registration and eventually give the documents you did not have for the first visit.
European citizens have the choice between a residence card on paper or an electronic card (costing 23,00 Euros and requiring two extra identity pictures). Non-Europeans will be required to ask for an electronic card (costing 23,00 Euros and requiring two extra identity pictures).

As soon as you receive your code by post, you will be able to present yourself at the Town Hall to come and fetch your identity card. Remember to bring with you the provisional document, your passport or your national identity card, plus the code you will have received.

Note: For the long stays (more than six months), opting for the electronic card is recommended. It gets less easily deteriorated and is generally better accepted by banks, health insurance offices and hospitals, given the fact that the electronic chip allows for a quick update of your details.

EU nationals

For residence lasting more than 3 months, EU nationals can enter Belgium by presenting a valid identity card or passport. They do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Belgium.

You will have to register, in person, at the municipal authority of your intended town of residence. You have to submit the following documents at the municipality:

passport or national identity card;
proof of employment with proof of sufficient financial resources;
rental agreement;
3 passport-sized photographs;
proof of medical insurance;
for PhD students: modèle de formulaire standard
6 €.

Spouse and children will need to provide the following documents:

passport;

original legalized marriage certificate / original legalized birth certificate (or an international birth certificate);
original legalized translation of the marriage certificate / birth certificate, issued by a sworn translator. Some communes do accept documents in English;
3 passport-sized photographs;
proof of medical insurance.

Please note that these lists are not exhaustive. Depending on specific cases, additional documents or information may be required as well.

The commune will provide the EU national with a proof of registration.

Non-EU nationals

Foreigners who plan on staying in Belgium for more than 90 days will have to register with the municipal authorities of their town of residence in Belgium (within 8 days after arriving in Belgium) and obtain a Belgian identity card.

In order to obtain a Belgian identity card for foreigners, you will need to submit the following documents at the Belgian municipal authorities:

original passport, including the visa type D;
original work permit, host agreement (for researchers employed by a recognized research institute), professional card or proof of sufficient financial sources;
rental agreement;
3 passport-sized photographs;
for PhD students: modèle de formulaire standard
6 €.

Non-EU nationals who have lived in an another EU country just before their arrival in Belgium have to provide a background check certificate delivered by the appropriate authorities in their country.

In order to enable a spouse to fill in a registration request form, the following documents will need to be submitted:

original passport, including the visa type D;
3 passport-sized photographs;
original legalized marriage certificate;
an original legalized translation of the marriage certificate, issued by a sworn translator (in case the original marriage certificate is not issued in Dutch, French or German). Please note that most communes do accept documents issued in English.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. In certain cases, additional documents or information may be required as well.

Extension of residence permit

To extend your residence permit, you have to introduce the demand at least 45 days before the expiry date.

Required documents:

Valid residence permit;
passport;
proof of employment and sufficient financial resources;
attestation from the health insurance;
2 passport-sized photographs;
for students only: a progress report of your doctoral research;
for PhD students: modèle de formulaire standard
23,00 € (only for electronic card).

If your residence permit has expired, you have not yet received a response from the City Hall and you have submitted the renewal application at least one month before its expiry date, you may request an "Annexe 15". You must go to the City Hall with a photo and your residence permit. This document is free of charge and is valid for 45 days.

Leaving

Before leaving Namur or Belgium, you must notify the City Administration of your date of departure and, in the required cases, hand in the identity card that notifies that you were a foreigner in Belgium.