Embassy and Consulates of Belgium in the United States
Home Visa for Belgium Partners of EU citizens or EU residents (cohabitation-visa)

Partners of EU citizens or EU residents (cohabitation-visa)

Application for temporary residency on the basis of cohabitation with a Belgian citizen or a foreigner temporary established in Belgium (Card A or H) or permanently established in Belgium (Card B/C/D/F or F+) -

 
!!!IMPORTANT!!!: This visa is not available for US citizens, but only to citizens of countries that require a C-type visa to enter the Schengen area for short term visits. This visa allows citizens who require a visa for short term visits to travel to Belgium and apply for cohabitation. US citizens do not require a visa for short term visits and can therefore freely travel to Belgium and apply for cohabitation locally. Please contact the local commune where you intend to reside for required documentation.

 

How to apply?

Please be sure to lodge your visa application with the Embassy or Consulate General that holds jurisdiction over the State of your residence. For more information on which representation covers which States, please see: Embassy and consulates | Belgium in the United States

If mailing in your application, make sure to submit all the documents mentioned below AND comply with the following additional requirements :

1) your signature on the application form must be notarized (certified) by a notary public.

2) do not send your application documents to an Honorary Consul. The application will be processed by the Embassy or by a Consulate General. Always make sure you mail your application to the Embassy or Consulate General competent for your place of residence (see the jurisdictions described here).

3) Make sure you have included 1 copy for every original document in your file. Original documents will be returned to you.

4) The visa fee can be paid by including a money order OR a filled out credit card authorization form (Washington DC and Los Angeles only) . 

Documents to submit: 

1. A valid national passport (validity at least 15 months).

2. Two visa application forms duly completed, dated and signed and three recent passport-size photographs.

Please include a print-out of the application form that you completed on Visa On Web (VOW) after registering on the website visaonweb.diplomatie.be

Include three sets of the following documents (one original set of documents and two copies) collated and stapled:

The originals will be returned to you together with your passport and visa. You will need them to register at city hall in Belgium.

3. A certified birth certificate (not older than 6 months) appended with the apostille (two photocopies of this document).

4. For adults (over 18 years): a nationwide criminal history record (FBI Identification Record), dated within six months of your date of application for the visa. No authentication (apostille) is required.

The request for your FBI Identification Record or proof that a record does not exist can be submitted to either the FBI directly, or to an FBI-approved Channeler.

ONLY FBI CHECKS IN THEIR ORIGINAL SEALED ENVELOPES OR PINTED ON TAMPER PROOF PAPER ARE ACCEPTED

5. A medical certificate (PDF) according to the model enclosed and two copies. For a list of physicians affiliated with the Embassy or the Consulate General, click here. 
If you choose your family physician, the doctor's signature needs to be notarized by a notary public, and authenticated by apostille which is to be obtained from the Secretary of State where the notary public has his/her office. 
See: www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=353.  

The medical document can be issued maximum 6 months before the date of your application.

6. Proof that you have a personal or collective travel insurance that covers for medical expenses during your first 3 months in Belgium.

7. Affidavit of celibacy, i.e. proof that you are at present not legally married (a notarized affidavit notarized by a notary public).

8. Proof that both partners are minimum 21 years old. The minimum age is 18 years old if both partners can prove that they already lived together for 1 year. Proof that your relationship is a durable one will be measured as following:

  • Proof that partners have lived together for at least 1 year prior to application
  • If the partners have known each other for at least 2 years, proof that they have had regular contact by phone or (e)mail, that they have met in person at least 3 times in the past 2 years, and that those meetings represented a minimum of 45 days.

9. Supporting documents as proof that there is actual cohabitation and that your relationship is a durable one, such as: joint financial records, utility bills in both names, mortgage/rental agreement in both names, letters from friends and family, photographs, etc...

10. Nonrefundable Fee to be paid at the time of application: see fee schedule by money order or credit card authorization (Washington and Los Angeles only)

Personal checks are not accepted.

Certified checks and money orders have to be paid to the order of:

  • "the Embassy of Belgium in Washington" if you apply at the Embassy in Washington
  • "the Consulate General of Belgium" if you apply at the Consulate General in Atlanta, Los Angeles or New York.

11. An additional fee for applicants 18 and over: 181 EURO (payment through wiretransfer). For instructions see: Fee | IBZ (bosa.be)

12. A self-addressed prepaid envelope if you wish to have your passport and visa sent back to your home address. The Embassy or Consulate General is not responsible for lost items during shipping. 
Remarks: Do not use metered postage (for mailing to the Consulate General in New York only). Please note that the Embassy of Belgium in Washington DC and the Consulate General of Belgium no longer work with FedEx.(You can use UPS or USPS).

DOCUMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY THE BELGIAN PARTNER OF THE LEGAL RESIDENT OF BELGIUM: (three sets: one original set of documents and two copies, collated and stapled).

1. A copy of your Belgian identity card (certified by the Belgian town hall of your place of residence) or a certificate of residence issued by the Belgian town hall of your place of residence; (“gemeente van inschrijving/commune d’inscription”).

2. A certificate that you are at present not legally married, please contact the town hall of your place of residence in Belgium “gemeente /commune” and request such a declaration.

3. The financial support document (“verbintenis tot tenlasteneming voor het in concubinaat leven / prise en charge pour concubinage”) to be obtained from and duly certified by the local authorities of your place of residence in Belgium (“gemeente/commune”). Proof that you have sufficient financial means to support your partner (employment letter, salary statement, bank letter, bank statements covering at least a period of 6 months).

4. A letter in which you request that your partner be authorized to reside with you in Belgium and documenting your relationship.

5. Proof of sufficient lodging (rental contract or letter from the employer confirming housing arrangements.

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UPON ARRIVAL IN BELGIUM

It is important that you register yourself and your family with the City Hall of your place of residence in Belgium within 8 days of your arrival. Make sure that all passports are endorsed by the immigration authorities when first entering Belgium (at airport or other border post).

The local authorities will process your registration identity document that will allow you to enter and leave the country as a legal temporary resident of Belgium.