Category Archives: Belgium

Vander Elst Implementation in the European Union

This article provides an overview of Vander Elst implementation in several countries. The Vander Elst process derives from a 1994 ruling by the European Court of Justice regarding the right of a European Union (EU) company to provide services within the EU. It generally allows a non-European Economic Area (EEA) national who is legally employed […]

BELGIUM: Mandatory Fee for Some Residence Requests

The Belgian federal government has introduced a mandatory “contribution to the administrative costs” (mostly referred to in the press as a “foreigners’ tax”) with regard to some requests for residence authorization by foreigners. The government said this measure is in response to the continuing increase in the number of such applications and the resulting workload. […]

Short-Term Visas: A Country-by-Country Overview

This article provides an overview of various countries’ short-term visa options for temporary assignments. Belgium Under Belgian law, there are several work permit exemptions for short-term assignments.  One is the Vander Elst exemption: if some conditions are met, no work permit is required for non-EEA (European Economic Area = European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) […]

BELGIUM: Mandatory Fee for Some Residence Requests

The Belgian federal government has introduced a mandatory “contribution to the administrative costs” (mostly referred to in the press as a “foreigners’ tax”) with regard to some requests for residence authorization by foreigners. The government said this measure is in response to the continuing increase in the number of such applications and the resulting workload. […]

Entrepreneurs & Investors: A Country-by-Country Overview

This article provides an overview of how various countries attract entrepreneurs and what types of immigrant investment programs exist.  INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON CHART. The authors thank Henley & Partners for allowing ABIL to reprint its chart. Belgium Belgium does not have specific immigrant investment programs.  As a general rule, entrepreneurs and investors need a permit before […]

ABIL Members Published Country-by-Country Comparison of Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex and Domestic Partners

ABIL Members published an overview of immigration benefits for same-sex and/or domestic partners in various countries. This article provides an overview of immigration benefits available for same-sex spouses and/or domestic partners in fifteen countries. The article is limited to immigration-related issues and does not cover the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals in […]

ABIL Members Published Country-by-Country Comparison of Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex and Domestic Partners

ABIL Members published an overview of immigration benefits for same-sex and/or domestic partners in various countries. This article provides an overview of immigration benefits available for same-sex spouses and/or domestic partners in fifteen countries. The article is limited to immigration-related issues and does not cover the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals in […]

BELGIUM: Salary Threshold for Fast-Track Highly Skilled Work Permits

The highly skilled work permit is only available to employees whose annual gross salary exceeds a threshold.  This threshold has been noted in article 67 of the Belgian Employment Contracts Act.  Due to a major reform of this Act, article 67 has been abolished.  In practice, the authorities will for now (and probably for the […]