Moving to Belgium (Part-5): Visa for Dependants - processing from Belgium

As I already said, If the primary applicant's already in Belgium, the dependent visa process in very complicated. Along with the re-issue of documents and Legalization, one worry will add-up - that's the quality residence at Belgium. Below are list of documents needed.

1. Belgium Residence ID of the primary applicant
2. Proof House - Sufficient space for the family to live
3. Medical Insurance for your spouse/family
4. Bank Statement - 6 months
5. Salary Slip - 6 months
6. Employee Attestation
7. Request letter for legalisation
8. Marriage Certificate - to be legalized
9. Birth Certificate - to be legalized
10. Color Photos of the primary applicant

You have to move in to a bigger house in Belgium, based on the number of dependents. Their local officials come and check your apartment before they give clearance for the house (Sl#2). It's not only the space, they also check for all the safety (electrical, fire, security, open area....and many). If you’re in Belgium to earn some money, your plans will be gone!. If you want your wife and Kid with you, be ready to spend 1500+ Euros for apartment rental.

My advice is always process your dependent visas along with the primary applicant visa. Never do the mistake thinking that you’ll call your dependents later, which may end-up like you’ll never get your dependents :P

Moving to Belgium (Part-4): Visa for Dependants - processing from India

I don’t want to scare you much, but it’s true that getting dependent visa is not that easy, especially if the primary applicant is already residing in Belgium. I processed  my dependents visas along with mine. It’s comparatively easy, yet I had to go thru’ a lot of surprises and had to sacrifice a few nights sleep with full of tension and worries.

Below is the list of basic documents that are needed , when the primary applicant is in India / your home country. 

1. Birth Certificate - should be issued in the last 6 months & Legalized
2. Marriage Certificate - should be issued in the last 6 months & Legalized
3. Police Clearance Certificate  - should be issued in the last 6 months & Legalized
4. Passport
5. Filled Visa Form
6. Color Photo (both yours and your wife/husband)
7. Medical Certificate

The list may look simple, but what made it complicated was the phrase “ - should be issued in the last 6 months & Legalized” :P

Re-issue of documents:
Belgium consulate asks for all the documents to be issued within the last 6 months. In my case my marriage certificate, Wife/Kid’s birth certificate all of them were 4-5 years old and I had to get all the documents reissued. Actually, the re-issue of documents is not that difficult. All the recent birth and marriage registrations are available online. Corresponding municipal offices reissue them with-in 10 working days from the date you apply.

I also got my Daughter’s and wife’s birth certificate on regular channel within 10 days (still I had to travel 2-3 times to my native which is 14 hours away from Bangalore :(. But it was nothing, I had yet another complicated problem to tackle with.

My marriage certificate was in Tamil Font, when we apply for the re-issue, we actually get a “true copy of the original marriage certificate”., Which means that they just take the copy of the already registered Tamil marriage certificate and put today’s date seal as reissued.  Somehow after a lot of efforts I got my marriage certificate re-issued in English.

Legalization of documents:
Legalization ( a.ka. Apostille) is the process of getting the required documents authenticated by the
Typical legalization process involves many state government and central government offices. Then no need to tell about the delays involved, right? Following-up at every stage was horrible and it's follow-up itself, was taking a big chunk of my office work time.

Moving to Belgium (Part-3): Visa for Primary Applicant

Well, the next stage after obtaining the work permit is the visa stamping process.

Visa for the primary applicant is much easy. You just have to submit the below documents to the VFS Global centers and they get you the visa within 5-7 working days, provided all the documents are in place and correct as per the visa requirements.

1. Two Application form to be filled in completely and signed by the applicant.

2. Four Recent (not older than six months) passport-size photographs in color with white background. (3.5cm x 4.5cm)

3. The Passport should be valid for at least twelve when applying for the visa and with at least one double blank page reserved the visa

4. Also all the old passports (if there’s any)

5. Your original work permit/training permit obtained by the Employer

6. Police Clearance Certificate – issued by the relevant passport office.

7. Copy of your Medical Reports (from the authorized hospitals)

Note: All official documents must be recent i.e. not older than 6 months, attested by local, competent authorities and then legalized by The Ministry for External Affairs, Consular Division, Patiala House, New Delhi. In case the original certificates are in any of the local languages, then an official translation in English must be attached which must also be duly attested and legalized by Indian Authorities

Moving to Belgium (Part-2): Work Permit & Visa Guide

Foreign nationals who wish to work in Belgium must need a work permit. However, the nations of the European Union Countries and Swiss do not require the work permit.

There are three different types of work permit:

• Work permit type A : This is valid for all salaried professions and all employers, for an unlimited period
• Work permit type B : This work permit valid for one employer for a period of one year, however this can be renewed at the end of every year – typically all the employers will process this category only, as this work permit is bonded with them.
• Work permit type C: for any salaried profession with any employer for a limited duration. This work permit is issued to foreigners who are allowed to reside here for reasons other than employment.

If you are a potential employee for Type-A & C , you must apply for work permits A and C yourself, have to submit the application file to the provincial Dienst Arbeidsmigratie.

Type-B work permit can be applied and obtained only by the employer. Along with the below documents and applications, your employer will file the petition at the Belgium officials, through their attorneys.

In an ideal scenario, you’ll get your work permit approval in about 2-3 weeks.

Documents Required for Work Permit:
Below are the documents need to be submitted along with the work permit application.
1.       Resume: should be updated from the first project of your career till date.
2.       Project Description – Short Description of the project at Belgium
3.       Degree Certificates
4.       Copy of IT returns for the recent two years
5.       Copy of Bank statements for last 3 months
6.       Color scanned copy of all the pages of the passport
7.       Copy of Medical Reports – only from the hospitals, authorized by the Belgium Immigration
8.       Acknowledgment received from EPFO COC or Employer signed form received from EPFO COC after submission
9.       Photographs – 3 Nos , as per Belgium Visa Specifications.

Moving to Belgium (Part-1) : Work Permit & Visa Guide

When my employer started processing the Belgium work permit, I thought it’s going to be a cake walk ; thought European visas are not that complicated and troublesome as the US – L1 and H1B’s procedures.

It may be true if you travel alone, but definitely not that easy, if you take your family with you. I had to see a lot of surprises at almost every stage. Main issue was my company’s immigration team’s lack of knowledge on Belgium processing, as well due to the lack of  information available over internet.

I’ll try to write about the Work permit and Visa  pre-travel procedures /experiences here, so that it could help the needy ones (someone who’s terribly looking for some information/documents on Belgium visas :P).