BELGIUM – New Levy Introduced for Residence Permits
March 06, 2015
A recent update to the process for applying for a Belgian Residence Permit has taken effect on March 2nd. The Belgian federal government has introduced a mandatory “contribution to the administrative costs” with regard to some requests for residence authorization by foreigners. Most foreigners will need to pay a fixed amount in order to file a first (not a renewal) application for a residence authorization, either in Belgium, or abroad, through a Belgian embassy/consulate. The levy will have to be paid by, e.g., work permit holders (215 €) and most of their family members (160 €), and Blue Card applicants (215 €). Proof of payment of the levy must be submitted as part of the residence application.