IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Belgium has increased the mandatory fee for first-time residency applicants.

What does the change mean? Effective today, fees will increase to €350 (up from €215) for work permit holders and to €200 (up from €160) for their family members. EU and Swiss nationals and minor children are exempt.

  • Implementation time frame: March 1.
  • Who is affected: Work permit holders and their family members.

Background: Belgium introduced mandatory “contributions to cover the administrative costs” for some residence permit applications in 2015. The Belgian government announced the fee increases in February, but did not implement them immediately. The fee increases apply to non-EU nationals applying for residence for the first time, whether in Belgium or abroad.

BAL Analysis: Businesses should take note of the new fees and may need to adjust their budgets to account for the increased costs.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Belgium. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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