Search year visa after graduation and Annex 15 in Belgium

Nnajiu New member

Member since 27 October 2025

NnajiuNew member27 October 2025 21:14:55

I would like to ask a few questions about the search year (orientation year) visa process in Belgium for non-EEA graduates. If you applied for the search year after completing your studies while your student residence permit was still valid, does your student status remain valid until the new permit is approved?

Also, once your student card expires and you receive the Annex 15, are you allowed to work full-time during that waiting period, or do the student work restrictions still apply?

Another thing I’d like to confirm is whether the validity of the search year card starts from the date of approval, or if the time covered by the Annex 15 (while waiting) is deducted from the one-year period.

Lastly, how long did it take for your search year application to be approved after submission? It would be great to hear about your timelines and experiences with different municipalities.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can share their experience or clarify how this process works.

musmans Member

Member since 04 August 2025

musmansMember27 October 2025 23:44:04

1. It takes varying time based on commune, in leuven it took 45 days till getting permit. For some people, 2-3 months. For some even more.

2. It requires a blocked account to get 1 year search visa (ask your uni) if you dont have a job offer. Alternatively, you can show a job contract only to provide financial support.

3. Once approved, you're not a student anymore and can work full time. Timeline counts from approval for search year. But as it happened for me, 31st mar was expiry for student card, I got approval on 10th March. Officer said that there's not much difference now so I will put your card validity from 1st April onwards.

4. Till approval, you're not allowed to work full time. It's a gray area, sometimes people do but not allowed.

5. Bad thing about it that if your student card expires, you're stuck in Belgium till approval. So it is advised to apply as soon as possible. In some cases, they give even orange card in which you can't work just wait for decision.

Nnajiu New member

Member since 27 October 2025

NnajiuNew member28 October 2025 18:39:33

@musmans

Thank you for your response. In my case I was asked to comeback after the student card expires by end of October. The commune said they can issue Annex 15 and that with it I am legally allowed to work full time or even start a business. The thing is some people said that whenever yiur approval is received, the clock will be adjusted to when you picked up your Annex 15.

So my question is what if I don't want the Annex 15 but only want the plastic residence permit after approval? Thanks

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@Tomkar Member

Member since 18 September 2025

@TomkarMember30 October 2025 15:25:50

@Nnajiu

Please don’t be fool, don’t commit an error,

you need to take the annex after your student card expires and then wait for the decision of immigration. Otherwise you can have some issues. If you don’t have an annex, your residency can be interrupted and you will have problems later when applying for permanent residency.

Go take your annex, and also wait for the plastic card to arrive. Then, you will be safe