Family reunification (unmarried fiancee) application

@BruhNotMars

Wait until you are married before you start the process.

@SimCityAT

Hi, thanks for the reply, are you saying it is impossible without being married? does it take too long... like what's the reason to be married first? We wanted to be married in Italy, so either way, I need a visa... elaborate a bit more if you can please, thank you.

Sorry for the quick response this morning, I was heading out.

To your question. Yes, family reunification is possible for an unmarried fiancé in Belgium if you have a "legally registered partnership" equivalent to marriage or can prove a stable relationship lasting at least two years, with both partners over 21. Alternatively, you can apply for a visa to enter Belgium to marry or to legally cohabit.

Being married beforehand saves a lot of red tape and paperwork. is what I meant.

Giving proof that you were in a stable relationship means you have to show emails, chat logs, and social media activity

I know the EU is cracking down on sham marriages (marriages that can get a person into the EU by default). For one bit, I am not suggesting you fall into this.

Can your partner help in any way? Surely they would and know who to speak with?

@SimCityAT

Thank you so much.

For the proof of the relationship, we have photos over the years, trips etc. We lived together for the past two years, paying taxes together (council tax) and other bills on both of our names. We had an engagement party with friends and hired a venue for that... parents photos etc. So, unless they are being really difficult, it should be enough to prove that the relationship is not fake.

My partner is doing all she can, and if all fails, she will have to come here for the marriage but we BOTH really don't want that, we wanted to do one good wedding and be done with, not a quick ceremony here just to prove immigration officers that it's genuine, and then another... if you see what I mean.

We hired an immigration lawyer in Belgium, the lawyer gave us a list of documents to get, we got them all, including dated photos and bills.