L card time frame

@Gvad45

Hey ! I applied almost 2 months ago, and I’m still waiting for the reply.

Looks like the L card processing time by the foreign office is very odd. I’ve one friend who got it 2 months after applying. And another one that got it 3 and half months after applying. But I’ve also read on this forum that for some, they don’t even get a reply before the 5 months and it is automatically approved after the 5 months.

Maybe the processing time depends on the period of the year when you apply or on other things that we don’t know.

Which period did your friends apply in ? An which commune ?

@@Tomkar

Which period and where did they apply?

@Gvad45

One applied last December and got it in February (Ukkel) and  the other one applied March and got it in June (Ixelles).

Would like to clarify how the 5 year count is calculated. Some say its from the time you went to commine first and others the date on your first A card. Can someone clarify?

@Srizzy for my part it’s the date since I received my annex 15 (I arrived first as a student). And this was confirmed by my commune and the foreign office worker with who I exchanged e-mails on my eligibility date.

My L card was approved recently by the City govt in Gent.

I applied, the day after my first A card. (just to be safe)

Then it took the city govt 2 weeks to forward the application to Federal Govt. When they forwarded it I received my annex 16 by email.

Then exactly 5 months after that I went to the city office and they approved it.

@@Tomkar

Did your students years count fully ir by half please?

@Eline Paul

My student years counted half; then the search year and the single permit are fully counted.

Would like to clarify how the 5 year count is calculated. Some say its from the time you went to commine first and others the date on your first A card. Can someone clarify? - @Srizzy

I applied early last year for L card, and when I applied I have been informed this in the City Hall of Ghent:

1. Permanent Residence's 5 years counted starting from the first date of the registration at the City Hall
2. Nationality's 5 years counted starting from the issuing date of the first A card

Of course the A card takes around 2 to 3 weeks - most of the time - only after the registration to be issued, so in case of L card, if you waited months for the L card, then you can directly apply for the nationality.

Also, in 2024 I had 2 days of non paid holiday (per my HR i was still on contract), is this a blocking factor for L card?

Also, in 2024 I had 2 days of non paid holiday (per my HR i was still on contract), is this a blocking factor for L card? - @Srizzy

I don't think so, I think I took previously non-paid holidays, but I can't clearly recall so I'm not sure, but what I do recall is that I changed my company many times and it did happen that sometimes my previous contract ends on Friday and the new contract starts on Monday, so they never mention that these weekends were gaps, neither in L Card nor in the Nationality!

But to be honest, I don't think that weekends are even calculated in the working period gaps!

But to be honest, I don't think that weekends are even calculated in the working period gaps! - @Ahmed_Talaat

There are only 5 working days! Monday to Friday, weekends are never included.

Also, in 2024 I had 2 days of non paid holiday (per my HR i was still on contract), is this a blocking factor for L card? - @Srizzy

Paid holiday is not counted as a gap in contract. Also L card conditions no where says anything about gaps in employment. Rather they take your legal continuous residency based on work permit (normally for most of the expats) into account. You should be totally fine. Few of my friends who had 1/2 months gap between jobs have been granted L card in the recent past.

Also, in 2024 I had 2 days of non paid holiday (per my HR i was still on contract), is this a blocking factor for L card?  - @Srizzy
Paid holiday is not counted as a gap in contract. Also L card conditions no where says anything about gaps in employment. Rather they take your legal continuous residency based on work permit (normally for most of the expats) into account. You should be totally fine. Few of my friends who had 1/2 months gap between jobs have been granted L card in the recent past.
- @jp_2018

I think gaps are only affecting the nationality, not the permanent residence, no?

@jp_2018

I have been with the same company since the time I came to this country. I checked internally and its not a break in contract and have had continuous residence history in Belgium.

For nationality, the language and integration test is now mandatory? or can attain nationality with 5 years continuous employment? I see a lot of people showing language tests and integration although they have continuous employment

@jp_2018
I have been with the same company since the time I came to this country. I checked internally and its not a break in contract and have had continuous residence history in Belgium.
For nationality, the language and integration test is now mandatory? or can attain nationality with 5 years continuous employment? I see a lot of people showing language tests and integration although they have continuous employment - @Srizzy

Well, during my application time, both were accepted but the priority goes for integration and language proof, meaning that if you have both they take the first, if you went to the appointment first time, they ask first for the integration and language proof, if you don't have then they request from you 5 years continuous pay slips as a proof of work.

So either the integration and language proof or 5 years continuous work - both work for the application?

How long is it actually taking, anyone got it before the 5 months mark ?

@Gvad45

yeah some people get it before the 5 months. But right now, the summer holidays + the student visa don’t help. As it’s the summer, most federal agents take their holidays in July and August. So the capacity is reduced. Plus the foreign office website says that it’s the same department that treats the student visas and the L permanent card. And we’re almost September, so they have a lot of student visas to treat too.

I’m waiting since almost 4 months. But I guess i will get an answer any time soon

So either the integration and language proof or 5 years continuous work - both work for the application? - @Srizzy

Yes!