New members of the Belgium forum, introduce yourselves here - 2019

22POSTS

7 years ago

Good day Everyone,
I am Eben from Pretoria, South Africa. I am currently awaiting my single permit finalisation. (WP already issued) so planning to be moving to Belgium around second or third week of August. I will be accompanied by my wife and twelve year old son. We will be settling in Genk.

I have already gained so much insight from threads on this site and want to thank you for the abundance of useful information.

Regards
Eben

fernandoks Active member

53POSTS

7 years ago

#42

Hello Everyone,
My name is Fernando, i'm from Brazil, and currently waiting my Single Permit approval.
Hoping that I can move with my Wife before November.

The Belgium expat guide

Updated in 2026, comprehensive and free

Read it now

phipiemar VIP Member

4733POSTS

7 years ago

#43

fernandoks wrote:
Hello Everyone,
My name is Fernando, i'm from Brazil, and currently waiting my Single Permit approval.
Hoping that I can move with my Wife before November.

Hi Fernando,
Welcome in Belgium. Hope you will enjoy it. And don't forget if you have question to open new topic.

Boa tarde Fernando,
Bem-vindo à Bélgica. Espero que você goste. E não se esqueça se tiver perguntas para abrir um novo tópico.

sean.omalley Member

3POSTS

7 years ago

#44

Hi!

My name is Sean and my wife, Larissa, and newborn, Liam, are moving to Brussels in September. We are excited for this new phase of our lives as Larissa starts school and I work from home. We are starting to look into apartments to rent in the city and near her campus (KU Leuven) and figuring out what else we need to jumpstart our new home.

I hope to meet some of you soon.

Enjoy,
Sean

Shehzad Ali Majid Member

1POSTS

7 years ago

#45

I'm new at this platform and plane to move Brussels, capital city

phipiemar VIP Member

4733POSTS

7 years ago

#46

Shehzad Ali Majid wrote:
I'm new at this platform and plane to move Brussels, capital city

Hi,

Welcome in Belgium. Hope you will enjoy it. And don't forget if you have question to open new topic.

livinginNL Member

2POSTS

7 years ago

#47

Hi everyone, I'm Japanese and have been living and working in the Netherlands for 20 years now. I have a new job in Antwerp and am stuck in the new Single Permit procedure. My employers and the Antwerp stadsloket don't know what to do with my situation, because I will not be moving to Belgium.

I haven't been able to find similar questions about cross border workers/grensarbeiders and the new visa system I hope someone can share their experience.

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

7 years ago

#48

Hi all.. I'm Anais. I am Mauritian and planning on moving to Belgium as my partner is there. After traveling quite a lot, I now run my own online business in digital marketing, branding & web development. In the beginning I'll be traveling there for the initial 90 days - tourist visa, and hoping to request for the professional card at a later stage after hopefully getting some freelancing there.. That's pretty it for now..

Thanks for the welcome

Margaretlouise Member

1POSTS

7 years ago

#49

Hi, my name is Margaret and I will be moving to Ghent in two weeks to work as a Nanny.

Would love to know what it is like to work in Belgium. I look forward to chatting to you all soon

Warmest wishes

Margaret

Cheth Member

13POSTS

7 years ago

#50

Hello, I'm Chethinie, our family (me, my husband and two boys aged 13 and 11) are from Sri lanka. We are living in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and working full time in Brussels since a few years already now. Love the coutnry! love the culture! and love the people!

I'm happy I stumbled on this site and hoping to be a frequent visitor here to learn from and to shair with others aswel as to get to know intersting people and places :-)

Ayubowan! (English transerlation - May you be blessed with a long life!)

sysarshad Active member

36POSTS

7 years ago

#51

Hi Chethinie,

My name is Arshad from sri lanka. My wife is from Belgium. I am on the process of moving to Brussels soon and waiting news on my visa.

1 member reacted to this post

Cheth Member

13POSTS

7 years ago

#52

Hi Arshad, nice to hear! :-)

Where in Brussels will you be moving into?

sysarshad Active member

36POSTS

7 years ago

#53

Hi Cheth,

I will be moving into Brusells as well.

1 member reacted to this post

shivamgrover21 Member

22POSTS

7 years ago

#54

Hey Guys,

I am Shivam and I have moved to Antwerp this year in April along with my wife. Things are now coming to order and so far it has been a good experience.

This forum was really helpful in getting some nice insights on the procedures and timelines.

Me and wife are both working in Antwerp and We have recently joined the Dutch Language classes at CVO.

Since I have recently completed all the formalities and procedures in Belgium, feel free to ask any questions.

Thanks
Shivam

1 member reacted to this post

Psarkar21 Member

10POSTS

6 years ago

#55

Hello Everyone,
I am P Sarkar, I am from India, recently got 3-years WP for Flanders, I will be moving to Antwerp in Q1, 2020, I am here to make friends and gather knowledge about expats life in Belgium.

Cheers!

naimeshin Member

1POSTS

6 years ago

#56

Hi Everyone,

I am Naimesh. Currently, living in the United States for a couple of years and decided to move to Ghent, Belgium in Jan 2020. Basically, I am from India(Gujarat). I will be working in the software industry. Waiting for the visa formalities to complete. Expecting it to be completed by the end of this year. I am here to know more about life in Belgium and especially in Ghent city. Great to be connected with everyone.

ShijilAN New member

5POSTS

6 years ago

#57

Hi to all

I am Shijil from India.
Waiting for the Workpermit.
Hope I can meet some at Brussels soon

1 member reacted to this post

arjunprasad2143 Belgium Advisor

110POSTS

6 years ago

#58

Shivam,
I have received my single permit today.
I want my wife to travel with me, but I'm not sure how it will be to find a place to live in and adapt to the community. How was your experience?

Is it easier to apply for dependent visa at the same time when i apply for my type D visa? Or should I wait for couple of months and get everything sorted and then try and bring my wife here.

BTW, I'm moving to Brussels.

Any inputs are appreciated

Thanks
Arjun

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

6 years ago

#59

Hi Belgium! I´m glad to be here. I´m looking and researching if Belgium would be good to settle and live. I´m a retired US military and living in Brazil at this time. I´m looking for friends/contact in Belgium to exchange information.

Please feel free to PM me. Thanks.

robal

phipiemar VIP Member

4733POSTS

6 years ago

#60

robal wrote:
Hi Belgium! I´m glad to be here. I´m looking and researching if Belgium would be good to settle and live. I´m a retired US military and living in Brazil at this time. I´m looking for friends/contact in Belgium to exchange information.

Please feel free to PM me. Thanks.

robal

Hi,

Have a look in our archives, you willf ind a lot of interesting informations. Just use the lens beside your avatar.

Why should we PM you ? It's an open forum.

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

6 years ago

#61

phipiemar wrote:
robal wrote:
Hi Belgium! I´m glad to be here. I´m looking and researching if Belgium would be good to settle and live. I´m a retired US military and living in Brazil at this time. I´m looking for friends/contact in Belgium to exchange information.

Please feel free to PM me. Thanks.

robal

Hi,

Have a look in our archives, you willf ind a lot of interesting informations. Just use the lens beside your avatar.

Why should we PM you ? It's an open forum.

Thanks I´ll look into it. There are people who prefer to PM people for some information and even friendship... Each has its own choice and sometimes even better so as not to disrupt proceedings or topics!!!

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

6 years ago

#62

Hello beautiful humans!
I'm a new member, I'm originally from Italy but I've lived abroad before.

I'm in the process of moving to Brussels (lived there before as an au-pair, years ago while studying). I've decided to move back there basically because I've completely lost my heart to this international, multi-cultural, dynamic city and the reason why I'm joining this forum is because I'm looking for advice on bureaucratic sinkholes and - of course - because I want to make friends and share my experience that may help others!

Have a nice Friday!

N

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

6 years ago

#63

Numinous wrote:
Hello beautiful humans!
I'm a new member, I'm originally from Italy but I've lived abroad before.

I'm in the process of moving to Brussels (lived there before as an au-pair, years ago while studying). I've decided to move back there basically because I've completely lost my heart to this international, multi-cultural, dynamic city and the reason why I'm joining this forum is because I'm looking for advice on bureaucratic sinkholes and - of course - because I want to make friends and share my experience that may help others!

Have a nice Friday!

N

I don´t blame you. Welcome!

BertaA Member

3POSTS

6 years ago

#64

Hi!

I am Berta, we will be moving to Brussels soon. Among other things, I am looking for a school for my 4-year-old daughter. I would like her to go to a local school (French-Dutch). I know where to find a list of the schools of each neighborhood but I don't find how to know more about them. Most of them do not have website and if they do they are quite outdated. Is there any website with rankings, such as scores in official tests or percentages of how many students reach university, etc. For example, here in the Netherlands they have https://allecijfers.nl/basisschool/de-v … -den-haag/

We are also open to other options. Do you have any feedback on European Schools?

Thanks a lot!

phipiemar VIP Member

4733POSTS

6 years ago

#65

BertaA wrote:
Hi!

I am Berta, we will be moving to Brussels soon. Among other things, I am looking for a school for my 4-year-old daughter. I would like her to go to a local school (French-Dutch). I know where to find a list of the schools of each neighborhood but I don't find how to know more about them. Most of them do not have website and if they do they are quite outdated. Is there any website with rankings, such as scores in official tests or percentages of how many students reach university, etc. For example, here in the Netherlands they have https://allecijfers.nl/basisschool/de-v … -den-haag/

We are also open to other options. Do you have any feedback on European Schools?

Thanks a lot!

Hi Berta,

Welcome on our forum. Why don't take the time to read all the old topics (200) on that subject first? You can find them by using our search tool beside your avatar.

Why from the premise of the postulate that all schools must have a website? No Belgian law requires this.

No, you will not find a site that will tell you the percentage of success in each school. Success does not depend on the teacher but on the child and the coaching he receives from his parents.

Have a nice day.

GuestPoster167 Guest

0POSTS

6 years ago

#66

BertaA wrote:
Hi!

I am Berta, we will be moving to Brussels soon. Among other things, I am looking for a school for my 4-year-old daughter. I would like her to go to a local school (French-Dutch). I know where to find a list of the schools of each neighborhood but I don't find how to know more about them. Most of them do not have website and if they do they are quite outdated. Is there any website with rankings, such as scores in official tests or percentages of how many students reach university, etc. For example, here in the Netherlands they have https://allecijfers.nl/basisschool/de-v … -den-haag/

We are also open to other options. Do you have any feedback on European Schools?

Thanks a lot!

It´s a kindergarten school, so finding scholastic evaluation about their success etc. would be very difficult and even impossible. If it is a university or even high school then you could find more information on-line.

What you really need is to look closely at their curriculum or school program and add to that the recommendation of parents that have their children enrolled at a certain school. You should also take into consideration the costs involved, distance where you´ll live, and ease of transportation among other things.

Welcome to the forum Berta!

robal