L card vs B card

Hello alex8111,

Welcome to expat.com!

For a start, you can check the discussion L or B Card. Our members have already provided some information there.

You can then read this article: https://visaguide.world/europe/belgium- … ce-permit/

Hopefully, you will find all these information useful.

Yoginee

Expat.com team

    what are the eligibility rules to apply for a long term residence permit?

-> 5 years of uninterrupted employment.

    would i be eligible for a L card or B card?

-> it is upto you which one to apply.

    does either of these cards would allow me to work in other EU countries without an additional WP?

-> L allows this.

About the last question...it depends on each EU country, the L card itself (or any other card) won't give you instant access to the work market in all EU countries. I think actually most of them won't allow it. What you do get is an easy way to ask for residence in that other country, but that doesn't mean you can take any job there, for that you need to get a WP as any other foreigner.

Hope it helps

Corrected later: L type (previously known as D type) is EU-wide. With L card, you can work in any EU country without the need of a new work permit from that country (with the exception of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU long-term residency program).

>>> Note: this statement is wrong. As corrected by forum members later in the thread, L card may not allow direct entry to jobmarket directly, You may still need to get a work authorization (initially). Different countries have different implementations of this directive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_resident_(European_Union)   L card makes getting a PR in the new country much easier.

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/syste … _22_EN.pdf

L card: long term resident’s EU- residence permit, issued in accordance with Directive 2003/109/EC concerning the status of third-country nationals who are long-term residents.

@Aneesh Hi, thanks for the info. I know what you mean with type L (previously D) and how it is different from B or any other Belgium cards. But, still being EU valid doesn't mean that you are entitled to go and start working right away in other countries, the advantages that it provides are 2: you can live for some time in another EU state (up to you how to settle there) and come back and the card will be valid in Belgium, and the other benefit is that you usually get an easy procedure when registering as resident in other EU countries, for example in Netherlands they provide these benefits: https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/lon … u-resident

I really hope I'm wrong, because I'm also waiting on the L card, but before requesting it I've done some research and everyone was informing me the same. Do you have any source of information detailing what are the benefits of the L card?

cheers

Hello Ignacio, interesting observation. Let me check in detail the benefits of L card in other EU countries.

Hello,

To add in for personnel moving across EU member states with L type card.

Apparently for Belgium, the person moving from another member state needs to apply for a single permit for first year and then can apply for exemption from single permit.

https://economy-employment.brussels/per … m-resident

@Aneesh as per my knowledge the only advantage you have of D or L card is that if you relocate to another EU country, then you just have to spend 1 year or so in the other country and then you are entitled to long term residency of that EU country.

Direct access to work in another EU country with L or D card , I dont think that is allowed. Work permit still needs to be secured for the first year .

Seems like we've all arrived at that conclusion. It's kinda misleading IMO but I guess it is what it is.

Question for if anyone knows: are there ANY EU countries that do directly let an L card holder work+reside without any other obligation (so the same rights as an EU citizen) ?

It’s not wise to leave Belgium without nationality and passport (for those who holds Type B / D / L card).

Hi everyone!
I am looking for some information about whether I can apply for a long term residence permit.
I have been working in Belgium since 2016, but only this year switched to a local Belgian company. I see very different views on whether I am eligible for applying for a long term residence permit. Can someone help me with a few questions
what are the eligibility rules to apply for a long term residence permit?
would i be eligible for a L card or B card?
does either of these cards would allow me to work in other EU countries without an additional WP?

Thank you soo much for your help!


-@alex8111

Going back to OP's post:

1) To be eligible for stay of unlimited duration (in this case, B or L), you need to have paid Belgian social security for 5 years. There are exemptions to this, such as study period.

2) You'd be eligible for either, please check the conditions for each.

3) Neither let you work in the EU. That is what we were discussing. What the L does is, it lets you RESIDE in another EU country (albeit temporarily). But should you choose to work, you'd (in most case) need to apply for a work permit. Another advantage being, you'd require a WP for a limited time (such as 1-2years) as opposed to 5y.

Hello,

I have completed 5 years in Belgium by November 9, 2022. But before applying for L type card, I have a question. My previous single permit expired by Aug end and I haven't received the first approval (decision regarding allowing for work) until Sep 14. So, I had a gap of 14 days in between where i am legally not able to work. Will that create a problem to get the L type card ?

Regards,

Charan

@Charan Teja505  normally no,

You can apply

@Aneesh hey, this link is not available or access denied.

Do you have pdf file separately?

Pls share this file @****

Thanks

@richeekdey3

Hey richeekdey3,

Regarding the >> There are exemptions to this, such as study period.

I am in Belgium since 2019, first two years I was studying master's (2019-2021). At the end of 2021I started working until the present. September 2024 will be 5 years that I am in Belgium uninterruptedly - 2 years of studies + 3 years Working (single permit). The question is Do you know if I would be eligible to apply for L (former D) or B card? Or do you have any information?

I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

studies count as half!

@Aneesh  with L card, we do not need Work Permit in Belgium Right, Your statement is for other EU Countries?

L card is permanent resident, so no work permit.

@AlexFromBelgium

Ok Thanks so Outside EU we need work Permit depending upon countries

If you have the L card, then you've also the right to work in another Schengen country with less administration and no visa requirement.

If you have other card, it might not be the case. (visa might be required for family for example)

You must also understand you'll lose your PR status, and will start from 0 in another country (in PR point of view)

@AlexFromBelgium

Can you please give me a reference for this (the study's period count is only half)

@AlexFromBelgium

I have two more questions:

1. If you also have information about the count of the period of the orientation year ( the search year); for someone who used this entire time working full time, of course, paying taxes. is it also considered half when it comes to applying for an L CARD?
2. The covid-19 pandemic made it impossible to do international trips ( from March 2020 to early August 2020. This made some people stay outside Belgium for more than 6 months, will this interruption affect the count of years of residence?

To your question on something that you cannot find on the internet or if its new, like “Search year”. Its best to contact infodesk@ibz

They will even tell you exactly the date when will you be able to apply for the L card so why dont you have a try?

Hi,

I have received my Belgian PR and I would like to apply for nationality but what fears me is the language requirement

I have almost read all posts related to this in FB groups

Some say language upto A 2 is compulsory

Some say if you have worked for 5 continues years without a gap of even 1 day, you don't need any language certification.

Could you please share your valuable suggestion

Hi @sakunthala 123 ,

This is from the government website:

You only need 1 of these,

For proof of social integration:

1. by a diploma or certificate having at least the level of upper secondary education issued by an educational establishment organized, recognized or subsidized by a community or by the Royal Military School
2. by having completed vocational training recognized by a competent authority for at least 400 hours
3. by having successfully completed an integration program, a reception program or an integration program of the competent authority of his main residence at the time the applicant starts the program
4. by having worked continuously for the last five years as an employee and/or as a statutory employee in the public service and/or as a self-employed person in his main profession

@BMM996210 ,many thanks for response, but this is with social integration? So what about language.

If we have one of these, language requirements are not necessary?

@sakunthala 123 same applies for language. I did my Nationality by just presenting 5 years of payslips. That counts as a proof of social and economic integration and language. It sounds weird, but it's like that.

Good luck with the procedure!

@IgnacioEg many thanks for your response 👍

@sakunthala 123 I second what @IgnacioEg wrote, called the Burgerzaken from Gent today and got the same info: 5 years of uninterrupted monthly payslips exempt you from presenting certificates for language skills and social integration. Still, the police visit won't be in English, they will only speak to you in one of the official national languages.

@IgnacioEg Hi Ignacio, followed on your posts cause your situation seems a lot like mine, I'll also apply to citizenship under the 5 years of uninterrupted work. I noticed you also applied for permanent residence before that, which is a requirement I know, but did you go for the B or L card? How long did it take to get it? I am eligible for citizenship from Jan/2025, but they told me I can only start the process with permanent residence in hand (B or L card). Was there also a police visit or any other complicated bureaucracy involved? Thanks in advance!

@lucasfariaslf When was first day of work? I guess im in same situation with you.

@maharaji1984 It was on november 2019.

Has someone changed their address in between the L card application process?

Hi,

Has anybody applied for L card online? I have seen a lot of posts about L card and how they went to the commune to apply, so I am wondering if I have to go to the commune as well.

I couldn't make an appointment to apply for L card on the website of Stad Antwerpen, but I could apply for it online after sending in my ID, health insurance and 3 payslips. According to the website, I will get a response in 5 months.

Can someone please share their experience applying online?

Thanks

@Plzmm I have a co-worker who applied online in Gent, but that was during Covid.

My commune - Ixelles - told me I would have to go in with the documents, but that I do not need an appointment 

@masstonsils0e Thanks!!

So I applied for my L card earlier this week. The required 5 years residency starts from the first date you registered at the commune (Annex 15) and not the first issue date on your first Belgian ID. I registered at the commune in mid-March 2019, but the date of issue on my first card was May 28th, 2019.

So I was able to submit my L card application and received the Annex 16bis document as proof

Have you applied for L card in exactly 5 years completed or a few weeks in advance?