Residence card application

Hello All,

I have a query relating to how to obtain a residence permit in Belgium. I have a family member (Non-EU citizen) who recently moved to Belgium (Antwerp). He has lived in Italy for over 20 years and holds Italian permanent residence permit (also known as EU Blue card). He was self-employed in Italy and is now looking to settle in Belgium and get a job.

My questions are:

1) Which type of residence card would be more appropriate for him?
2) Can his current italian permanent residence be in some way 'converted' to a Belgian one?
3) Can his years of residency in another member state, count towards the number of years required to obtain permanent residency in Belgium?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Well... complicated questions...


I'd say that at some point, he should asked to become Italian and gets a EU ID card... that would simplify everything... as he wouldn't need a work permit anymore and could move freely everywhere in Europe...
Well, of course, if he really feels like Italian, which should be the case after 20 years living there...
He should do it before leaving Italy, or he'll need to start from nearly zero...



As he has a permanent residence in Italy, he'll need to request a visa D from a Belgian consulate/embassy in Italy, as he's non-EU and not married to EU citizen (I guess).

If he's willing to work, he'll need to request a unique permit... (it takes 4 months)
==> a company must hire him and he'll get his visa + id card when he arrives in Belgium.


After 5 years of stay, he'll be eligible to request permanent residence in Belgium (and he will lose he's permanent residence right in Italy)


1) visa D request. Commune will give him the A card (car to renew every year)
2) no. It's just easier to settle, as there are less paperwork to do.
3) no.

But which passport does he hold? A Nigerian one? any other one?
His nationality matters a lot to answer you correctly.


Process (in french):
https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/FR/Guid … t-RLD.aspx

Thanks a bunch for your answer Alex; much appreciated. Yes it is a Nigerian passport

xpat2Bel wrote:

and holds Italian permanent residence permit (also known as EU Blue card).


Does he has a permanent resident id card AND it's the blue card type (high skill worker)?


I skipped the blue card part in your first post. Sorry.
If he has a blue card + stays of 5 years or more in EU, he can request to be a permanent resident in Belgium after 2 years of stay.

Hi,

He has an Italian permanent residence ID card, he doesn't have the blue card unfortunately.

Are there any english speaking immigration lawyers you can kindly recommend please? There must be a strategy to this hopefully.

no, he would only lose money.
Laws about permanent resident are strict: 5 years of stay minimum.

He'll get an A card that he will need to renew every year.
After 5 years, he can request a permanent resident card.