Unlimited single permit processing time - 2021&2022

Hello,

Do you have any update on this one?
Did you get the approval? What happens with the RP validity. Do you get 3 years by default?

Regards
Jay

Hello Jay,

After my post I got the WP after 13 weeks, but that's only valid with RP from immigration office (DVZ). Since I'm already living in Belgium, I got Annex 49 from Commune easily. Also I contacted Immigration Office and they confirmed that I can start working with WP+Annex 49, they will be able to provide final WP by end of February (WP: 26 Jan).

However my new employer still didn't confirm that they are ok with Annex 49, so I'm waiting for that. I heard that RP will be for 1 year, but I'll add that here once I get.

Did you also apply for Unlimited?

Thanks for sharing your experience. @Bel_ expat
Could you tell me the list of documents you have submitted for unlimited work permit please?
You can start working with Annex 49 + work authorization. If your employer doesn't know this you can ask them to check with authorities that should be quick.

Hello,

Unfortunately they don't accept. They insist on waiting for immigration office, I showed them the response from the immigration office as well but it didn't work.

I followed this process: https://economy-employment.brussels/sin … -unlimited

However since I live in Flanders, later the Flanders WSE office requested my current employment contract + Application form of Flanders.

Thanks for interest, good luck!

Also, do you have any formal document stating that Annex 49 is ok?

https://www.agii.be/nieuws/nieuwe-regel … -3-01-2019


Search for "Annex 49" in this link.

What's duration (start and end date) of 'Unlimited Single Permit'?

One can apply only after 3/4 years?

What's main advantage of this card?

In this case, RP depends on WP or WP depends on RP?

You can see all conditions in the link I shared today. Once you are eligible, WP is unlimited in terms of duration and employer. However RP is limited (yearly until you complete 5 years) I think, but this also has some conditions, not sure on that.

I would say having work department approval to continue/change the job is enough if you have received unlimited single permit application approved form work department. If not, then work department approval is connected to employer, s your new employer has to file a new application for you.

By the way, I'm in same situation as you for eligibility of unlimited residence permit. Can you confirm if your application was accepted by Flanders with rules of 3 years as prescribed by Brussels? Did they give any  confirmation/query?

Hi, 3 years is accepted by Flanders. I don't know why they don't give this detail in their web site.
My WP has been issued but it is only valid with residence permit, so I'm still waiting. Annex 49 wasnt accepted by my new employer.

So what validity of new residence permit will you get?

I'll see when I get that But my friends told that it will be for 1 year, so every year you have to apply for renewal. I think we will have to do that one more time and later (5+) it will be permanent.

In Flanders you can get an unlimited card (which is D/B) only after 5 years of being an official resident in Belgium. Before that, all you request is a Single permit (card A), which is available for 3 years and has to be renewed (by employer) once expires. After 5 years, you apply for unlimited by yourself which has to be renewed every 5 years.

I prefer Freelance / Professional card for many reasons

01. Can switch contract just in a day within Belgium
02. Get professional / freelance card for 1 or 2 years
03. I control application of professional / freelance extension which is very fast
04. Almost no dependency on the contractor
05. No issue when apply for a PR or Nationality

Isn't this when you work as a contractor and you should have a company? Can you work as an employee to a company with a professional card?

01. You can get the professional card on your name and work as a freelancer.
02. You can get the professional card on the name of your company and work as an employee in your own company.
03. I am not 100% sure if you can work as an employee (only) in another company. You can ask to Partena Professional / Securex etc.

Indeed, as far as I know Professional Card is not compensating Unlimited single permit, those are different ones. I'm an employee so I need a WP. My partner is in process of professional card now who is doing own business.

I agree. Indeed unlimited work permit can not compensate the freelance card as well if there is still a dependency on the employer. I can stay without a contract for few months without worrying on my stay in Belgium. I renewed myvprofessional card and residence card every 2 years.

I never intend to work as an employee so I didn't check seriously with Partena Professional / Securex etc. Though once they inform me one can work as an employee as well.

Good luck.

Thanks for the very assuring input. It will help me to process mine without worries.

Thanks.

Thank you Jimsen, this is anyway a good information!

@Kostadorn, Royal decree covers Flanders as well, so depending on your family situation and nationality, there are exceptions and you can apply for unlimited single permit after 2 years if you are eligible. I shared above the link for application, there you can see the exceptions.

Can employer file the indefinite single permit? Or it is upto the employee to file?

In my experience it is up to employee. I'm pretty sure on that because you will not be dependent to an employer anymore. So you will be the owner of the process and all communication flow to you.

I'm still waiting for the Annex 46, it has been almost 4 months since I started the process; it took much longer than my single permit (processed by my employer) when I first came to Belgium.

Indeed, you'll get your unlimited work permit after 4 years of work & stay.
You won't need a work permit anymore, but you'll physically get it once you renew your resident permit.

Hi, do you know how final SP/Annex 46 is communicated for the UNLIMITED SP? vie email/post? or to the Commune?

What is the difference in unlimited sp and card B/D/L ?

Bel_expat wrote:

Hi, do you know how final SP/Annex 46 is communicated for the UNLIMITED SP? vie email/post? or to the Commune?

I finally received and learned Commune sent a mail to invite me to change my card. I requested them to share the Annex 46 and there it is!

So the time line was (Flanders/unlimited SP):
- Application - 27 October
- Transfer to Flanders - 1 Nov
- WP additional docs for Flanders: 19 Jan
- WP Approval: 26 Jan
- Annex 46: 24 Feb

mohan garg wrote:

What is the difference in unlimited sp and card B/D/L ?

unlimited work permit means you don't need an authorization from the region to start working.
B/C/L (previously known as D) are permanent resident and you'll get your permanent resident permit automatically renew if you don't leave Belgium for more than a year.

Hello Bel_expat,

I also applied for it and got annexe 46. It is unlimited work permit with Residence approval of 1 year and every year residence approval need to be renewed from the local commune.

Regards
Jay

So after 4 years of work/stay in Belgium, you can get an unlimited work permit?

Jimsen wrote:

So after 4 years of work/stay in Belgium, you can get an unlimited work permit?

Hi Jimsen, it depends your family status and nationality. You can check the conditions here https://economy-employment.brussels/sin … -unlimited

@Bel_expat can you please tell when did you resign from previous employer as mentioned in your post?

did you resign after getting approval of unlimited WP ?

- @NS12

Well it does, I live in Flanders and I applied when it was 2 years and 10 months for me. I received my unlimiyed work permit 3 months ago.

- @Bel_expat

Well it does, I live in Flanders and I applied when it was 2 years and 10 months for me. I received my unlimiyed work permit 3 months ago.

- @Bel_expat

Thank you for your response, But I mean Unlimited Resident Permit and Not Unlimited work permit.

I have my unlimited work permit too after 2.5 years here, but I wonder based on the website that you posted here ([link under review]) is this apply even in Flander or not.

Because based on this link (agii.be/thema/verblijfsrecht-uitwijzing-reizen/langdurig-ingezetene/langdurig-ingezetene-in-belgie/wat-zijn-de-voorwaarden-voor-een-langdurig-ingezetene) it seems not

- @bunchofguys