Applying B or L card after 5 Years stay in Belgium

Hello,

if you've been working for 5 years without any gap you should go for the L card.
Else the B card.

Both are permanent resident card, but L card allows you to settle in another Schengen state with very few administration.

Please read other existing topic about it, you'll find quite a lot of information & experience.

Thank you

Hi Alex, thank you for your contribution to this forum.
I have a question; I would appreciate your advice and suggestions.
I came to Belgium through a scholarship in 2015-2017. I started my PhD at Ghent University then I came back in 2020 for 10 months, I left again. I came back again this January. I am rounding up the PhD program at Ghent University and I think I will be here for a long time. I am currently taking the Integration programme, learning Dutch.

For permanent residency, where can I start? Where can I get this information? What do your advice. I know it's not possible now since there are gaps in my stay here and I am just a student.

Hello,

technically it starts from your last "gap", from that timeframe you can start counting.

Thank you, well noted.

eshwarraj09 wrote:

Dear All,
Looking for some suggestion:
I received my First Work Permit on 8th Feb 2017, Reached Belgium on March 28th, 2017.
My First Resident Permit Start date is July 12th, 2017. Can I apply for B or L Card in the next couple of weeks(Which means after 5 Years of Stay/Arrival) or must I wait till July to complete 5 years as per Resident Permit?
Thanks for Sharing experienced Feedback.

It is counted from the issue-date of your first RP.

@eshwarraj09 - No. The time is calculated from 1st RP issue date. But you can always apply few weeks before

I have question about D card. If one gets a residency D card, do we have to apply for the residence card afresh for the spouse based on it? If yes, and if the spouse has only worked for last 2 years during 5 years of stay in Belgium, what type of card is issued to the spouse? Is the spouse eligible for permanent residency as well based on the main applicant?

@AlexFromBelgium Can you give some information of the gap?

I changed employers during the 5 year period but my RP was still active. does that include into a gap?

Normally I assume a gap is when you are more than 6 months out of Belgium?

I just applied for my L card and the city hall mentioned that the response would be given after 5 months and 1 day when I can schedule a new appointment to get the L Card.

@BMM996210

if you jump to the employer on the next working day from the last working day of the previous employer then its fine.

The gap here mean not a single day without paying social security in term of Single permit/full time worker.

If you do not have this kind of gap then its fine. But if you have but still got the D then pls keep me updated aầterwards

@BMM996210 HI there, do you have any updates on your application? Very much interested.

@Kyrylo Prymak < Hi, no update yet.

Have to wait few more months before a decision is made.

Are you also in the same situation?.

@BMM996210 Hi there! Any updates? I am in the same situation. Applied for the L-card three month ago.

@BMM996210 Hi there, its almost 5 months i hope you got the positive answer. is there any update regarding with this subject?

Hi,

1 more week to go

@BMM996210 So still no answer given?

@maharaji1984 No, there is still no update on the application. Still under processing.

@Kyrylo Prymak Hi, L card application is approved.

@maharaji1984 Hi,

L card is approved. (5 Months + 1 day) after bijlage 16 is provided to us.

The city called Brussels to verify and mentioned there is no issues and I have paid for the L card.

@Kyrylo Prymak Hi, L card application is approved.
-@BMM996210

Congratulations BMM996210!

@BMM996210 congratulations mate.

Just a quick question, between of two work place, did you have any gap?

@maharaji1984

Yes, I had a gap of 15 days between 2 jobs.

If my single permit is not issued till 04.06.23 then i will have a gap until Single Permit is issued. I have work where to work but waiting for decision of authorities. Do you think this gap could be problem during L card application?

@maharaji1984

You already applied for L card right? In that case should not be any issue.

If you had not applied yet, then if you get your WP renewed, you can ask for a temporary document until RP is received (to complete Single Permit). This is enough as proof.

But if you dont have a WP by then, then you are legally not allowed to work also which can create confusion's.

@BMM996210 I did no applied yet to L card.

I have applied for unlimited period single permit but meanwhile i have a valid sindle permit till 04.06.23

As far as i know my residence permit will be valid for 3 months after 04.06.23

Do you think if i get  unlimited period single permit  before 03.09.23 ( i will be legal in this period) and this gap from   04.06.23 to  unlimited period single permit issued date , would be a problem while i apply for L Card.

@BMM996210 I did no applied yet to L card.
I have applied for unlimited period single permit but meanwhile i have a valid sindle permit till 04.06.23

As far as i know my residence permit will be valid for 3 months after 04.06.23

Do you think if i get unlimited period single permit before 03.09.23 ( i will be legal in this period) and this gap from  04.06.23 to unlimited period single permit issued date , would be a problem while i apply for L Card.
-@maharaji1984

That would be no problem. Administration procedure initiated “between two legal residency” give no impact!

@peterjohn1104 thank you so much for your reply. This make me relaxed now

@BMM996210 Hello. firstly thank you so much for sharing your experience here and congratulations for approval of your L card. I have worked and lived in Belgium Since June 2018 without any interruption. I have today appointment to apply for L card, but my current A card is still valid till 2025. I am afraid whether they accept my application 2 years before expiry date of my current A card. Could you please give your suggestions regarding that? did you have also the same situtation meaning that you had also a valid A card for a long time at the time of your application?

Also I would like to know whether there would be some intermediate feedback from foreign affairs after handing over your application to city hall? or we will be informed only after 5 months and 1 day?

thank you.

@Mehdi Haghayegh I can answer for the last paragraph: My commune told me if they will receive feedback before 5 months, they will call me but they also said multiple times that application to L card almost never takes less than 5 months.

5 months + 1 day automatic approval of your L card application is an information that I am doubting after reading some other forum entries in this platform. Last time (November 2022) I asked to commune regarding this process, they told me that I would be given an L card as soon as I reach to 5 months +1 day. Now November was long time ago...

@Mehdi Haghayegh Hi Mehdi, Thank you.

Regarding A card, dont worry about that. I was also in the same situation.

I got my renewed A card in March (Valid till 2026) and I got my L card in May. (in less than 2 months).

Regarding communication. It is almost certain that you will not get any response until 5+1 month (if your application is successful)

Now after 5+1 month, for some people it is approved, whereas for some they are still asked to wait after for a response from the city and for some they got a rejection after 5+1 month. So lets say it is totally at the discretion of the person handling your file.

In which commune are you applying your L card?

@BMM996210 could you inform us how you got your L card within 2 months instead of 5 months +1 day?

@BMM996210 Hi, thank you for your kind response. I am applying from city Kelmis (german part of Belgium). they told me yesterday that I can apply for L card but I understood myself that the 5 years is starting from the first initiation date of my A card. So I will wait till August.

Did you see any cases who received rejection after 5 months and having same situation as us (fullfilling all requirements). I don't see any reason of rejection if all your documents are complete.

Thank you.

@mjzk Hi, I got my L card after 5+1 month.

My A card was also expiring during this period, so I had to renew that also.

I got my renewed A card in march and L card after 5+1 month.

@Mehdi Haghayegh

the 5 years starts from the date you register at the commune and receive Annes 49 (if I am not wrong).

The only rejection I saw after fulfilling all conditions is if you are not on a local payroll (paying social security) for atleast 4 of the last 5 years.

So in your case should not be an issue

@BMM996210 Thanks for your swift response. how can I check the first registration date in the commune? Is it mentioned in minjdossier?

@Mehdi Haghayegh Hi, I am not aware where we can see it.

I checked mine by taking an appointment with the city to check my eligibility and asking them the required documents applicable for me.

Perhaps you can do the same?

@BMM996210 it seems that in my case the commune employees are not that experienced. they mentioned that I can apply, but it principle it was not the case and I had to wait. But anyhow I will wait till August. Thank you for all your support and help.