Search form

menu menu
Belgium
Working
Culture
Moving
Education
Leisure
Living
Transport
Flemish Brabant
Europe
Post your own »

Search Q&A

Categories

Advice & Coaching 3,665
Animal 176
Arts 88
Beauty 150
Belgium 1,353
Children 632
Culture 165
Education 434
Food & Drinks 444
Health 637
Holiday 226
Property 1,081
Shopping 1,040
Sport 256
Transport 729
Wellness 104
Work 748

Applying for the permanent resident card

Edzo
May 7, 2019
5
Question

Hi all

I have a question about getting a permanent resident permit. Some facts about me:

- I am non-EU.
- I have been living in Belgium for around 7 years;
- I am married to an EU citizen (not Belgian but we got married in Flanders);
- I used to study for two years early days (Master's degree);
- I worked for more than 3 years (paid taxes and stuff);
- Now I am a Ph.D. student in of the Flemish universities (so I have a student status);
- and I still hold the useless A-card.

Last year, when I wanted to renew my A-card, I asked for a permanent resident permit. The city hall refused to file an application (for B- or C- card) since I had a student status due to my Ph.D. study. I was told that I cannot apply for a long-term resident card and having student status at the time of application, although I met all of the requirements according to her.

Is applying F-card through my wife an option for me? My concern is to apply for citizenship (passport, etc.) afterward. Is this even possible? I heard applying for F-card reset the 7 years of my history in Belgium since the orange card is considered interruption from their point of view. Is that right? or I need to wait yet another 5 years with F-Card to get F+-card and then apply for nationality?

Thanks a lot in advance!

crisscross

You can apply for Citizenship with an F card. Except A card, all are accepted. But once you apply now for F-card, it will take exact 6 months for an answer, not a day less.

Now about being eligible apart from the card, if you have worked for around 468 working days in the preceeding 5 years of citizenship application, then you have the most important thing taken care of. Secondly as you may not have continuous 5 years work experience, you will need to show an integration certificate (inburgering).

May 8, 2019 14:22
Edzo

Thanks CRISSCROSS for your informative answer.

I worked for more than 500 days in Belgium. I have the inburgering certificate, a C1 Dutch certificate, a Flemish Master's degree and very soon Ph.D.

What bugs me the most is the fact that I have been here for more than 7 years with the A-card, and if I switch to an F-card (after waiting for 6 months), can I apply for the citizenship right after receiving the F-card? Or I need to wait yet another couple of years. I heard the switch between A-card and F-card (the 6 months waiting period) counts as an interruption in my residence history in Belgium. I would like to know whether this is correct or not?

May 8, 2019 18:07
crisscross

Yes the orange card is an interruption.

So the calculation logic is fairly simple. Whether you will get an Orange card will simply depend on if you have less than 6 months left on your A-card and you apply for the F-card. So best thing to do is to ensure that you apply for the F-card within the first 6 months of your current A-card. If you're already past the 6 months then wait till you get the next A-card and then apply for the F-card. This will ensure that you wont get that Orange card. Meanwhile also ensure that the 468 working days does not start to get depleted because of the time spent waiting for the F-card waiting time of 6 months especially if you have to wait till you renew your A-card. Get the calculation?

And yes you can apply for citizenship right after you get the F-card. Same day after the physical issuance of the F-card.

May 9, 2019 12:16
Denniss

Hi, I second CRISSCROSS opinion,
I was in the similar situation 5 years ago changing my A-card to F-card, so I applied within the validity of my A-card and got my F-card just slightly behind the date of my A-card expiry date - one week later - and I managed to get citizenship with the interruption. As I was told by a legal expert it is considered an administrative interruption and NOT interruption of your legal stay, which should not affect your citizenship application. though this might be interpreted differetnly by your commune civil servant, so better avoid that and make you recieve your F before expiration of A.
Good luck with that.

P.S. Here is useful info for you on the subject: http://agii.be/thema/vreemdelingenrecht-internationaal-privaatrecht/nati...

May 13, 2019 10:20
Sial Kashif

i every body.  iam belge citizen and my three chldren also belge citizen since  5 month. before thrèe month i demand in town hall  F card for my wife .they just take my one child birth certificate for apply F card. they said her minor child belge thats y no nèd other document. after one month police verify adresss and ploice give me green paper  for commune appointment. today i go commune on  appointment person at window check file and then told me your wife card A expired on 15 october you come one week before expiry date and apply for orange card then 27 november you take F card. anyboday have experience about this procedure or know about this thèn please explane me.because my one or tow friends after belge citizens demand F card for wife comune give th five months waiting period after they go commune and take F card. thanks

Reply 

Aug 28, 2019 02:20