If you are a foreign student enrolled in a Belgian institution, your residence permit (the A card) is generally valid for one year. This document allows you to stay legally in Belgium during your studies, but it is not issued once and for all.
You are about to experience a year rich in discoveries in Belgium, but have you already thought about the validity period of your student residence permit? This element is crucial: if you exceed the specified date, you risk an irregular stay with serious consequences — a fine, refusal to renew, or even being inadmissible for several years.
Mastering this period allows you to:
Let's take a concrete example: if your title is valid until August 31, you can start your formalities as early as May. This flexibility gives you time to gather all the essential supporting documents, such as the registration certificate, bank statement or proof of insurance.
In addition, knowing the validity period influences the management of student work permits and health insurance. If you are planning an internship or a part-time job at the end of the year, a title expiring in the middle of the semester can block your professional procedures or your health coverage.
Finally, regularly checking the date on your residence permit and noting the deadline in your agenda or telephone is a simple reflex that guarantees the legality of your stay. This way, you stay focused on what matters most: your studies and your life on campus, without fear of unpleasant surprises. In case of doubt, contact the international student service at your university: they will guide you to the official forms and give you personalized advice according to your situation.
As a general rule, for a foreign student enrolled in a program of at least ten months, the standard duration of the residence permit corresponds to your academic year. Concretely, it covers the period from the month of September/October Until July/August of the following year.
More specifically:
Issue date : it is often fixed as soon as you first register for administrative purposes, at the end of August or the beginning of September.
Pay attention to deadlines: the municipal services often require several weeks to process your file and take a biometric photo. If you arrive late in Belgium (October-November), plan ahead and make an appointment as soon as possible.
Your student residence permit in Belgium is not fixed: several elements can extend it or force you to request a change before it expires.
First, the type of program: bachelor's or bachelor's degree covers one academic year (10 months), while a master's or pro program can last two years. If your course includes a mandatory internship, your title can be extended for its duration, upon presentation of the agreement and the school certificate.
For doctoral students, validity is in line with the expected duration of the thesis: often count three to four years, with the possibility of renewing the first time to finish your research. Likewise, if you get a grant (Erasmus+ or bilateral) of one year or more, you can adjust the length of your stay to the funding period.
Finally, after graduation, you are entitled to a “job search” or “business creation” residence permit valid for 12 months, to transform your experience into a professional opportunity. Also think that a change of institution or level of study requires a change request to immigration before the expiration date.
Several conditions must be met to obtain the renewal of your residence card:
Be re-enrolled in a recognized higher education institution in Belgium;
Your Belgian residence permit is about to expire: don't panic, you just have to plan ahead. First, set yourself a Alert three months before the deadline. In the Flemish Region, Brussels and Wallonia, the procedure often follows the same main steps:
File meeting : pick up the official form online or at the municipal counter. Get ready
• a translated birth certificate extract,
• a certificate of enrollment or a recent school certificate,
• a proof of resources (blocked account, stock exchange or other).
What if you miss the date? In case of expiry of validity, urgently contact the municipal office with all your papers and a justification of your actual stay. You can sometimes benefit from a tolerance document for a few weeks.
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