Settling down, registration

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 13:22:18

Hi all, I have a question, if you had time to respond, would be great.

I have my single permit and will move soon to Brussels. I am planning to settle temporary for the first 3-4 weeks till I find a place to rent. So I cannot register myself in temporary address.

1)would that be ok to register late? like after first month?

2)Would be a problem for opening bank account without registration?

3) Any hint for finding a temporary place that not cost too much appreciated.

4) Any hint regarding a rent a flat(after temporary time) would be great- rent, conditions.. etc to be considered.

Thanks in advance

Jimsen Contributor

Member since 02 February 2021

JimsenContributor30 April 2022 14:06:24

118

Hi,

May be, you can try following if your location is Brussels :

01. Decide and make a contract with BBF at Saint Josse for 3 months.

02. Saint Josse commune is very small and you will get an online appointment immediately. Take an appointment for 3rd day of arrival to Brussels.

03. Get Residence Card

04. Meanwhile start looking for an apartment on immoweb. It is difficult without a residence card to get a rent contract.

05. You can open a bank account without registration. You may take an appointment with KBC bank on arrival. Submit residence card copy to the bank later.

Of course there are many other ways. Just avoid 1000 and Evere communes for temporary stay.

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 19:44:54

Many thanks Jimsen for the very useful hints.

2 points, I do not want to settle down temporary more than a month. would it be possible to get residency card with a temporary location?

Let's say it is possible and I get the resident card with temporary settlement, when I get the long term flat in another commune, shall I change my residency card because of new address, so is it worth to repeat the process?

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 19:45:57

What is BBF by the way?

elenalagafonova Active member

Member since 07 October 2021

elenalagafonovaActive member30 April 2022 20:48:13

@firoozehb

I don鈥檛 know your situation but I arrived with work visa and before I could start working for my employer I needed annex 49 from commune, which in my case wasn鈥檛 possible to get from the commune without a long term rental contract. Perhaps your situation is different, but just check if this wouldn鈥檛 apply to you. Also all the bureaucracy is super slow. I received my residence card after three months. On a positive note, I could easily find a nice flat (on immoweb) and sign the contract prior my arrival, rental market in Brussels is pretty relaxed in my opinion. Or perhaps I was lucky.

Ah, I just saw you are from Spain. Of course for EU nationals things are easier on many accounts.

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 20:55:49

Hi Elena,

thanks for reply. I have annex 46. and I am not Spanish although living in Spain.

Happy to here you could have nice flat prior to arrive. How could you get it before arriving? Could you trust the photos? and did the owner accepted to contract you before coming? Any recommendation to facilitate finding a flat for long term contract I mean

Jimsen Contributor

Member since 02 February 2021

JimsenContributor30 April 2022 21:05:43

118

Hi,

As you mentioned you have a single permit, I think you are a Non-EU citizen.

It may be difficult to get the residence card within one month (unless you are very lucky with your contract and commune). On safer side, I suggest 3 months temporary (May be shared) location.

There are few steps for temporary location residence card:

01. Get a contract

02. Police visit

03. Fee payment and fingerprint at commune

04. Get PIN in your mail box

05. Collect residence card

For long term contract, I think you have to follow first 3 steps.

But getting a long term contract itself takes a bit of time. Probably, you have to be patient with the process.

Jimsen Contributor

Member since 02 February 2021

JimsenContributor30 April 2022 21:09:44

118

@firoozehb

There is more risk and less reward to go for a long term contract without a visit. I will not suggest this to anyone.

elenalagafonova Active member

Member since 07 October 2021

elenalagafonovaActive member30 April 2022 21:29:21

@firoozehb

Annex 46 is one thing, Annex 49 is another. You get it from the commune after submitting necessary documents - rental contract included-聽 for registration. Without this I couldn鈥檛 legally start working. So check if this would apply to you as well to understand the situation better. Moreover to my knowledge there is a requirement to register with 7 or 8 days with the commune after arrival.

Flat search was easier for me as it was 2nd time I was moving to Brussels. I just was going through immoweb checking options I like. Yes, one thing was easier for me, I had a friend who visited a flat I liked on my behalf. But there was one option which I could take without visiting. I usually asked for video calls. Not everyone was willing to do it this way, but many were.

Of course I scrutinized interesting options as much as I could - photos, videos, checked google srtreets, asked lots of questions.

Owner/agent were totally fine with my contract and residence/work permits. They needed no residence card.

Agree that searching online is tricky and poses more risks, but I was in a position to distinguish reliable options from shady ones, you don鈥檛 need to be genius. Just check all info you have - names of owner/agent, website (in case of agency), I googled all this information to check if聽 it is real, checked people on LinkedIn and so on.

My point is - check what you will have to arrange to be able to start working. This might help to define your steps.

And honestly, I would not live in St Josse, there are nicer areas in Brussels.

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 21:36:10

#10

@elenalagafonova I understand your point, to my knowledge annex 49 is for those who renew their residency and they are already in Belgium, for first card will be annex 46, anyhow I will look for the annex 49, to make sure.

Yes an 8 days obligation, but I was not sure about the strictness of this 8 days period.

Thanks for the tips of visiting flats.

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 21:38:41

#11

@Jimsen

Thanks for the clear steps. Very useful.

Jimsen Contributor

Member since 02 February 2021

JimsenContributor30 April 2022 21:45:51

#12

118

@firoozehb

Careful. I recommended聽 Saint Jose only for a temporary location to get your residence card quickly. This is not at all suitable for a long term residence.

elenalagafonova Active member

Member since 07 October 2021

elenalagafonovaActive member30 April 2022 21:50:36

#13

@firoozehb please do carefully check what immigration requirements you should fulfill upon arrival to avoid surprises. I twice moved for work and twice had to get annex 49 from commune without聽 which I couldn鈥檛 start working:

1. If you are coming to Belgium for the first time, you should apply for your visa at the competent consular post by submitting the Annex 46, among other documents. The estimated processing time differs from country to country, but the authorities indicate that it can take up to 1 to 1.5 months to issue a visa. You will need the visa to be allowed to enter Belgium. Upon arrival in Belgium, you must register at the town or city hall of your place of residence. They will give you an Annex 49 pending the issue of your single permit.

2. If you are already residing in Belgium, you can submit the Annex 46 to the town or city hall of your Belgian place of residence, where you will receive an Annex 49 pending the issue of your single permit.

As for the requirement to register within 7/8 days, it is up to you to respect this or not. I tend to follow rules regardless how likely I might be punished for non compliance. Rule is a rule, it should be respected. But that鈥檚 my opinion.

firoozehb Member

Member since 16 March 2022

firoozehbMember30 April 2022 21:56:30

#14

@elenalagafonova

Yes of course I will register as soon as possible, I was just wondering if I will be able to find a place in 8 days which is necessary for registration, if not what will happen to registration (it was my original question).

I am on visa process. To be honest I did not know annex 49 applies to me. Thanks for reminding me that.