Forums » Belgium » Relationships in Belgium

• cyiannic

  

  • 2 posts
   

  January 23, 2012 8:23:51 PM CET

  Hi everyone,

   

  I would like to to come and live in Belgium for around 6 months with a partener who is a Belgium citizen. I am an Australian Citizen, and I believe there is a special system for Australian citizens ( http://www.diplomatie.be/canberra/default.asp?id=28&mnu=28&ACT=5&content=88)

   

  I have 2 questions:

   

  1. What kind of questions/history do I need to provide to prove a defacto relationship? We are not married, and have no official agreement/documents that state we lived together (we did so whilst overseas and living in a place without a contract).

   

  2. How long does it take? I dont think I am on my Schengan visa anymore, and I am currently using my residcency card from Spain (Student card) but it expires very soon. There is a potential chance that before I apply for the defacto residency in belgium, that I will become illegal.

  
  Thanks 

• woluwemum

  

  • 81 posts
   

  February 4, 2012 9:30:03 AM CET

  Only the Belgian embassy consular services can answer your questions.
  
  I do know however of people here in Belgium who have arrived without visas in advance and applied for cohabitation with an EU national and it has taken them 5 months wait, as checks have to be made in these circumstances that public funds are not being claimed, before residency will be issued. So you could always arrive and apply immediately and if you are staying only 6 months, you might not actually get permission to stay for those 6 months!
  
  Whatever you do, you must avoid entirely becoming an overstayer in Schengen. Ask the Spanish authorities what the rules are on this. Being an overstayers looks rather bad when applying for legal residence elsewhere!