Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Dec 13th 2018, 11:12 am
#1
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Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Following Red_Wine_Fairy's example for Brits living in NL, I thought that I'd share the following which I received from the gemeentehuis yesterday.
================================================== ==============
The Brexit and Your Right of Residence.
On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom announced its decision to leave the European Union and will therefore no longer be part of the European Union as of 30 March 2019. This decision will have a significant impact not only on the European Union citizens currently residing in the United Kingdom, but also on British citizens residing in a European Union Member State. The purpose of the Withdrawal Agreement is to safeguard as much as possible the acquired rights of the British citizens and their family members already residing in Belgium.
The negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the conditions of withdrawal are still ongoing. A provisional draft of the Withdrawal Agreement was published by the European Commission in November 2018. Partial agreements have already been concluded on important topics. Nonetheless, it is important to point out that as long as the full agreement has not been reached, the Immigration Office cannot guarantee the rights and obligations of the citizens. The following information is therefore provisional and may be modified as a result of the ongoing negotiations. For this reason, the immigration Office is not yet able to answer questions about individual files.
ln the transition phase, from 30 March 2019 to 31 December 2020, British citizens will see virtually no change. Throughout this period, the British citizens will retain their right of free movement and residence, but must always be able to present their travel documents in case of border control. British citizens and their family members who have exercised their right of free movement of people in Belgium before 1 January 2021 will need a new residence card. During the transition phase, these persons will be identified on the basis of the data from the National Register. They will be sent a personalised letter asking them to go to the municipal administration of their place of residence to obtain a new residence permit referring to the Brexit, in order to guarantee the rights granted to them by the Withdrawal Agreement. Their rights as employee or self-employed people will be linked to this residence permit.
Everyone has to be enrolled by mid-2021. lf they meet certain conditions, family members who had not joined the beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement before 1 January 2021 can still do so under the old rules.
The Withdrawal Agreement will also allow two other groups to benefit from the old regime, namely British frontier workers residing in the European Union before 1 January 2021 and British nationals who had already planned medical treatment in the European Union before that date.
British citizens who will not have exercised their right of free movement of people before 1 January 2021 or who cannot prove they used it, will be considered as third country nationals from that date onwards. The rights of entry and residence of these persons are part of the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union starting on 30 March 2019.
================================================== ==============
================================================== ==============
The Brexit and Your Right of Residence.
On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom announced its decision to leave the European Union and will therefore no longer be part of the European Union as of 30 March 2019. This decision will have a significant impact not only on the European Union citizens currently residing in the United Kingdom, but also on British citizens residing in a European Union Member State. The purpose of the Withdrawal Agreement is to safeguard as much as possible the acquired rights of the British citizens and their family members already residing in Belgium.
The negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union on the conditions of withdrawal are still ongoing. A provisional draft of the Withdrawal Agreement was published by the European Commission in November 2018. Partial agreements have already been concluded on important topics. Nonetheless, it is important to point out that as long as the full agreement has not been reached, the Immigration Office cannot guarantee the rights and obligations of the citizens. The following information is therefore provisional and may be modified as a result of the ongoing negotiations. For this reason, the immigration Office is not yet able to answer questions about individual files.
ln the transition phase, from 30 March 2019 to 31 December 2020, British citizens will see virtually no change. Throughout this period, the British citizens will retain their right of free movement and residence, but must always be able to present their travel documents in case of border control. British citizens and their family members who have exercised their right of free movement of people in Belgium before 1 January 2021 will need a new residence card. During the transition phase, these persons will be identified on the basis of the data from the National Register. They will be sent a personalised letter asking them to go to the municipal administration of their place of residence to obtain a new residence permit referring to the Brexit, in order to guarantee the rights granted to them by the Withdrawal Agreement. Their rights as employee or self-employed people will be linked to this residence permit.
Everyone has to be enrolled by mid-2021. lf they meet certain conditions, family members who had not joined the beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement before 1 January 2021 can still do so under the old rules.
The Withdrawal Agreement will also allow two other groups to benefit from the old regime, namely British frontier workers residing in the European Union before 1 January 2021 and British nationals who had already planned medical treatment in the European Union before that date.
British citizens who will not have exercised their right of free movement of people before 1 January 2021 or who cannot prove they used it, will be considered as third country nationals from that date onwards. The rights of entry and residence of these persons are part of the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union starting on 30 March 2019.
================================================== ==============
Dec 13th 2018, 1:01 pm
#2
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Funnily enough I said to my Wife a few weeks ago that I think the Hungarians will ask us to re-register, as described above.
Jan 8th 2019, 4:50 pm
#3
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11
Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Well, let us see how this agreement unfolds or falls through this month.
Let's hope it all goes swimmingly - somehow.
Let's hope it all goes swimmingly - somehow.
Jan 17th 2019, 10:31 am
#4
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Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Charente Maritime
Posts: 9,346
Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
This should calm down some nerves
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
Jan 17th 2019, 10:40 am
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11
Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
This should calm down some nerves
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
Otherwise I'll be marooned in London buying black market food bundles for a months wage lol
Jan 17th 2019, 11:25 am
#6
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Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Charente Maritime
Posts: 9,346
Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Arch Brexiteer Nigel Farage was accused of being “elitist” after it emerged he had travelled to Strasbourg from London on his own private jet.
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top...lane-1-5854764
Jan 17th 2019, 2:12 pm
#7
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Joined: May 2016
Location: Antwerpen/Anvers
Posts: 7,269
Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
This should calm down some nerves
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-...OMl47sIubQEiLo
British citizens already living and working in Belgium will be free to remain even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK’s ambassador in Brussels confirmed on Wednesday (16 January).
HTH
https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2019/01...o-deal-brexit/
Jan 18th 2019, 8:17 pm
#8
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Location: Antwerpen/Anvers
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
From GOV.UK this afternoon,
"2:42pm, 18 January 2019: EU Exit update: updated information on pensions and driving
You’re getting this email because you subscribed to ‘Living in Belgium’ updates on GOV.UK."
It's worth signing up for, one can choose the frequency of the email updates.
Having read the update I was initially bothered about getting my Belgian driving licence sorted before March 29th (in case the eID still wasn't through by then) but then remembered that I'm running on a Swiss driving licence anyway.
"2:42pm, 18 January 2019: EU Exit update: updated information on pensions and driving
You’re getting this email because you subscribed to ‘Living in Belgium’ updates on GOV.UK."
It's worth signing up for, one can choose the frequency of the email updates.
Having read the update I was initially bothered about getting my Belgian driving licence sorted before March 29th (in case the eID still wasn't through by then) but then remembered that I'm running on a Swiss driving licence anyway.
Jan 29th 2019, 8:22 pm
#9
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Another update from GOV.UK today, this appears to be about healthcare changes in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...tent=immediate
Shame that one has to wade knee-deep in treacle in order to get a handle on just what has been updated.
GOV.UK's way of keeping the brain cells ticking?
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-i...tent=immediate
Shame that one has to wade knee-deep in treacle in order to get a handle on just what has been updated.
GOV.UK's way of keeping the brain cells ticking?
Last edited by BuckinghamshireBoy; Jan 29th 2019 at 8:36 pm. Reason: It would help if I posted the link... Duh!
Jan 30th 2019, 8:55 am
#10
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
I reckon I have been getting an average of 20 emails a day for weeks now!
Got all 27 + plus a few "technical" ones yesterday!
Got all 27 + plus a few "technical" ones yesterday!
Feb 16th 2019, 1:01 pm
#11
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Latest update from the Belgian authorities (link provided by GOV.UK) giving more info in the case of a no agreement withdrawal.
(update 14/02/2019)
Impact of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on the right to reside of British citizens in Belgium in case no agreement is reached on the withdrawal
In order to prepare for a withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union without an agreement between both parties, the Belgian Government has taken legislative action. This legislative act will only come into force in case no agreement is reached on the day of the withdrawal and has yet to be ratified by the parliament. It concerns temporary measures which are meant to provide a solution to the most important and urgent questions.
Belgium has chosen to safeguard the right to reside of the British citizens and their family members who were already residing in Belgium at the time of the withdrawal. The citizen's rights have always been a priority for Belgium and the government has therefore opted for a generous approach. The existing rights of residence will be prolonged after the 29th of March 2019 and this until the 31st of December 2020. In that period nothing much will change for British citizens and their family members already residing in Belgium at the time of the withdrawal.
The British citizens will be kept informed of further developments and of any steps they have to take to ensure their rights of residence.
Possible situations:
In case the validity of your current E / E+ or F /F+ expires between the 30th of March 2019 and the 31st of December 2020, you can renew your card at the municipality where you reside. You will need your old card to apply for a new one, which will be valid until the 31st of December 2020.
If you are a British citizen or a family member of a British citizen with a permanent residence in Belgium(E+ of F+ card) or you have been residing in Belgium for at least 5 years we encourage you to apply for long-term residency (D card). This status has been created to closely mirror the permanent residence status for EU-nationals. By applying for long-term residency (D card) you can safeguard your stay in Belgium after the 31st of December 2020.
More information on long-term residency can be found on the following page:
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/wh...m-residents_en
You can consult the rules for a long-term stay in Belgium for third country nationals on our website:
https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/nl/Pages/home.aspx
You can consult the current rules and conditions regarding the access to the Belgian labour market on the website of the competent regions:
The entry checks will include verification of:
- the possession of a valid travel document for crossing the border; the document needs to have a validity of no more than ten years, and shall be still valid for three months after the intended departure from the Member States;
- the duration of the stay;
- relevant databases with a view to verify the identity and the nationality of the third-country national and of the authenticity and validity of the travel document for crossing the border, and in particular if an alert has been issued in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for the purposes of refusing entry and to check possible threats to public policy, internal security, public health and international relations;
- the purpose (e.g. tourism or work) and the conditions of the intended stay (e.g. accommodation, internal travels);
- the existence of sufficient means of subsistence (i.e. having sufficient means to pay for the intended stay and return travel).
Checks on exit include verification of:
- the possession of a valid travel document for crossing the external border;
- verification that the person did not exceed the maximum duration of stay in the territory of the Member States;
- relevant databases similarly as upon entry checks
The Commission submitted a proposal to exempt UK nationals from the requirement to be in possession of a short-stay visa ("Schengenvisa") when crossing the external borders, where the intended duration of the stay in the Schengen area is 90 days within a 180-day period. This proposal has not yet been adopted.
More information on short stay can be found on the following page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info...velling_en.pdf
Impact of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on the right to reside of British citizens in Belgium in case no agreement is reached on the withdrawal
In order to prepare for a withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union without an agreement between both parties, the Belgian Government has taken legislative action. This legislative act will only come into force in case no agreement is reached on the day of the withdrawal and has yet to be ratified by the parliament. It concerns temporary measures which are meant to provide a solution to the most important and urgent questions.
Belgium has chosen to safeguard the right to reside of the British citizens and their family members who were already residing in Belgium at the time of the withdrawal. The citizen's rights have always been a priority for Belgium and the government has therefore opted for a generous approach. The existing rights of residence will be prolonged after the 29th of March 2019 and this until the 31st of December 2020. In that period nothing much will change for British citizens and their family members already residing in Belgium at the time of the withdrawal.
The British citizens will be kept informed of further developments and of any steps they have to take to ensure their rights of residence.
Possible situations:
- You are a British citizens or a family member of a British citizen with a right of residence in Belgium:
In case the validity of your current E / E+ or F /F+ expires between the 30th of March 2019 and the 31st of December 2020, you can renew your card at the municipality where you reside. You will need your old card to apply for a new one, which will be valid until the 31st of December 2020.
If you are a British citizen or a family member of a British citizen with a permanent residence in Belgium(E+ of F+ card) or you have been residing in Belgium for at least 5 years we encourage you to apply for long-term residency (D card). This status has been created to closely mirror the permanent residence status for EU-nationals. By applying for long-term residency (D card) you can safeguard your stay in Belgium after the 31st of December 2020.
More information on long-term residency can be found on the following page:
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/wh...m-residents_en
- You are a British citizen who wants to apply for a residence permit after the withdrawal date:
You can consult the rules for a long-term stay in Belgium for third country nationals on our website:
https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/nl/Pages/home.aspx
You can consult the current rules and conditions regarding the access to the Belgian labour market on the website of the competent regions:
- Flemish region: https://www.werk.be/online-diensten/...-nationaliteit
- Brussels-Capital region: Niet-Europese werknemers and zelfstandigen - Brussel Economie en Werkgelegenheid
- Walloon region: https://emploi.wallonie.be/home/trav...etrangers.html
- German community: Arbeitsamt der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens - Vous êtes ressortissant étranger ? of Ostbelgien Live - HOME
- You are a British citizen and you want to visit Belgium for a short period of less than 3 months (90 days in a period of 180 days):
The entry checks will include verification of:
- the possession of a valid travel document for crossing the border; the document needs to have a validity of no more than ten years, and shall be still valid for three months after the intended departure from the Member States;
- the duration of the stay;
- relevant databases with a view to verify the identity and the nationality of the third-country national and of the authenticity and validity of the travel document for crossing the border, and in particular if an alert has been issued in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for the purposes of refusing entry and to check possible threats to public policy, internal security, public health and international relations;
- the purpose (e.g. tourism or work) and the conditions of the intended stay (e.g. accommodation, internal travels);
- the existence of sufficient means of subsistence (i.e. having sufficient means to pay for the intended stay and return travel).
Checks on exit include verification of:
- the possession of a valid travel document for crossing the external border;
- verification that the person did not exceed the maximum duration of stay in the territory of the Member States;
- relevant databases similarly as upon entry checks
The Commission submitted a proposal to exempt UK nationals from the requirement to be in possession of a short-stay visa ("Schengenvisa") when crossing the external borders, where the intended duration of the stay in the Schengen area is 90 days within a 180-day period. This proposal has not yet been adopted.
More information on short stay can be found on the following page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info...velling_en.pdf
- You are a family member of a British citizen with a right of residence in Belgium and you want to join this family member in Belgium after the withdrawal:
- You are a British citizen or family member of a British citizen who has applied for residence in Belgium before the 30th of March 2019 but a decision has not yet been taken on the day of the withdrawal:
Feb 25th 2019, 10:15 am
#12
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Location: Antwerpen/Anvers
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
GOV.UK has this morning posted lists of English-speaking lawyers, translators and interpreters for British nationals in Belgium.
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...tent=immediate
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...tent=immediate
Mar 13th 2019, 12:51 pm
#13
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
From GOV.UK
Living in Belgium
Official information British people moving to and living in Belgium need to know, including EU Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
9:58am, 13 March 2019: We have updated the contact details you need to apply for an S1 form.
Official information British people moving to and living in Belgium need to know, including EU Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
9:58am, 13 March 2019: We have updated the contact details you need to apply for an S1 form.
Mar 25th 2019, 12:39 pm
#15
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Re: Brexit: Your Right of Residence (Belgium)
Not sure if you saw this from yesterday, your commute is "assured"
https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2019/03...eryName=DM8455