Belgium Relocation Checklist

Phase 1 · 12–18 months out

Decide with real numbers — and real odds

Take a scouting trip — you get 90 days visa-free per rolling 180 (the EES system has been counting your days since October 2025) Understand the route: Belgium has no retirement visa — the rentier route is discretionary. Decide whether you can live with a maybe; if not, compare Portugal or Spain Pick your region first: language (Dutch/French), purchase tax (2%/3%/12.5%), and prices all change at the regional line — see Where to Live Build a monthly budget from the Cost of Living data — plan €2,800–3,500/month for a renting couple outside premium Brussels Book a cross-border tax consultation before anything moves — Belgium taxes IRA withdrawals at up to 50%, and the new 10% capital-gains tax has an exit sting (retiree tax guide) Start Dutch or French now — A2 in a national language is required for citizenship at year 5, and it makes every other step easier

Phase 2 · 6–12 months out

Build the file

Assemble 12+ months of passive-income evidence: pension and Social Security/CPP/OAS award letters, annuity contracts, brokerage statements — durability beats size Request your FBI (US) or RCMP (Canada) criminal record check, then have it apostilled — these expire, so time it against your application date Get the medical certificate from a physician approved by your Belgian mission Arrange private health insurance covering all risks in Belgium — for the visa and the months before your mutuelle starts (mutuelle guide) Write the personal statement: your ties to Belgium, your plans, your self-sufficiency — in a discretionary system this letter carries real weight Draft the timing plan for retirement-account withdrawals and (Canadians) departure tax with your adviser — before you become Belgian tax resident

Phase 3 · 3–6 months out

Pay, apply, wait properly

Pay the €242 contribution fee per adult to the Immigration Office account — payment reference formatted exactly (Name First-name Nationality DDMMYYYY); a wrong or missing payment makes the file inadmissible Submit the D visa application at the Belgian embassy, consulate, or visa centre covering your state/province (consular handling fee ≈ €250/US$300 from 1 July 2026) While you wait (several months is normal — there's no statutory deadline for Article 9 files): plan the physical move; don't sell the house or book one-way flights on an assumption Pets: ISO microchip → rabies shot ≥21 days before travel → EU health certificate endorsed by USDA-APHIS or CFIA (Living guide) Check your driving-licence reciprocity: whether your US state or Canadian province exchanges without a test is list-specific — verify on FPS Mobility now, while there's time to plan for lessons if needed If approved: collect the D visa and book travel — with temporary accommodation in the commune you actually want to register in

Phase 4 · Arrival & first 90 days

Become a resident, properly

Register at your commune within 8 working days of arrival — then expect the neighbourhood police residence check Collect your electronic residence card (A card) and national register number — the key to everything that follows Join a mutuelle or the CAAMI as a "resident" — bring income evidence; keep the private policy until cover is confirmed in writing (how it works) Open a Belgian bank account and set up itsme — utilities, MyMinfin, and the mutuelle all hang off it Start the driving-licence exchange at the commune (or book the Belgian theory test if your state/province isn't on the reciprocity list) Set up utilities via the regional regulator's comparison tool (VREG/CWaPE/Brugel) — €200–300/month combined for a couple is a fair planning figure Arrange hospitalisation insurance while you're young enough for good rates — the most common regret of late movers Mark year 5 in the calendar: permanent residence, and citizenship by declaration (A2 language + integration + €1,030 fee, 2026) — the clock runs from legal residence

The rules moved recently and will move again — the capital-gains tax arrived 1 January 2026, contribution fees index every January, and the living-wage benchmark indexes with inflation. The newsletter below is how we tell you when this page changes.

The whole move,
in order.

Decide with real numbers — and real odds

Build the file

Pay, apply, wait properly

Become a resident, properly

Need a relocation specialist?

The whole move,in order.

Decide with real numbers — and real odds

Build the file

Pay, apply, wait properly

Become a resident, properly

Need a relocation specialist?

This checklist updates. So should you.

The whole move,
in order.