Corporate Immigration update — Belgium update on family reunification for labour migrants
Immigration update — The Belgian Immigration Office has communicated an important update in its visa policy in the field of family reunification of labour migrants. This is a facilitation of the policy that was communicated earlier this year following the coming to office of the new Belgian government.
31 October 2025
Impact?
The procedure for granting a family reunification visa has been facilitated for the spouse and minor child of certain categories of workers;
- Highly qualified worker;
- Researcher without hosting agreement;
- Post-doctorate;
- Professional athlete or coach;
- International agreement.
These 5 categories thus come in addition to the categories ‘European Blue Card’, ‘Intra Company Transfer’ and ‘Researchers under hosting agreement’; in which the Immigration Office has been bound to European Directives.
How?
- Reference amount of 5,000 EUR gross/ month for these categories replaced by refence amounts family reunification;
If the single permit was granted to the labour migrant before 18 August 2025 the reference amount is 120% of the subsistence level, which currently amounts to 2,131.28 EUR net / month. If the single permit was granted to the labour migrant on/ after 18 August 2025 the reference amount is 110% of the average guaranteed monthly income, which currently amounts to 2,323.08 EUR net / month. This amount is increased by 10% for each additional dependent family member of the labour migrant.
- Visa issuance by the embassy without consulting the Immigration Office to the spouse and minor children of a worker, if the single permit was granted on/ after 18 August, 2025.
Important conditions:
- The family unit already exists on the date the Immigration Office grants the single permit (Annex 46 or 47) to the worker; and
- The single permit and family reunification visa applications are submitted simultaneously, or the family reunification visa application is submitted within six months from the day the single permit visa is issued to the accompanied or joined worker; and
- All the conditions for family reunification with a third-country national granted permission or authorization to reside for a limited period are met.
- The applicant is not from Afghanistan, Syria or Palestine and is not flagged
The submission of the family reunification visa application to the Immigration Office (and lengthier processing times) remains mandatory in case the above-mentioned situations do not apply.
Santa Fe recommendation
If you have any questions regarding this update policy for non-EU employees that you have hired or intend to hire, do reach out to your trusted Santa Fe Relocation contact from our Immigration Team.
Contact us
Please get in touch with us for further information or clarification:
Kevin Van Hove
Senior Immigration Consultant BeNeLux
Santa Fe Relocation
+32 (0) 485 43 30 64
kevin.vanhove@santaferelo.com
Anique Borchert
Manager Immigration BeNeLux
Santa Fe Relocation
+31 (0) 172 44 7971
anique.borchert@santaferelo.com
About our Immigration Services
Our distinguished immigration services oversee a substantial volume of visa applications annually, catering to a diverse array of international corporations. Our seasoned team of immigration experts and accredited migration agents are entrusted with the meticulous management of the entire immigration process on your behalf. We are committed to delivering streamlined reporting and offering comprehensive guidance on all immigration-related affairs, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience for our valued clients.
