Steps for moving to Belgium from the UK

Find out what it takes to move to Belgium from the UK, including visa requirements, budget and steps you need to take once you arrive.

Angelina

5 minute read

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Updated on 23 Dec 2024

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Moving

Moving to Belgium from the UK isn’t as easy as it used to be. Whether you’re moving to work, study or start your own business, you’ll need to arrange the right visa, legalise your documents, prepare your budget, look for accommodation and move your belongings if necessary.

To make your life a tad easier, we’ve made a detailed summary of things you need to consider when immigrating to Belgium!

British passport holders can stay in Belgium visa-free for short stays of 90 days or less.

Any travel within the Schengen zone in the last 180 days would count towards that 90 days limit.

If you plan to move to Belgium for longer than 90 days, you can live there with your UK passport as long as you arrange a long-stay D-type visa.

There’re different types of long-stay visas depending on the purpose of your stay; the 2 most common visas are for work or study, which we will discuss in this guide.

To work in Belgium as a UK citizen, you need both a work permit/single permit and a long-stay visa.

A work permit is issued if you need to work in Belgium for less than 90 days. A single permit is issued if you plan to live and work from Belgium for longer than 90 days.

Once you’ve signed your employment contract with a company in Belgium, your employer applies for your work or single permit on your behalf as a sponsor. To work as a freelancer or start your own business in Belgium you must apply for a professional card (carte professionale/beroepskaart) at the Belgian embassy.

Once the permit is granted, you’ve to apply for your visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate in the UK using annexe 46 (the approval document).

Types of work permits issued in Belgium

Depending on your qualifications and nature of work, you’ll need to secure the right type of work permit:

• Highly-skilled worker or Director permit
• European Blue card
• Work permit for shortage occupation
• Other categories permit (such as au pairs, specialised technicians, journalists, professional athletes and postdoctoral researchers)
• Search year permit (for recent graduates from Belgian universities)
• Professional card (for freelancer or self-employed)

For a detailed list of eligibility requirements and documents, refer to our Belgian Work Permit Guide.

To study in Belgium for longer than 3 months, you must apply for a long-stay student visa. That means proving that you’ve sufficient financial means to support yourself during your stay (e.g. scholarship) and that you’ve been accepted by a recognised university.

In general, these are the entry requirements for Belgium for employees:

• Passport, valid for at least 5 years
• 2 recent passport-size photos
• Signed employment contract
• Annex 46 (document showing you’ve been granted the single permit)
• Filled up long-stay visa application form
• Proof of visa payment fees
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Proof of no criminal record (UK police certificate)
• Proof of health insurance
• Medical certificate from NHS
• Recognition of professional qualifications if you work in a regulated profession

Make sure that you’ve copies of each of the documents and that all your documents, diplomas and certificates are legalised.

These are the general documents for students moving to Belgium from the UK:

• Passport with at least 2 empty pages
• Filled-in long-stay visa application form
• 2 recent passport-size photos
• University acceptance letter
• Sufficient financial funds
• Proof of administrative fee payment
• Birth certificate
• Medical certificate from NHS

To apply for a Belgium visa from the UK, simply make an appointment at the nearest Belgian embassy or consulate, show the documents, and answer any questions during the interview. The whole process takes anywhere from 2-4 months.

Belgium is one of the few very popular expat destinations__ which still offer a great variety of housing options for reasonable prices. But don’t underestimate and time and effort this step takes!

Once you’ve narrowed down which Belgian city you’ll move to, use a reliable rental platform to find your dream home.

If you're moving to the capital, you should start exploring homes for rent in Brussels a few months in advance. Similarly, in larger cities like Antwerp, Ghent or Liège it's best to have accommodation already secured before your move.

Read the tenant rights to know if your rental agreement is sound.

See if your rent is inclusive of utilities like electricity, gas, water, and wifi. If not, learn how to set up utilities in Belgium.

As a single person living in a 1-bedroom flat in the city centre of a popular Belgian city, you should budget around £1,371/month (inclusive of rent).

For a family of four, living in a 3-bedroom apartment, the monthly living costs in Belgium would increase to around £3,572.

At the risk of generalising, living in Belgium is on average 27% cheaper than in the United Kingdom due to the significantly lower rental prices.

Learn how much you need to make to live comfortably in Brussels

Once you’ve reserved your accommodation, you can ship your belongings from the UK to Belgium. If you just have a few boxes and have already booked your rental accommodation in Belgium, you could consider sending it via Royal Mail.

If you’re moving furniture or plenty of items, don’t forget to take into account the costs of removals from the UK to Belgium. Moving a 1-bed household would cost around £800 – £1,300. For an average 3-bed house, you’ll pay in the range of £1,300 – £1,800.

Some of the best-rated international removals companies in the United Kingdom include:

• Burke Bros Moving Group
• GB Liners
• Global Moving Service
• Lopa Removals

Once you’ve got the appropriate visa, you can travel to Belgium from the UK in various ways.

1. Drive through Eurotunnel: quick travel if travelling from the South of England. Pay attention to the driving rules.
2. Take a Euroline coach: for cheap travel to Belgium.
3. Take a Eurostar train from London or Ashford International from Kent: best in terms of luggage allowance, comfort, and speed.
4. Take a flight from UK to Brussels airport, Antwerp-Deurne airport, Liège airport: for quick travel to Belgium.
5. Take a ferry from Denver to Calais or Dover to Dunkerque and then drive to Belgium.

Registering with the municipality

You’ll need to register with your municipality within 8 days of entering Belgium from the UK. This is a crucial step in getting your Belgian residence permit, a document that legally allows you to live in Belgium and work or study.

Healthcare and social security

If you plan to work in Belgium, you and your employer have to pay social security contributions to access benefits such as Belgian public healthcare. Either your employer signs you up for social security or you can register with the social institution yourself if you’re self-employed.

To pay for social security and access healthcare, you’ll first need to get your Belgian national number and then join a Belgian health insurance fund, which has a monthly membership fee of around £9.

If you’re studying in Belgium or plan to stay in Belgium temporarily, for example as a posted worker, you can get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) before leaving the UK.

Banking

When moving to Belgium, make sure you open a Belgian bank account to receive your salary and pay for everyday shopping, such as your groceries. This is going to be a life saves as cards like Visa and Mastercard aren’t widely accepted.

Paying taxes

You’ve to pay taxes in Belgium if you’re earning any income locally. Luckily, you won’t pay double taxes as the United Kingdom has a double taxation agreement with Belgium.

Don’t earn an income but own assets? Any foreign assets, such as a bank account, stocks, properties, or pension from abroad need to be declared to the Belgian tax authorities.

Getting familiar with the local languages

Last but not least, different languages are spoken across the different regions of Belgium. So once you’re here, take some time to get familiar with the basics or take a language course. This will help you better integrate and reduce any language barrier in Belgium.