Hi Thu, air ticket reservation or even better if those are invoices with payment confirmation will be good enough. That was what I had submitted too and not air tickets. Please also refer to proof of relationship article for more suggestions of documents for compilation and submission.

If you are going to visit Belgium as a tourist for the next one year or your boyfriend is going to Hanoi, both of you can take more pictures together. In the meanwhile, keep a record of your conversation for the next 15 months to show proof of regular communication.

You can also refer to this cohabitation checklist before going to Belgium to help you prepare the documents. I have also sent you a template where you can modify and make the best of it. Good luck to you! 🙂

At the beginning of our relationship, we did not keep air tickets and took pictures together so I wonder if the air ticket reservation is good enough? And I would highly appreciate if you could share your template so I can adjust base on that. All the best! Regards, Thu

Hi Khuong, I do not understand your question as I cannot figure out what is the number you are talking about for the cohabitation visa before coming.

I am Khuong. I applied the documents for the cohabitation visa and waiting for the result. Before coming to Belgium I need to finalize some documents with Social Security in my country (this just legal in my country), I really need the information about the number of visa. I know of course is different for every people but how is the type of cohabitation visa number? For example, the tourist visa is BEL. Thank you so much. Khuong

Hi Pieter, as your girlfriend is an American citizen, she does not need a Visa C to come to Belgium. Type C is a tourist visa. America passports can be exempted for entering Europe for 90 days. You can probably apply a Bijlage 3 bis for her before coming over, so she will just buy a one-way ticket and not round-trip ticket to declare a cohabitation. When she is stopped at the Airport customs, just show the officer the Bijlage 3bis and everything will be fine. The article will explain more.

As long as the relationship is not 2 years old, there is always a possibility of getting denied. But again, there are always exceptions. If you have lived with her in the US before even for a few months and can show proof of tenancy agreement of by paying some bills with records showing shared address, the chances of success are always higher. The more you show proof (other than photos) of each other involvement, the more authentic and serious you show to the officers.

I always tell people to have a strong heart to go through rejections if they really want to be with each other. So, what if there is a rejection? You both just have to repeat the family reunification process, pay €200 each time and go through another 6-month of Orange Card process. The good news is that she can continue staying with you for as long as possible until she gets her F Card. If she does not want to go through the torture (for some) of getting a refusal, then wait until 2 years to apply. Do note that your income also counts as part of the success factors.

PS: I have emailed you the template. Please check.

This article is exactly what I was looking for! To give you a little bit more background, I lived in the US for a while where I met my (American) girlfriend. I (Belgian Citizen) moved back a few months ago, and we are now exploring ways to get her over to Belgium so we can live together.

We have been dating for 1 year now and have taken several trips together and visited each other several times since I moved back to Europe. I was hoping to submit a file so she can request a “Visum type C” and we can register for legal cohabitation. What do you think our chances are provided we’ve only been dating for 1 and not 2 years?

In the meanwhile, may I also ask to share your template so I can start working on a file to prove out our relationship? Can’t wait to live with her, thanks for your help!

Hi José, it seems that you have enough proof of relationship on first glance, including testimony from family and friends which you can submit in your document. Yes, please come directly to Belgium and apply for the cohabitation. Remember to get these documents legalised in your country before coming over.

Do not worry about not giving enough proof because the commune will give you a list to mention the documents you need to submit. If you miss out any, they will ask for it. This is my checklist for your preparation before coming. If you bring all the documents mentioned inside, it is sufficient. Some other documents like insurance, house deed or rental contract and proof of income have to be provided by your Belgian partner.

You only need to submit one set of documents either by print, in a USB stick, or email where you can scan or take photographs of the documents. The method of submission depends on the commune and what they want. I have emailed over the template for your reference. I wish you good luck in your family reunion process with your partner!

Hello! I have a question.

I am a couple with a Belgian. I am 29 years old and from Latin America. She is 30 years old. I am a lawyer, and she’s a teacher.

We have known each other since 2017 and made three trips to see each other. We have lived together for more than 45 days.

The relationship works really well, and we already want to be able to live together.

Since my country does not need a short-stay visa, I thought I would go there so that we could ask the commune directly for legal cohabitation.

We have proof of travel with our passports, plane tickets, photos together, his parents’ witness, my parents, a friend of hers and a Belgian friend of mine, all with photocopies of both sides of the identity cards.

It is a real and serious affectionate relationship, but we are afraid that everything we have to prove it is not enough for the Registrar of Civil Status.

Do you think that with all that we would accept the request? It should be in print with two copies, right?

Could you please send me a model of presentation to see if mine is well done?

Thank you very much in advance!!

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Original:

Bonjour! J’ai une question.

Moi, je suis un couple avec une belge, moi j’ai 29 ans, je suis de l’Amérique Latine, elle a 30 ans. Moi, avocat, et elle professeure.

On se connaît depuis 2017 et on a fait trois voyages pour nous revoir, ayant habité ensemble plus de 45 jours.
Vraiment la relation marche super bien et on voudrait déjà pouvoir habiter ensemble.

Étant donné que mon pays a pas besoin de visa de court séjour, on avait pensé de que j’y aille pour qu’on puisse demander directement à la commune la cohabitation légale.

On a des preuves des voyages avec nos passeports, tickets d’avion, photos ensemble, témoin des ses parents, de mes parents, d’une amie à elle et d’un ami belge à moi, tous avec photocopie recto-verso des cartes d’identité.

C’est une relation affective réelle et sérieuse mais on a peur de que tout ce qu’on a pour la démontrer suffisse pas à l’oficier de l’état civil.

Tu penses qu’avec tout ca on nous accepterait la demande? On devrait le présenter tout imprimé avec deux copies, n’est-ce pas?

Pourrais-tu m’envoyer s’il te plaît un modèle de présentation pour voir si le mien est-il bien fait?

D’avance, merci beaucoup!!

Hi Cindy, I have sent you the template. All the best in your procedure! 🙂

I am Cindy from Malaysia. Will start the procedure soon. Feel so thankful about your experience sharing. Your guidance is truly helpful and details. Would you please share me about the template to compile the relationship evidence too?

Thanks so much and stay cheerful 🙂

Yours sincerely
Cindy Chan