Hi Sander,

Try this website and see if you can get a lawyer to help you. No matter what, I think you should not leave the country yet until the result is concluded. Still, it is better to seek a lawyer to talk to the immigration on your behalf. I sincerely wish you good luck, and please do not be so stressed! There is always a better tomorrow 😀 Be optimistic…

I really appreciated your reply. We are planning now to hire a lawyer.

Hi Sandar,

Sorry to hear about your situation. Usually, when there is a pending case of cohabitation, the applicant should not leave a country. There are cases where people wrote to me mentioning that their cohabitation was not approved because they had overstayed.

My good friend had stayed in Belgium illegally for 5 years before she married a Belgian here. Later, her marriage was approved and also got her F card successfully. She was also working illegally in some nursing home as a private caretaker. What I want to say is that some people get it and some people don’t despite their illegal status. I can’t tell you if you will get the approval eventually.

You probably can also look for a lawyer to discuss your case. If you think you can contribute to Belgium for the Nursing Diploma that you have, You may have more chance to overturn the negative situation as the lawyer will have a way to present your credential in a positive light for you. Nurses are a shortage worldwide and so is in Belgium.

Maybe you can also contact the Immigration Office or go down personally to discuss your situation and not leave Belgium yet. I can also read that when people are asked to leave the country, it seemed that many did not leave and will find ways and methods to help them in their case to stay in Belgium.

I just had a police interview last day Tuesday. The Police said they conducted interviews because I am applying for legal cohabitation, and I am Illegal for more than 1 year now. After the interview at the same time, I received notice from immigration to leave the country within 30 days. The police officer said I am still allowed to stay as my cohabitation is on the process.

I really don’t understand the system now. Normally you will get the notice from immigration later after the cohabitation result. My question is, what I will do after my cohabitation is approved or not because I already receive the notice?

We know each other since Sept 2017 and live together from Feb 2019 till present. As per the Gemeente, the Justice will decide after our interview. We are really stressed now waiting for the result.

I really hope they will give consideration to our documents. Because the country needs more experience nurses like me. I also mentioned during my interview that I’m doing some volunteering works in Nursing home and Hospital and soon I will get the result the recognition of my Nursing Diploma.

Hi Karen, in your case, you do not have to abide by the “45 days” rule to apply for a legal cohabitation because you have known your partner for 30 years and in a relationship for at least 2 years. This rule is to prevent people from abusing the system when they know each other for only a few months. The municipal office does not have to know that you have an on-or-off relationship. Do not state that when you apply.

Yes, you can definitely apply for the visa now. Dig photos taken of the both of you decades ago if you can find to substantiate your claim. If you can also prove that you are meeting regularly in the past when he was still living in the US, that would be even better. In the past 3 years, how do you both maintain your communication? You have to submit those proof of relationship as well. Legal cohabitation is less strict for couples who are non-Belgians as they most likely expect you to leave the country one day.

If you really want to be with your US partner, do not let too many doubts hinder your plan. Just go for it! If the event that your application fails (which I foresee that it is unlikely for a 30-year relationship), you can reapply and continue staying in Belgium to be with him until you get your residence permit. As both of you are non-EU citizens, it will take 9 months to get approval after you receive your Orange Card. I wish you all the best in your application! 🙂 I wish you all the best in your application! 🙂

I have a different situation and don’t understand how it might affect the cohabitation visa application. My partner is a US citizen and has lived and worked in Belgium for 3 years. He and I have known each other for 30 years, but have been in partner mode on and off for only 3 years. We’ve seen each other for about 25 days over those 3 years.

Will knowing each other for 30 years allow me to apply for the visa now, rather than wait until we’ve seen each other for the 45-day requirement? Thank you!

Hi Mike, apply when she can produce at least 3-month salary slip. It is highly likely that your application will be rejected. Later, they will ask for 12 months of payslip as an indication of financial stability. Please read my comment to one reader. Although the situation of the person’s boyfriend is jobless, the outcome will be similar to yours. If you can stay in Belgium for more than 3 months without having an Orange Card, then I think you should postpone the family reunion process until your girlfriend has worked continuously for a year. The decision is yours.

Hi Abbi,

You can apply for cohabitation visa under a tourist visa within 3 months. After which, an orange card will be issued. You can then stay longer in Belgium and work as your partner is an EU citizen.

However, it is highly likely that the Belgian Immigration Office will not approve your legal cohabitation application as you do not meet one of the two requirements below. They are very strict on this condition.

a) Knowing each other for at least 2 years
b) Have stayed together for at least 1 year (including living in another country)

The other alternative is to go for marriage in which the requirement of duration does not apply.

If you are willing to face cohabitation visa rejection and reapply until both of you have hit 2 years of being together, you will get the F-Card (Belgian eID) eventually provided that all other cohabitation requirements are satisfied.

I have just moved to Brussels earlier this week with my boyfriend. He is an EU citizen and I am an American. We have been together for one year and are looking into applying for a cohabitation visa and an orange card. Is it still possible even though our relationship is only a year long? I am trying to be able to work while we are here and stay longer than three months. Please let me know if you have heard of anyone getting this visa with a relationship shorter than two years.

All the best,

Abbi