Orange Card Belgium: How Long It Takes? Can I Work and Travel? What is Bijlage 19ter? (Hint: Working)

What is an Orange Card for Cohabitation in Belgium?

Orange Card Belgium is an informal name for the official term of ‘Certificate of Registration – Model A.’ The Dutch name is ‘Attest van Immatriculatie’ and ‘Attestation d’Immatriculation’ in French. The Orange Card is a type of residence permit that entitles the holder to a temporary stay in Belgium. The residence permit is also known as “Titre de Séjour” in French.

The foreign partner must file for a ‘Certificate of Registration’ to the commune within three months of entering Belgium. Thus, one has to sign a legal cohabitation contract as soon as possible. Preferably, within eight days upon arrival in Belgium. The rest of the procedures will follow suit after a declaration of legal cohabitation.

The Orange Card will have a National number. Correspondingly, it bears the same numbers as the F Card which is the Belgian Identification Card. The annoying part of getting the Orange Card is that the holder cannot travel out of Belgium officially including travel within the Schengen countries. As a result, one feels at times like a “prisoner in Belgium”.

Orange Card Validity and Extension

The validity of the Orange card can range from 3 to 6 months depending on the reasons for the issue. For the purpose of declaring a legal cohabitation, an Orange card is valid for six months. During this period, the foreign partner will get a reply from the immigration office through the commune. They will know if they can get a permanent residence permit (F Card) after submitting all the relevant documents.

You must fulfil all the criteria of a family reunification stipulated by the Belgian Immigration Office. Additionally, all the submitted documents are duly completed. Then, you should receive the Orange Card in time. In exceptional cases in which the authority requires more time to make a decision, they will inform you by writing. They reserve the right to extend the Orange Card twice for another three months.

No News is Good News

Within the six month waiting period of the Orange Card, the municipal will inform the applicant of one of the following below: –

It is stated clearly on the official website that your stay shall be granted if you did not receive any reply from the commune. Hence, no news is good news in general but there are always exceptions. Some people were rejected after 6 months of waiting with no news.

Other Purposes of Orange Card in Belgium other than Family Reunification

Other than for the purpose of family reunification and waiting for the cohabitation visa, there are several other reasons for issuing an Orange Card.

• People with medical reason such as a serious illness that impede movement
• Victims of human trafficking
• Unaccompanied minors
• Asylum seekers
• Students pending for entrance examination results to enter into a higher academic institution

To clarify doubts of those people who have yet come to Belgium. The Orange Card Belgium is not a replacement for the Schengen Type C Travel Visa. They have no relationship. It is still obligatory to apply for a Schengen Visa if the passport holder has no exemption from the application.

One will receive the Orange Card in 2 to 3 months’ time after arriving in Belgium, especially in Antwerp. Some of my friends in Antwerp receive the Orange Card in the mentioned timeline. That is on the condition that the cohabitation declaration process starts early and goes smoothly.

Lately, I have read more and more cases where people were issued Orange Card 5 to 6 months later and had very tough police procedures with a translator provided and grilling session during the interviews.

How Long Does It Take to Receive the Orange Card after Arrival in Belgium?

It is the most common question that people want to know. I took two months (21.09.2016) to receive the Orange Card after arriving in Belgium (15.07.2016). For some others, they receive the Orange Card 4 or 6 months later. Yes, by that time, their three months passport visa/visa-free would have expired by then.

Is it Illegal to Stay in Belgium after the Visa Expires and the Orange Card not Received Yet?

So, it is considered illegal to stay in Belgium? When one still has not received the Orange Card within the first three months of arrival? As long as one has declared legal cohabitation in the commune in 90 days, it should not be considered illegal to stay.

However, I have read about a case where the police came to someone’s house to serve a notice to leave Belgium within 30 days as she had overstayed 90 days (visa-free). After clarifying with Gemeentehuis, the notice to leave Belgium was withdrawn.

After all, the commune should also be responsible for issuing the Orange Card on time. If they do not, one should not be penalised for being an ‘illegal immigrant’. I have a friend who had this problem. The commune did not issue her an Orange Card during the first three months. The Stadhuis told her she could continue to stay while the investigation process run.

Can I Travel with Orange Card?

With an Orange Card, technically, you are NOT allowed to travel out of Belgium. The Orange Card grants you a temporary stay in Belgium and not in Schengen Zone when your 3-month travel visa expires. The Stadhuis had confirmed this statement to be true on the day of collecting my Orange Card.

On the same wavelength, bear in mind with the visa expiry, one cannot travel out of Belgium anyway. That is the 90/180 Days Schengen rule. Under a tourist visa, no one can stay in any Schengen Area for more than 90 days in 6 months’ time unless there are other supporting travel documents to do so. You have already stayed in Belgium for 90 days or more.

Do Not Take the Risk!

After all, you have waited this long to get the Orange Card. Therefore, let’s not succumb to the travelling temptation and take the risk. Moreover, there are many beautiful cities in Belgium worth exploring. Have you been travelling to other regions and cities? I take this as the best opportunity to travel more in Belgium. You can always travel out of Belgium at a later date once you get the residence permit F Card.

Exiting out and re-entry in Belgium are entirely the responsibility and risk of the Orange card owner. One cannot foresee incidents and accidents while travelling out of Belgium. These unpredictable circumstances may put you into a complicated situation later. As the old saying goes, you can do anything you want but don’t get caught. You have been warned.

Tip: Within the first three months of your arrival, travel out of Belgium and have as much holiday as you want during this period. Then, you will not feel regretful and unhappy when you receive the Orange Card later. Henceforth, you will feel grounded in Belgium for at least six months or more.

Suggestions to Reduce Travelling Risk

Since there is no border control in the Schengen Area, some people would naturally take the risk. There are others who travel out of Belgium with success. It is just a matter of luck. If you decide to take the risk, here are some suggestions to reduce it.

• Take a train, bus or paid carpool trip such as blablacar to your destination to and fro.
• Avoid taking a plane including departing from neighbouring airports in France and the Netherlands.
  • The Customs Officer may check your passport and the date of your last entry when you come back.
  • This sentence is particularly true for Asian women as they get checks often for overstaying.
  • Again, Schengen rule reminder: shall not exceed a stay of 90 days continuously out of 180 days > You have already stayed in Belgium for (more than) three months.
• If you receive the Orange Card within three months of your travel visa, depart from any Schengen country and arrive in London later. Then from London, take a train, bus or paid carpool trip back to Belgium.
• If you receive the Orange Card after three months (say on the 5th month), depart and arrive at London airport. Then from London, take a train, bus or paid carpool back to Belgium.
  • Exiting the Schengen Area at this stage (after three months) indicate that you have already overstayed in the zone.
  • Exiting out is not too much of a problem compared to re-entering Schengen Zone.

Important: Although the United Kingdom is not part of the Schengen Area, the Customs Officers in the London Airport do check on the passports for overstaying in Europe. The above suggestions are solely my opinion for risk takers with some understanding of how the Schengen system operates. I cannot guarantee that my method would be 100% safe. I reiterate again that it is a matter of luck for getting caught.

Return Visa (Terugkeervisum) – Exceptional Cases to Travel out of Belgium with Orange Card

Travelling out of Belgium with an Orange Card is not allowed in principle. There are always cases where people want to leave Belgium due to a particular reason before receiving their residence permit. The authority may grant permission to travel out of Belgium with a Return Visa while holding an Orange Card only in exceptional circumstances.

Examples are medical, family or business-related reasons. In the events when a family member is seriously ill or has passed away, these are valid grounds for leaving Belgium. One also has to produce proof to the commune before they would grant you the Return Visa (Terugkeervisum) or otherwise known as Re-Entry Visa to leave Belgium.

It is a requirement under a family reunification procedure. Orange Card is one of the five types of appendix granted for such application. In other words, the (old website) Belgian Immigration Office states that: –

If you leave Belgium before the end of the procedure but would return later to continue the process, then you need a re-entry visa. Unless if you are exempt from the visa requirement for short stays in the Schengen area and provided that you do not have stayed 90 days in a period of 180 days in the Schengen Zone.

The Belgian Immigration website also provides the email address gh.secretariaat@ibz.fgov.be and fax number 02 274 66 56, to send your urgent exceptional reason for the reunification service. Of course, the request is always subject to approval. There is no harm in trying if there is a need for you to leave.

In fact, attending the wedding of a close relative is one of the most commonly known reasons to leave Belgium. If you are already aware of a significant event date in advance, get an answer from the commune as early as possible. Fill up a form there for the Return Visa application.

If you are not in Belgium yet, get your partner to check with the commune to see if they will allow you to leave Belgium for this particular reason. It will help you plan your schedule better. On the other hand, you can also delay the cohabitation visa process at a later date.

When Can I Travel Out of Belgium?

You can travel out of Belgium when you receive an F Card. It is an eID. The F Card signifies the end of the grounded days in Belgium. The Immigration Department may give their positive reply to you in 6-weeks time following your completed documents submission.

However, the date given to collect the orange card is on the last day of the Orange Card or even later. Inform the commune if you have to go back to your country to attend a function such as a wedding. They may accede to the request and bring forward the eID collection date. There are more rejections than success rates for reasons such as attending a wedding.

Can I Study Dutch and Attend Integration Courses with Orange Card?

As you cannot travel out of Belgium, you must be pretty boring, right? Not necessarily so. You can take advantage of your free time to register for the Civic Integration Programme in your commune with an Orange Card. The programme consists of Inburgering / Social Integration Course and basic Dutch language courses at a subsidised rate which is mandatory for non-EU nationals to take up to beginner level 1.2.

In other communes other than Antwerp, you can go to Huis van Nederlands (House of Dutch) to inquire about your Dutch lessons. Atlas in Antwerp will handle both the mentioned courses above. A programme counsellor who is part of the Civic Integration Programme will assist you throughout this period.

Can I Work with Orange Card?

Yes, you can work with the Orange Card provided that your partner is a Belgian or an EU citizen. You will follow your partner’s right to work in Belgium without the need to apply for another work permit. If your partner is not a European citizen, you cannot work in Belgium with an Orange Card. You have to get a company that is willing to help you apply for a work permit.

I have a Belgian partner. Besides, the commune has confirmed that I can work with the Orange Card on the day of collection. Furthermore, I have also found a contract job two days after collecting my Orange Card. My first working experience in Belgium will confirm the question positively to those doubts of yours.

» Working with Orange Card and Annexe/Bijlage 19ter

Important: Your prospective employer or employment agency will need your Orange Card together with Bijlage/Annexe 19ter (19b) concurrently to process the employment contract.

What is an Annex 19ter?

Bijlage/Annexe 19ter (a.ka. 19b) is the application of a residence card as a family member of a Belgian, EU citizen or Swiss. The person who receives this annexe is a non-EU citizen or third-country national after requesting family reunification. The issuing of this form with the Orange Card should have the same date with a 6-months validity period.

Annexe 19b will list the documents needed to submit to the authority within the first three months of your Orange Card. The immigration office will then use the remaining time to decide on your right of residence in Belgium. Nevertheless, if you submit all the documents early, you might receive a reply in less than a month after submission. I received a positive reply to my F Card in 17 days.

» Bijlage 19ter Listed Cohabitation Documents Requirement

I received my Bijlage 19ter together with the Orange Card on the same day in September 2016. In other cities, one can receive the two items on separate days. The Bijlage 19ter stated the documents received by the commune from my first submission in August which was one month ago.

They also listed down specifically the final documents required as the last submission to the Belgian Immigration Office. In another word, the file needs to be completed with all the necessary documents and proof of relationship in the filing record.

In fact, the requested documents in my Bijlage 19ter are a repetition of what I submitted in a Cohabitation Visa Template in August. That being so, I resubmitted nearly the same information. I adjusted a few changes in my document template. Like removing out items that the record already had and adding in new information that the Bijlage 19ter requested.

In the new additions, Appendix 19ter specifically wanted my boyfriend’s 12 months payslips and his national health insurance. Annexe 19b also needed my private medical insurance policy and proof of relationship once again. Though I have included them in my last August document submission, it was apparent they were not inside the record.

Approval of Legal Cohabitation Declaration and Things to Bring for Orange Card

Declaration of Legal Cohabitation Approved

On 10 August 2016, six days after the cohabitation visa documents submission, one email requested me to submit the approved Declaration of Legal Cohabitation Contract (Verklaring Wettelijke Samenwoning). So, they wanted me to submit the same document that my partner and I signed at Districtshuis Antwerpen. Since that time, Stadhuis retained back the contract pending approval from the Municipality (Gemeentebestuur).

One week later, I replied that I had not received the document as there was a postponement due to “further investigation”. (Refer to “Content of FIRST Letter dated 18 July 2016”) During this period, the Police also visited our apartment on 16 August. You may like to check out the post about police visits and prepare yourself for tough questions.

A few days later on 22 August, Stadhuis replied to me. According to the record in the National Register, my legal cohabitation was approved and registered on 16 August 2016. Moreover, they wanted me to email the official letter after receiving it. Undoubtedly, it came as a pleasant surprise that I did not have to wait until September to receive the approval.

True enough, I received the legal cohabitation contract three days later on 25 August, approved by the Municipality (Gemeentebestuur). Consequently, I submitted the below which came as a set:-

I believe receiving the approval letter for the cohabitation agreement would lead to the next step for getting the Orange Card. The letter content below stated the cohabitation contract as one of the requirements. Despite that, my friend who lives in another city received her approved cohabitation agreement on the same day as her Orange Card.

First Obstacle Cleared: Orange Card Appointment

I received an appointment date by email. I had to proceed to Districtshuis Deurne for my Orange card collection on 27 September 2017. The issue of the Orange Card is usually close to the tourist visa expiry date which is after the second month. Most people worry from the second month onwards if they never hear any news about their Orange Card.

That is because their visa is going to expire in one month’s time. Honestly, people do not have to worry even if they did not receive their Orange Card within three months. As long as the cohabitation visa application is running, one can continue to remain in Belgium. That includes taking Dutch language classes and Social Integration courses. Without an Orange Card, you have to pay the full course fee without the government’s subsidy.

Besides, the email also mentioned that the police would come and visit us to complete the registration process. I replied that the police had already visited us on 16 August. The letter also advised, “it is important that your name is clearly visible on the door or doorbell”.

I requested a date change for the Orange Card collection as my boyfriend had to work overseas on 27 September. Correspondingly, he was frequently not at home during that stretch of the period. I suggested the appointment date to either 21, 22 September or after 7 October based on my boyfriend’s availability.

Thanks to Stad Antwerpen for being accommodative and responding swiftly. As a result, they brought forward the appointment date to 21 September at 8 am. I presumed they gave us some priority and squeezed us in for that day after accepting our valid explanation.

What are the Things to Bring for the Orange Card?

If you receive a similar message requesting you to bring the following documents below, that is a piece of good news.

Congratulation! The authority has approved your Orange Card. Some people received such an email but were not sure whether it was the time to collect the Orange Card. The answer is unquestionably positive!

Manage Your Expectation of Police Visit for Legal Cohabitation Process

Why is there a Police Visit?

There are a lot of sham marriages that took place more than ten years ago. Particularly in Antwerp, it has the highest hit rate. The marriage allows the foreign spouse to be eligible for Belgian citizenship after living in Belgium for at least 3 years through the process of naturalisation back then. Now, the duration has extended to 5 years.

With an active suppression of fraudulent marriages by legal penalisation and rejecting marriage applications, the figures of scam marriages were significantly reduced after 2009. Rejected marriage applicants turned to cohabitation as the alternative source to stay in Belgium because the process was less stringent.

Of course, these unlawful activities inevitably penalise future foreign applicants. Consequently, they have a more challenging time applying for a cohabitation visa with their partners. The police intervention forms part of the mandatory requirement to check if the applicant is indeed residing at the reported address. They inspect the house physically and conduct an interview with the cohabitants.

Definition of ‘Resident’

Anyone planning to stay in Belgium for more than three months is defined as a ‘resident’. It includes people coming to Belgium for the purpose of work, study and family visits. The police might not come and check on these groups of people upon their arrival. Therefore, do not assume that an arrival declaration in Belgium is the same notion as declaring a legal cohabitation officially.

Police Visit after Signing a Legal Cohabitation Agreement

There are incidents that the police never come and visit the cohabitants after they have declared their arrival in Belgium. The following point has to be clear. Firstly, you need to sign a legal cohabitation contract together with your partner at the commune. Then, the police will come only after receiving instruction from the commune to do so.

After the cop visit, they will submit a report. Later, the rest of the legal cohabitation process will follow suit. If the police never come and verify, it is as good as saying that the procedure gets stuck in that stage and nothing more could happen. There were others who waited for the police to come but the police never come.

The police upon receiving an instruction from the commune to investigate, the possible scenario can take place below:-

For my situation, on the day of signing the legal cohabitation agreement, the staff at the Stadhuis never said exactly how and when the police were going to come. She just said that the police would come. The message transmitted was not very clear. We did not ask too much either.

What to Expect from a Police Visit?

The below guidelines are what you can expect from a typical police visit ⑴ to its worst ⑺. Hence, you should be mentally prepared for the scrutinization if that happens.

What If the Police Did Not Come and Visit?

Without taking the initiative to call the police, they will usually come for a house inspection one or two weeks after the couple has signed the legal declaration agreement. The waiting time for a visit can vary since the cohabitation procedure involves the police. They might be busy and have other work priorities.

As a reference, the police visit would happen within one month after signing the declaration of legal cohabitation. If the police never contact you for a house visit more than two weeks after signing the cohabitation agreement in the commune, consider the follow-up actions. These are rather common to do in Belgium.

• Check with the police first whether they have received your legal cohabitation file from the commune for the investigation.
  • The police have your file and expect you to call and make an appointment with them. On the other hand, the police may have overlooked your case.
  • The police do not have your file because the commune did not pass it to them.
  • In either circumstance above, the police will give you an answer.

• Ask the commune again. The file may still be there and not passed to the police yet.

• Or, there are other complications in your case unknown to you. The police visit will not take place until the commune has settled the issues. In this occurrence, you can only wait and persistently follow up with them until you receive a satisfactory answer. Most times, we feel perplexed and have no idea what is going on. The commune needs some gentle pushing at times to get things done.

The Long-Awaited Dreadful Police Visit

» Scenario

I have a friend living in another Flemish city. The police did not come to their place within three months of their legal cohabitation declaration. No concrete reason was given and merely a game of waiting and delaying the process.

The commune said they were investigating her case, but my friend did not submit a single document. As a matter of fact, there was nothing for them to investigate. It was puzzling. There was a lot of asking and pushing for the police visit to happen.

Finally, two police visits took place on the 4th and 5th months after her arrival. The police asked the couple several questions during one of the police interviews. My friend said some questions were rather hard to answer.

Unfortunately, no one knows why some people have to wait that long. Not even if they come from a country that has no ill-association with the immigration problem. Having a visa-free entry to Schengen Area does not help much either.

If you are the lucky one selected to go through tormenting moments of waiting and waiting, the advice is to grit your teeth. Follow up as closely as possible. Nudge them every now and then in person or by email, whichever is the most compelling way to get a swift response. You have been warned in the above circumstances so prepare yourself mentally for the worst to come.

Issuing of the Orange Card is only after the police verification. If you have not received an Orange Card after your visa expires, it is not illegal to stay in Belgium. Provided you have already declared your legal cohabitation to the commune latest by three months of your arrival.

My Police Visit Experience

We went for a 16 days holiday in France immediately the next day after signing the cohabitation contract. In fact, the police came for inspection a few times during that period and could not get us. Eventually, he called my boyfriend on 13 August 2016 to make an appointment. The police came to our house three days later.

It is important to put both my partner and my name on the doorbell and letterbox. The police have to see that we are both living at the same address. I also switched on my laptop to standby. If the police wanted to see some photos or documents as proof of the relationship, he did not have to wait. Well, the longer the police stay in the house, the more questions he will ask.

Fortunately for me, the policeman came to our house for just five minutes. He never moved away from the couch to look around our house. Not a single question asked about me or our relationship. We did not talk to each other. He merely told my Belgian partner that he came to check if I was indeed staying in the house. He only checked my passport. We did not sign any document too.

Questions to Ponder for the Police Visit: Opportunity to Know Our Partner Better

Among the whole legal cohabitation process, the police interview is the toughest of all. Think positive. It should not be a fear factor but a golden opportunity to get to know each other better. There is no better time than this moment for getting some answers that you always want to know.

The police interview questions focus on how much the couple know about each other. Suggested questions for asking each other on:

The last suggestion is not a joke. One indication of a fake relationship is forming a family union in name but without consummation. The police would not hesitate to ask embarrassing questions which the women are usually uncomfortable answering.

I came across recently a set of 35 questions for a European Family Reunion Visa. The article was written in 2012 by a Nigerian. The interview took place in Nigeria. I thought it was a good idea to share the link so that you can prepare the questions mentally for the police interview in Belgium.

Proof of Relationship: What to Submit for Legal Cohabitation Visa?

On 4 August 2016, I submitted my proof of relationship and documents for my legal cohabitation visa to two different email addresses. Following that, I will explain briefly below the two reference number files mentioned in the previous article (WS and CL).

The first submission sent was to Districtshuis Deurne given by the Districsthuis Antwerpen on the day of declaring a legal cohabitation. The file reference is ‘WS’ (wettelijk samenwonen). However, it was a one-time-off submission and no further communication on this file reference thereafter.

The second email submission was in response to ‘Registration of newcomer in Antwerp’. The file reference is ‘CL’. All my future correspondences on the cohabitation visa used this reference code. I submitted the proof four days late. It proved to me later that delayed submission was not a deterrence to get my F-Card (Belgian eID).

I have a 6-year relationship with my Belgian partner. Therefore, you can imagine that I had to work more to submit MORE proof than others for my legal cohabitation visa application. It was a big headache and the primary reason for taking four full days to work out the cohabitation presentation detail.

What is Considered “Proof of Relationship” for Cohabitation Visa?

The Belgian Immigration Office will request all cohabitation visa applicants to submit documents and photos to prove the journey of your relationship of two years. If you have lived together for at least a year in Belgium, or in another country, submit the housing contract with both your names as proof of living together.

Some useful cohabitation visa relationship evidence is as follows: –

• Photos
• Conversation messages
• Email
• Air tickets / Train Tickets
• Accommodation Booking Record
• Social Media
• Blogs with photos
• Co-purchase receipts or invoices

You can submit other documents not listed as long as it helps you in getting your visa approval. There are no hard and fast rules on this.

Different Stage of Document Submission

Not everyone goes through the same stage of document submission for the cohabitation visa in Belgium. Some of my friends gave the documents and proof of relationship in other cities just one time. That is right after receiving the Orange Card.

Despite that, there are also people who submitted the documents more than once like me. In Antwerp, the commune will usually ask the applicants to give proof of the relationship twice. During the two times, the documents required may differ.

On the other hand, the commune could ask for the same document repeatedly. The method of procedure used and the frequency of submission is highly dependent on the regions and cities. The commune will also decide at which stage do they want the applicant to submit the documents. There are no fixed rules for it.

Make Your Presentation Format Clear and Easy to Read

My expectation was high. The cohabitation presentation template had to be neat and impressive. Every sentence and explanation should be short and easy to understand. The referencing of the proof of relationship must be easy to relate to and understand at one glance. Moreover, I knew there were others who had the process as me at the same time. I hoped the authority paid more attention to my documents first if I gave them an easier time to read.

I devised a table creation. Part of my idea was to upload all my documents into cloud storage. Otherwise known as remote servers like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox, etc. Consider it especially if you have a lot of files or high-res photos with big file sizes. However, I have to warn you first. It takes more time to upload photos and documents to cloud storage as compared to zipping all your attachments together.

Pay Attention to Email File Size Limit

Ensure the total size of one email must not exceed 25 MB after all the file attachments. Otherwise, the email will bounce back. I did not pay attention to this universal email file size rule. The documents that I emailed to the commune could not go through due to overlooking on my part.

Even after zipping documents that could not perform using the cloud storage, the file size still exceeded the 25 MB limit. One easy way is to split the zipped files into several emails. Label the emails in numbers such as 1, 2, 3 etc.

The Districtshuis in Antwerp wanted me to label the document in this order for the cohabitation evidence. Reference Number followed by my full name. Hence, the subject would be “CL/xx/xxx – Full Name (1/2/3)” if you want to send more than one email attachment.

Do Not Compress The Photo Size

The cloud storage method is more practical for large-size files such as high-res photos. Some photo sizes can go up to 8 MB or more per photo. If your photo sizes are large, it is a problem to email even when you zip the documents. The idea of photo compression may come into your mind.

Please do not compress the photos. As a result, it will strip off the metadata and adjust the date to the day of your compression. Consequently, you cannot prove the length of the relationship when the dates on the photos change.

For example, the original photo date is on 15 December 2014. After compression, it modifies to 15 February 2017 which is the date of photo compression. The date is the most important source of information for your proof of relationship history.

Manipulating Photo Dates

One should be aware that Brussels Immigration takes proof of knowing each other for two years seriously. The duration of the relationship will indeed affect the Immigration Office’s decision in approving the F Card eventually.

What is the solution for people who has a shortage of photo evidence as proof of relationship? Adjust the dates in the new photographs before you take them. It is useful for couples who do not have two years of relationship yet. Likewise, for some couples who have already two years of relationship but a lack of photos, this method comes in handy too.

Firstly, set the date on your phone or camera to the date and year that you want. Snap some photos. The new photos will bear the intended dates. Secondly, if you want the whole plot to be more realistic, take photos with your partner in different settings. Below are some examples for illustration:-

• Take photos in different country, city or place
• Take advantage when there is a change of seasons
  • Background with trees full of leaves (spring, summer, autumn) and leafless trees (winter)
• Take the photos at different timing (day and night)
• Change your clothes. You do not want to have a set of photos with the same clothes
• Change hairstyle especially for men who have regular haircuts more often
• Weight change
  • Women are more susceptible to it. It is particularly helpful when the face is puffy due to water retention. Think about that time of the month again – the Red Army.

Submission of Tickets & Receipts

» Air Tickets

The extra effort above is for creating an impression of a photo timeline within a short span of time. This manipulation could help those who are in need of photos for legal cohabitation visa submission. On the contrary, one should not see it as having the “Proof of Relationship” solved.

Having photos alone might not be enough. Consider submitting the air tickets (or invoices, receipts, boarding passes) which both of you had made visits to each other. In my honest opinion, air tickets are the best proof to manifest a genuine relationship. The couple makes time and spends money on airfares to visit each other. What is not real about such a relationship?

Furthermore, one cannot modify the date on the air ticket. It is an accurate indication of how long you have really known each other. Especially when the first and the last air tickets show a difference of more than two years, you score a bullseye. Even so, if the difference is less than two years, one can still estimate the relationship duration from other sources of proof.

Do not despair if you think you might have discarded the air tickets. You could retrieve that air ticket, invoices or receipts from your past email if you purchase your air ticket online.

» Train, Bus and Paid Carpool Trip

Submit tickets by other means of transportation if seeing each other is not by plane. Other modes of transportation include cross-border trains and international buses. When I lived in Paris, I took paid carpool trips called Blablacar regularly to visit my partner in Antwerp. Anyone who uses the same method can capture a screenshot to display the frequency of regular meetings.

» Hotel Reservation

Although my partner and I had several holidays in Europe and Asia, I did not submit any hotel reservations. Usually, I booked the hotel with one name only. Hence, I find that hotel booking is irrelevant in my case. If the hotel reservation does not contain both your name on it, what kind of proof can it provide?

Only submit the hotel reservation ticket as relationship proof unless the reservation form had both your names on it. Similarly for Airbnb, if an email had your partner name on it, submit a screenshot of that email as well.

Other Proof of Relationship and Method Used

Chat history of emails, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp were other proof of relationship which I had submitted. For chat history, there are two methods to do it.

1. Screenshot of Emails, Facebook Photos and FB Messenger

The provision of 2 to 3 screenshots would be ideal. Take the first screenshot of the date when you first communicate with your partner. The second shot with the recent chat history. The third screenshot would be somewhere in between the dates. For the proof from emails, I took the screenshot on the inbox summary containing the name and the date clearly.

We did not use Facebook Messenger for communication. I merely took six screenshots of the photo albums timeline summary with my partner’s face on it. Undoubtedly, not all Facebook photo albums contain solely about us. There are many other photo albums in the screenshots which have nothing to do with my partner.

Nevertheless, I screenshot the whole page as long as there is one album with our faces on the profile pics. Subsequently, I merged the six screenshots into a PDF file. For this Facebook photo album method, most dates are missing due to the space constraint on the laptop.

2. Generated Chat History

Some communication phone apps like WhatsApp allows the user to generate chat history. Thus, you can email the chat history to yourself as an attachment. I use WhatsApp to communicate with my Belgian partner in a long-distance relationship. Consequently, I was able to generate the last 1.5 years of recent conversation from it.

→ How to Generate Chat History from WhatsApp?

You will receive a .txt file format for the WhatsApp Chat History. This file format is ready for sending out immediately. The other alternative is to upload the .txt file into cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and DropBox.

Despite that, there are more methods of communication like Viber, Wechat, Line, Skype, MSN. The list goes on. The easiest approach is to check whether the app that you use can generate a copy of the chat history. I submitted a part of the MSN chats. But, I found it to be rather troublesome.

3. Retrieve Backup Format of Skype and MSN

Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) discontinued its instant messaging service in 2013 after the acquisition of Skype in 2011. Henceforth, Skype is a popular method for long-distance relationships communication.

Skype can store the conversation for up to 30 days in its cloud storage service. Nonetheless, older message threads are saved on the hard drive, according to the history settings. For more information on how to retrieve messages backup history of Skype on your desktop, please click on the link.

Before the cessation of the MSN service in 2013, I was using it to communicate with my boyfriend when we first knew each other. So, I will only briefly explain this dead service in case you want to submit the chat history as proof of relationship to the commune.

For MSN, I could not read the chat history as a standalone file, unlike the .txt file format of WhatsApp. Neither can I upload the file directly to the cloud storage. In other words, the cloud storage cannot read the text file without the accompaniment of another file – MessageLog.xml.

In this situation, I had to zip the two files together and email them to the commune. Then, I had to wonder how tech-savvy these people were and if they had a problem reading a file like this.

Tips: Whatever you want to send, always reflect the earliest date of knowing each other. That is primarily the essence of what everything is all about – proof of relationship. The big hoo-ha of knowing each other for a minimum of two years.

Merge Documents into a Single PDF File Online

For presenting the same files such as the partner’s payslips, I would encourage you strongly to combine them into a single PDF file instead of attaching them one by one on the email. If you have a problem merging them with an application on your desktop, I recommend using CutePDF Editor.

CutePDF Editor is a free online application that you can merge all your files. Furthermore, there is no need to download any application. Overall, extremely user-friendly and idiot-proof to grasp the concept. Making use of PDF will make your presentation less cluttered. Furthermore, it helps the commune save more time to download and print your files.

Every time the authority saves time when reviewing your documents, you are helping yourself by not giving them an opportunity to delay your cohabitation visa.

» How to Combine and Merge Documents into a Single PDF File Online?

• ① On the left sidebar, choose «Merge PDFs».
• ② Select all the documents, photos or PDFs that you want to combine and merge into one file.
• ③ Note: All individual files have to be less than 5 MB. The size of all files added together must be less than 10 MB in total.
• ④ The arrangement of the pages is in the right-hand corner.
• ⑤ If you are satisfied with the arrangement of the pages, press «save» and then, choose the location you want for your saved document.
• ⑥ Review your saved file.

If you want to adjust the position of the PDF page, select «Advanced Tool» on the left sidebar. Shift and arrange the PDF file to where you want. Press «OK» when done.

Cute PDF Writer is my favourite PDF online tool. It is very easy to use even for people who are not tech-savvy. There are more functions you can use on the left sidebar during the process of merging such as deleting, cropping and resizing files.

My Proof of Relationship Submission

To wrap up, I submitted the below proof of relationship to the commune for my legal cohabitation visa application.

• WhatsApp Chat Message of 1.5 years (Mar 2015 to Jul 2017)
• MSN Message Log (Feb 2011 to  Nov 2012)
• Inbox Mail Summary (2010)
• 10 Return Air Tickets (2011 to 2016)
• 75 High-Res Photos (2011 to 2016)
• Facebook Photo Album Screenshot (No exact date shown)
• Photos of Postcards and Letters (with postage dates)
• Purchase of TV in Belgium (Dec 2014 with my name on the receipt for my tax refund at the airport)
• Prepaid SIM Card sent to our residential address with my name and date of purchase (2015) on the welcome letter

Presentation Format

In another article, I will present my legal cohabitation visa template on how I submit my proof of relationship above. My format will help the commune to verify the information step by step. It will give you some ideas on presenting your case.

Overall, my effort paid off and was a success counting from the first day of my arrival in Belgium. The commune gave approval to my residence permit F card in just four months. Not counting my 3-weeks holiday in France.

There was a bit of delay in submitting my documents in August. I could do it earlier in July or August if I did not travel. For the second submission in October, I emailed my final documents late as well. Eventually, I submitted it on 30 October 2016 after collecting my Orange Card in mid-September.

I will receive my eID at the end of my Orange Card period in March 2017. Thereafter, I have absolutely no stress about my permanent status in Belgium. Likewise, I assume that the presentation of my 6-years relationship was easy for the authorities to read and verify. Consequently, they gave me a quick reply on my result.