-
Last updated on
More detailed information can be found on the website of the Immigration Office.
Fraudulent work permits and fake websites
The authorities from Belgium and Luxembourg wish to inform all visa applicants of the existence of scam websites and fraudulent “agents” pretending to sell legitimate long-term national visas for employment in Belgium or Luxembourg (work permits for Belgium or Luxembourg).
The Embassy of Belgium, which represents Luxembourg concerning visa applications, does not cooperate with any agents for the application of visas. The Embassy wishes to clarify that applications for short-term and long-term visas can exclusively be processed through VFS/Gerry's.
If you believe you are a victim of a fraudulent agent, you can submit a complaint to the FIA (anti-human trafficking circle). For Luxembourg, you can also contact the Luxembourg immigration authorities and/or visa authorities.
Third-country nationals wishing to work in Belgium for more than 90 days should apply to the competent region, through their employer, for a single application for a work permit and a request for a residence permit (so-called “single permit”). The Embassy of Belgium has no role in this process.
An administrative fee must be paid in Belgium before submitting your visa application (general information available on the Immigration Office website). An overview of the administrative fees is available on the Immigration Office website.
You can find more information about the work permit for the different regions of Belgium on the Working in Belgium website and/or via the links below:
- Région wallonne: Emploi et Formation professionnelle en Wallonie
- Région de Bruxelles-Capitale / Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest: Authorisations to work for employees | Brussels Economy and Employment
- Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft: East Belgium Live - Work Permit
- Vlaams Gewest: Work permits for foreign workers | Flanders.be
If the work permit and residence permit are granted respectively by the Region and the Immigration Office, the third-country national will receive a single document stating that he/she is authorized to stay for more than 90 days in Belgium for to work there.
The visa application will only be submitted at the end of the process, when the single permit has been granted. The applicant should submit a signed and dated visa application type D with his/her passport and the single permit at the centre of Gerry’s International/Fedex, where fingerprints will be collected.
1. Procedure regarding fingerprints
Fingerprints will be collected for all visa applications. Applicants will have to come in person to the Visa Application Center of VFS/Gerry’s International for the collection of their fingerprints.
Exceptions are foreseen for the following applicants:
- persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible (e.g. because of a physical impairment).
- diplomatic and consular personnel accredited to an Embassy or Consulate of their country in Belgium, as well as their family members, in possession of a diplomatic or official passport.
2. All fees (handling fees or consular fees) are to be paid to VFS/Gerry's International.
Nobody (staff, lawyers, private consultants or travel agencies) is entitled to charge any amount of money directly to the applicant except for VFS/Gerry's international offices or the Embassy.
