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Belgium - An Expatriate Guide
Overview
Climate and Weather
Getting There
Speaking the Language
Visas, Residency, Immigration & Documentation
Currency and Cost of Living
Foreign Currency - how to secure a favourable exchange rate
Banking
Taxation
Insurance
Business Culture
Healthcare and Medical Treatment
Social Security
Employment
Renting Property in Belgium
Buying Property in Belgium
Education and Schools
Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water)
Communications (Telephone, Post, Internet, TV)
Driving and Public Transport
Food and Drink
Leisure, Entertainment and Sports
Retiring and Pensions
Taking Your Pets
Expat groups in Belgium
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Expat Experiences of Life in Belgium (submit yours here)
Once your Visa is approved, you will need to attend an Inburgering Intergration course on how to behave like a Belgian. The course is really a waste of time: teaching you to take a bus, train, open bank accounts, how to use internet, how to make friends, etc. It is 30 Hours for foreigners who have work and compulsory by Law. The Inburgering Intergration also involves the most difficult of Belgian customs - to sit in a run down yellow walled smoke filled bar drinking "pinchers" of Jupiler beer whilst talking about how grey the weather & how badly the national football team is doing ...if you past this test then you get your Visa guaranteed 100%!
Employment and other issues - Always check that you'll qualify for the mandatory 1 month vacation in the first year. My company stated, after I arrived, that OOPS, since I didn't work in Belgium last year, I don't get a month this year. This can be standard and legal, so have them write in your contract if you want it. PLUS you get the occasional 3 & 4 day weekends- about the same as the States when it boils down to it. Your work permit could take up to 3 months before you land on ground, including medical exam, federal background check, etc. These are mandatory for your work permit/residency if you are staying more than 6 months.
Belgian rental agreements are HORRIBLE. 3 months notice plus 3 months penalty is what you pay if things don't work out, and you don't want to stick around for the 3 months just to pay the penalty. That is for the BEST available lease. You cannot believe the amount of paperwork required so if you can let your company do all searching and the paperwork for you or look for somewhere you like and then let the company do the paperwork. For fully furnished, it is about EUR 1000 - 1200 in a safe suburb. It is also good to consider a suburb that has some "foreigners", because the council gemeentehuis would process your visa faster. Your visa applications will be processed in the suburb that you live in.
Read more experiences here or submit your own!
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