Moving to Belgium

[air23time]

I'm after some sound advice about Immigation to Belgium. I have come here with my partner who has paid employment. I am myself hoping to get employment here. My partner's employer organised our plane fares to get over here, and from the time we were notified of the date to the day of departure was not long enough (3 weeks) for me to obtain a working visa at home. I am now in Belgium. I am looking for a job. I have read that I can't get a job without a working visa, and I can't get the working visa until I get a job.

Now that I am here am I able to look for a job (I have two bachelor degrees, but I'm a recent graduate thus minimal experience), and how would I go about getting suitable visas once I get a job? Do I have to go all the way home (Australia) to get the visa's? Or can I get it while I'm here, or maybe go to another neighbouring country, where it isn't so expensive to get back again? I am currently here 'as a tourist'. Can I get a residence visa without a job? What options do I have?

[John]

So you are Australian? And your partner's nationality is?

[air23time]

Also Australian. He seems to be sorted, I don't understand what they've done for him either. I just want to know what I can do for myself now that I"m already here and possibly have a job already.

[flyboy]

From all the sites i've come across, it seems you need to apply for the appropriate visa for stays longer than 90 days in your home country or usual residence, except for nationals of EU/EEA/Switzerland.

here are links to different ways you can qualify to stay in Belgium long term and the procedures involve.

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa ... XTID=44253

http://www.belgium.be/eportal/applicati ... ocId=37299

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa ... XTID=22015


Unlike Germany and the Netherlands where a handful of countries outside of the EU(of which Australia and some other 1st world countries are included) are permitted to extend their stay and apply for residency permits within country, if their stays last longer than 3 months, this is not the case with Belgium and it seems you'll have to return home to apply for the appropriate visa.

You could enquire at the local commune where your partner who is employed is registered ,whether it will be necessary for you to return home to sort out your papers, especially if you apply under Cohabitation, assuming you are unmarried partners of course.