Search Q&A
Applying for Belgian nationality with F-card
I have been living in Belgium for more than 10 years and I want to apply for a Belgian nationality. My current situation:
- legally lived in BE for more than 10 years without interruption
- since 2020 I have had an F-card (married to an EU citizen)
- Belgian Msc and PhD degree
- worked full time but not in a row since I did a PhD recently
2 questions:
I am wondering whether I am allowed to apply for Belgian citizenship.
1. Is it fine to apply directly with F-card?
2. Do they still count my student years half? (given that I have been living in BE for more than 10 years)
The answer is probably but you only need to go to the population section of your commune/gemeente to find out for certain. You may well have to take a language test but the standard required is only A2 so, as you have been living here more than 10 years, that shouldn't be a problem. You also have to show social integration, the fact that you have both obtained two Belgian higher degrees and worked may well prove sufficient for that.
Even if student years are still counted as half, you will still have passed the first five year hurdle, in theory you need a F+ card but in practice just having a F card shouldn't be a problem if you meet the other requirements.
The answer is almost certainly "yes".
Now go to your commune, talk to them, and work out which procedure you need to follow. There are several ways of doing it and the best one for you depends on your particular circumstances.
5 year application changes the conditions. For a 10 year application you can choose how you demonstrate integration. For 5 years you have to tick boxes eg your Belgian degrees have to be in a national language. Won't work if they are in English, regardless of your language level....
I have been working & living in Belgium since January 2019 (first A card was issued in May 2019). I got married to my Belgian wife last September 2021, and we have a kid together.
I'll be eligible to apply for my permanent B/D card come June 2024 once I clock 5 years of interrupted work (my current A card will expire in Dec 2025) & Belgian citizenship thereafter. However, I'm also eligible to apply for the F - card today, I wanted to find out what will be my outcome if I got the F-card now. Will I still be able to apply for my Citizenship come June 2024 or I'll have to spend an additional 5 years to be eligible?
