Main ministry
General migration policy
The Immigration Office, part of the Federal Public Service Interior, is responsible for the access to the territory, residence, establishment and return of foreign nationals. The Immigration Office grants authorisations to stay and issues visas and residence permits.
Economic migration policy
Economic migration is a regional competence since the State Reform of 2014. The regional departments grant authorisations to work and authorisations to exercise a self-employed activity. The departments of economic migration are part of:
Other Ministries
Visas
The Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation is responsible for Belgium’s external relations.
Its diplomatic and consular posts are responsible for receiving visa applications and delivering visas for collection.
Secondment
The Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue ensures the balance between employees and employers in their employment relationship.
Its liaison office is responsible for providing information to employers and workers posted in Belgium about general questions regarding labour law.
Enterprise counters
The Federal Public Service (FPS) for the Economy, SMEs, Self-employed and Energy creates the conditions for a competitive, sustainable and balanced functioning of the Belgian market of goods and services.
The FPS is responsible for the accreditation of the enterprise counters.
Education policy
The Communities are responsible for the general education policy.
decentralised institutions
Municipalities
The municipalities are responsible for the issuance of single permits to foreign nationals residing in their territory.
Enterprise counters
The accredited enterprise counters function as single points of contact for enterprises in Belgium.
The counters provide various services, including the issuance of professional cards to foreign nationals.
national scientific research and statistical offices on immigration
Federal Migration Centre Myria
Myria is an independent public institution with three mandates: informing the authorities about the nature and extent of migratory flows, protecting the fundamental rights of foreign nationals and promoting the fight against trafficking and smuggling of human beings.
European Migration Network Belgium
EMN Belgium, the National Contact Point of the European Migration Network, provides up-to-date, objective, reliable and comparable information on migration and asylum to support policymaking at the national and EU level and to inform the general public.