pre arrival guide 2021

7 VISA,RESIDENCE PERMIT AND INSURANCE STUDENT VISA If you are a citizen of a European Economic Area country* or fromMonaco or Switzerland you may travel to Belgium on the strength of a national passport or identity card. If you have any other nationality, you have to apply for a student visa (type D) with the Belgian embassy or consulate in your current country of residence before leaving for Belgium. Having a European Union residence permit is not sufficient. *EEA = EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein More information online Students from the Netherlands can continue to pay their basic health insurance in the Netherlands as long as they do not work here and are under 30. If you are a resident of an EEA country, you need to get a European Health Insurance Card from your own health insurance provider before travelling to Belgium. If you are a non-EEA national then you need to be registered in the Belgian Registry of Foreign Nationals and Belgian health insurance is mandatory. You will also be required to pay a contribution. Depending on your personal situation you have two options: ✓ registration as a ‘student’: this option is mainly designed for students who will be studying in Belgium for a short period of time. ✓ registration as a ‘resident in Belgium’: most students can register as a resident, but you need to have a (temporary) residence permit. More information online All students need to be covered by health insurance for the duration of their stay in Belgium. Without medical insurance, a trip to the doctor can be very expensive. The Belgian health insurance system has agreements with neighbouring countries and within the EU. More information online HEALTH INSURANCE All international students who will be staying in Antwerp for more than 3 months have to apply for a residence permit upon arrival. With a residence permit you can open a bank account and sign up for health insurance. As of 3 January 2019, the residence permit issued to non-EU students is also a work permit, now called single permit. The single permit contains information that you are entitled to work. RESIDENCE PERMIT On arrival Important note For some countries, approval by the Belgian authorities can take up to three months or longer. Make sure you start the visa application procedure well in advance! On arrival Important note Make sure you have travel insurance for the time you spend in Belgium before you receive your residence permit.