Important note : If you have expenses to be reimbursed as part of the Visa application (for you and your family members), please send them to us by November 30, 2025 at the latest. It will then no longer be possible to process the reimbursements.

The Highly Skilled Single Permit is a combined work and residence permit issued through a single application process.

Step 1

The application will be submitted by the employer (ISB) to the Regional Employment Ministry, that decides on your work authorization. Your application will be forwarded to the Immigration Office, who decides on your residence authorization.

The final positive decision authorizing you to work and to reside in Belgium, i.e., Annex 46, will be notified to the employer (ISB) and to the diplomatic post where you will collect your Visa D. As a rule, you will have to collect the Visa D from the diplomatic post with jurisdiction over your place of residence, being either your country of origin or a third country where you are currently legally residing. The relevant diplomatic post must be selected by yourself before we submit your single permit application.  Processing times can run up to 4 months in total. 

Most foreign documents issued in non European countries require legalization in their country of origin.  All documents must be in French, Dutch, German, or English or accompanied by a sworn translation into one of these languages, by a recognized/official sworn translator and then have the document legalized/apostilled properly.  

You will receive a detailed email in due time to explain the process you will have to follow in your personal situation

Step 2

Once your Single Permit has been approved, we will receive the approval notice, i.e. Annex 46. You will have to apply and collect your long term Visa D at the competent diplomatic post. The Visa is a sticker affixed in your national passport by the competent Belgian Embassy or Consulate. The Belgian authorities will in principle keep your original passport during the processing of your Visa D. The Visa is a travel document, which allows you to enter Belgium and enables you to register with a Belgian town hall. It is a multiple entry visa, and includes the right to travel in the Schengen area for maximum 90 days in a 180 day timeframe. Once you arrive in Belgium, you will need to report to the town hall of your chosen place of residence and request a residence permit (step 3, with the assistance of your relocation agent). The Visa D will not need to be extended.  If you have family members relocation to Belgium with  you, they can apply together with you. Please get in touch with the diplomatic post without delay in order to get all the necessary information about the reunification Visa process.  We strongly advise you to already start gathering the necessary documents during the processing (step 1) of your single permit application. 

The application will be processed by the Belgian diplomatic post (do not contact an Honorary Consulate).  Always make sure you contact or mail your application to post competent for your place of residence. Depending on the diplomatic post, the procedure is launched via an online portal website. 

Please bear in mind that the requested documents will have to have been re-issued by the competent local authorities and either apostilled or legalized by the Belgian Consulate/Embassy in that country, and must have been issued in the past 6 months. Foreign documents must be legalized in their country of origin. If you have already obtained legalization from the country that issued the document, you must also have the document legalized by Belgium's competent consular post for that country. If the Belgian Consulate does not accept to certify the document, you need to request an official “apostille” from the competent authorities.  If the country that issued the document is party to the Apostille Convention (the 1961 Hague Convention Treaty), the competent foreign authority will apply the apostille stamp. A list of all competent authorities per country authorized to provide an apostille stamp can be found here

Most foreign documents issued in non European countries require legalization in their country of origin.  All documents must be in French, Dutch, German, or English or accompanied by a sworn translation into one of these languages, by a recognized/official sworn translator and then have the document legalized/apostilled properly.  

The relevant diplomatic post where you will be collecting your Visa must be selected by yourself before we submit your single permit application. 

You will receive a detailed email in due time to explain the process you will have to follow in your personal situation