Brussels tightens residence permit rules for non-EU students
New rules apply to non-EU students renewing their residence permits in Brussels from Monday, The Brussels Times reports. The changes affect all students from outside the EU, except those from Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, who wish to live in one of the capital’s 19 municipalities for study purposes.
Applications must now be submitted online via the IRISbox platform under the “non-European student” option. Only after the application is validated by the competent authority may students go in person to the Immigration Office, which accepts walk-ins on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 8.30 and 12.00.
Deadlines depend on the type of institution. Students at private schools with permits expiring on 30 September must apply before that date. Those at recognised institutions have until 31 October. City authorities say that meeting these deadlines is essential to avoid any interruption in residence rights linked to student status.
Sufficient means
To qualify for a residence permit as a non-European student, applicants must fulfil a number of criteria. They must hold a valid identity document, such as a passport, and be enrolled as a full-time regular student at a government-organised, recognised or subsidised higher education institution, or at a private higher education institution.
Students must also not pose a threat to public health, order or safety. They must have sufficient financial means to support themselves and have paid the administrative fee for processing their application, unless they are exempt.
© BELGA PHOTO SISKA GREMMELPREZ
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