• Social security agreement
• Residence permit

Representatives of the Indian and Belgian social security authorities have reached a landmark agreement on social security; the first of its kind ever negotiated by the Indian authorities.

The Agreement, which will be of great importance for the Belgian economy as well for Indian investments in Belgium, will have the following two important aims.

• When an Indian employer sends an employee to work in Belgium on a "temporary basis", the agreement will allow the employee to maintain his home country coverage for the duration of his temporary foreign assignment. They shall remain subject to the social security regime of the first contracting state for a period of maximum five years - "principle of secondment" - under certain conditions.
• Indian nationals, who have paid Belgian social security contributions or will be paying these contributions, will be able to enjoy a Belgian pension upon their retirement in India.

The agreement will guarantee the same benefits for Belgians working in India.

The law firm Laga actively participated in the conclusion of the Agreement by acting as advisor to the representatives of the Indian government.

This Belgian-Indian social security agreement is expected to be signed when Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt visits New Delhi early November this year. 

The Laga team will keep you informed about further developments.

Dear Laga,

I have just been offered a job in Brussels and my company will be assisting me with my move, visa's etc.  I would like to know if my boyfriend will be allowed to move with me to Brussels (we have lived together for just over a year).

Will he be granted a visa without a work permit if I am prepared to support him in Brussels?  What would be the best way to apply? Should he apply alone or should we apply together?

Regards,
Jackie Hills

Dear Ms Hills,
 
Further to your email, please note that a foreign national can be granted residence in Belgium should he, in the framework of a long-term relationship, want to come over to Belgium to live together with someone who has been granted a residence card.
 
In this respect, your boyfriend should apply for a "visa for cohabitation within a stable, long-term relationship" with the Belgian consular authorities of his place of residence abroad.

For your convenience, we hereafter provide you with a link where you will be able to find more detailed information on:

• the general conditions; 
• documents required; 
• legalisation requirements; 
• the formalities to comply with once your boyfriend has arrived in Belgium.

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/visumFicheDetail.asp?TEXTID=44225

We trust the above is adequate for your purposes.
 
Kind regards, 
Lynn Bogaert, Matthias Lommers

6 October 2006

Lawyers Lynn Bogaert and Matthias Lommers work for Belgian law firm Laga, located at www.laga.be or contactable by phone: 02 800 7000.

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Disclaimer: Although we verify the reliability of the information given, such information is general and neither Laga nor Expatica may be held responsible in any way for any possible error that might occur or for any use or interpretation that could be made of this information without the assistance of Laga.

[Copyright Laga and Expatica 2006]

Subject: Expat news