EU civil servants & SNE’s

In Belgium, civil servants working for a European or international organization, and in certain cases seconded national experts, have the right to ‘simplified residence’, which amounts to the issue of a ‘special identity card’ (SIC) issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and not by the municipal authority. The members of their family can also take advantage of this system unless they are working in Belgium.  Indeed it is forbidden to work for a belgian employer with a special If card!  Holders of these special cards must not register in the commune where they live. They are however included in a separate local authority register and receive a national number (though this does not appear on their special identity card). 

Important to know when you have a SIC :

• Even with a SIC you still have to go to your local authority for all administrative matters such as the request for documents and certificates (family make-up, certificate of residence, certificate of good conduct, etc.).
• Validity: the special identity card (SIC) is valid for 5 years and can be renewed.
• The legal partner/spouse of the holder of a SIC can also receive a SIC provided that he/she does not practise any professional activity (not even part-time).
• Children can receive a SIC until a certain age (25 for civil servant’s children and 18 for SNE’s children) After 25 or 18 they have to enrol on the municipal register of the borough where they are living and must hand in their SIC. This also applies to children under these ages who are engaged in a paid work placement or student job.
• What every holder of a SIC should remember: you must inform the Protocol Department of any change of address while staying in Belgium.
• Based on the law cases of the Court of Justice of the European Union “FERLINI” (3 octobre 2000) and “LASSAL” (7 octobre 2010), all the years spent in Belgium by a EU national under the SIC are taken into account for the calculation of the uninterrupted stay in Belgium when applying for the permanent residence permit, and in some cases, even for the citizenship application.

It is also always possible to give back the SIC and decide to go at the municipality to obtain the Belgian residence permit. This is for instance useful for children being nearly 18 years old. How to proceed ?

• Return you special Identity card at the Protocol Department of your institution.
• Obtain from the Protocol Department of your institution a document proving that you gave back your SIC and that you wish to register through the municipality.
• With this document report to the municipality to start the procedure of registration.