shqiptarëtRegistering at your commune in Belgium
In Belgium, foreign nationals must tell the commune where they live. The deadline depends on how long you stay. This page sums up the general rules of the Immigration Office (DOFI/IBZ) for non-EU nationals.
This is general information from the official Belgian pages below, not legal advice. For your own case, ask the commune where you live.
- Short visit
- Report your presence and address within 3 working days of arrival.
- Exemptions
- Not needed if you stay in a hotel, hospital or prison.
- Online
- If you are registered in the EES entry-exit system, you can do it online with the 'Mon Adresse en Belgique' (MAB) form, without going to the commune.
- With a D visa (over 90 days)
- Report to the commune where you live within 8 days of arrival.
- Renewing a permit
- As a rule, apply at the commune between the 60th and 30th day before expiry.
Steps
- Short visit: fill in MAB
You get a confirmation. The form is not proof of legal stay or of identity. - If you need proof
Ask the commune for an arrival declaration (Annex 3). It shows until when you may stay. - With a D visa: go to the commune
Within 8 days. The commune carries out a residence enquiry. - Get the A card
After the enquiry you are entered in the register of foreign nationals and receive a residence permit (A card). - Renew on time
At the commune, between the 60th and 30th day before expiry, with documents showing you still meet the conditions.
Be careful
- Anyone with a residence permit or D visa from another EU country cannot use MAB; they must go to the commune.
- Do not stay longer than your short stay allows.
- Not reporting your address can have consequences when you later apply for an extension or a residence permit.
Cost of the A card (2026 federal fee)
- A, B, H, K, L, I and J cards, age 12 and over: €20.70.
- Children under 12: €11.30.
- Urgent procedure: €122.60.
- The commune tax is NOT included; your commune may add its own charge.
- These are IBZ's 2026 fees; they change every year.
Documents for the D visa
- The application must include a letter explaining the reason for your stay, plus every document the Immigration Office needs to assess it.
- The exact list and procedure are on the website of the Belgian embassy or consulate that covers your country (the list of embassies is on diplomatie.belgium.be).
Kosovo citizens: the general rules on this page apply in the same way. Belgium: the essentials