News

How to terminate a lease agreement for a main residence?

Generally speaking, a lease agreement never ends by itself in Belgium. One of the parties must in fact always go through the formality by serving notice of his or her wish to terminate the lease, on pain of serious consequences. The Expat Welcome Desk explains it all to you.

What changes on 1 January 2023?

Several changes took effect in Belgium. Many employees have seen their salaries increase as a result of indexation, while birth leave has now been extended to 20 days for fathers and co-parents. Get the lowdown on all the changes you need to know about for 2023 from the Expat Welcome Desk!

Check out our new webinars and newsletters for UK citizens in Brussels!

The Expat Welcome Desk is launching a series of free webinars for UK citizens, taking place throughout 2023. Whether you already live and work in Brussels, or you are still planning your move, we'll help you navigate the post-Brexit landscape.

Family reunification in Belgium: how does it work?

If you live in Brussels and want to have a family member move in with you, you may do so through the family reunification procedure. How do I apply for family reunification? What documents must be produced for the procedure? The Expat Welcome Desk has the answers!

New rules about the indexation of rents

Aimed at reducing the effects of the energy crisis on tenants, the governments of Belgium’s three regions have adopted new provisional decrees/orders that make the possibility of indexing rents conditional on the result of the building’s EPB (Energy Performance of Buildings) certificate. The EWD tells you all about it.

14 October – Covid-19 vaccines : a booster dose for autumn ?

Covid-19 updates

The Expat Welcome Desk informs expats in Brussels about the latest measures taken in Belgium and in the Brussels Region to limit the spread of Covid-19.

IRISbox: the virtual service window

Embarking on an administrative process of some kind or obtaining a document from a public service can often take time. For this reason, various virtual service windows have now been introduced, including IRISbox, which enables you to undertake your administrative processes online.

The Brexit Impact Scan – Take part in our survey

Are you a UK citizen living or working in Brussels? We want to hear from you! How has Brexit affected your life and what challenges have you faced interacting with local administration? Please take a few minutes to fill in our survey.

Confronted with maladministration?

Belgian lawmakers now intend to promote the use of mediation services for resolving disputes involving an administrative department or a public or private sector organisation. The recommendation is to consult an ombudsman in the first instance.

Length of leases

In Belgium, it is not unusual to still hear landlords and tenants talk about 3-6-9 leases. However, this is in fact incorrect. When it comes to leases for principal places of residence (i.e. your home), lease periods of 9 years have become the norm, unless the lease is signed for a period of 3 years or less.

International Brusselers take their Manifesto to the Brussels Parliament

They deserve a say on the regional policies that affect their daily lives. For the last year they have been developing a vision for the future of Brussels in a democratic participation project.

Top tips for a smooth summer holiday

Holidays provide the ideal time for recharging your batteries and taking a well-deserved break. But to make sure your trip goes according to plan, you need to make sure that your travel documents are all current and up to date. The Expat Welcome Desk is your guide for a summer with total peace of mind.

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