Since 1^st January several changes have taken place in various areas of Brussels life: the registration of residential tenancy contracts; the level of penal fines; the maternity leave for self-employed women; a BE HOME rebate; and the procedures for household garbage collection.

From January pay attention to your garbage collection because the days and schedules are going to change. And there’s another change: a new orange bag for organic waste. The Expat Welcome Desk summarises the important points below.

A road accident can be a frightening experience and you may find it difficult to stay calm. Being an expat in Brussels and perhaps not fluent in the local language only adds to the problem. But it is important that you try to keep a clear head and follow the right procedure…

If you have been living in Belgium for a number of years and intend to stay living here for a long time or you want to acquire Belgian citizenship, it may be time for you to go down to the “commune” and apply for a permanent residency permit.

Comme chaque année, la SNCB adapte son service de trains le second dimanche de décembre, en parallèle avec l’ensemble des pays européens. En décembre 2016, c’est principalement l’offre liée à la desserte suburbaine autour de Bruxelles qui est élargie.

Registering with a municipality is always a compulsory formality for newcomers; furthermore, it must be done within a fixed period of time, depending on the duration of your stay. An administrative detail? Not really, because if you do not respect this time period, you risk certain penalties. The Expat Welcome Desk explains.

Would you like to rent out your apartment or part of it, either independently or via a site such as Airbnb? A new regulation in Brussels stipulates that all tourist accommodation must be registered beforehand and monitored.

Need tips on how to settle down in Brussels? What can be better than getting some advice from an expat AND Greeter? Klaus, of Belgian and German origin, shares ten of his best tips.

From April 19 the municipality of Ixelles/Elsene will organise a weekly organic market every Tuesday from 12 PM to 8.30 PM on Place du Luxembourg, in front of the European Parliament!

Can I park here? Should I use my parking disc? For how long can I stay?  Parking signs are not always clear and it’s all too easy to get a fine! The Expat Welcome Desk explains the basic rules you should follow…

It’s not always easy to find the flat or house rental of your dreams! What are your important criteria? What are the pitfalls? And what type of lease should you sign? The Expat Welcome Desk has prepared a checklist for you.