Contribution fee

There are several amounts, depending on the purpose of the application. These amounts are linked to the consumer price index of the Kingdom and are adjusted on 1 January each year.

As of January, 1 2024, the amount of the contribution fee is set as follows:

Free of charge:

• Foreigner under 18 years of age;
• A recognized stateless person who has lost his or her nationality against his or her will and who demonstrates that he or she cannot obtain a legal and permanent residence permit in another State with which he or she has ties.

144 euro 

• Application for a work and residence permit (single permit) - Article 61/25-1 of the law of 15 December 1980;
• Application for a work and residence permit as a highly-qualified worker - Article 61/26 of the law of 15 December 1980;
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a foreigner who wishes to conduct a research project, as a researcher, under a hosting agreement signed with an accredited research institute - Article 61/11 of the law of 15 December 1980, except (b);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days as a seasonal worker - Article 61/29-4 of the law of 15 December 1980;
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days as an intra-corporate transferee - Article 61/34 of the law of 15 December 1980;
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for long-term mobility as an intra‑corporate transferee - Article 61/45 of the law of 15 December 1980.

192 euro 

• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a foreigner holding a valid "long‑term resident - EU" residence permit issued by another Member State of the European Union on the basis of Directive 2003/109/EC - Article 61/7 of the law of 15 December 1980, except (b);
• Application for authorisation to return submitted by a foreigner who holds a valid Belgian residence or establishment permit and who has been absent from the Kingdom for more than one year - Article 19, § 2, of the law of 15 December 1980, except (f) and (g);
• Application for the re-acquisition of long-term resident status after the loss of the right of return - Article 19, § 2, of the law of 15 December 1980, except (f) and (g).

206 euro 

• Application for a residence permit for the family members of a Belgian citizen - Article 40ter of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a) and (h);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for family members of a foreigner authorised to stay in Belgium for an unlimited period of time, or authorised to settle in Belgium (B, C, D, F, F+ or K card) - Article 10, § 1, paragraph 1, 4° to 7° of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a), (e) and (f);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for the family members of a foreigner authorised to stay in Belgium for a limited period of time (A, H or L card) - Article 10bis, § 2 of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a) and (f);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for the family members of a foreigner authorised to stay in Belgium as a student (A card) - Article 10bis, § 1, of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a) and (f);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a foreigner whose right of residence has been recognised by an international treaty, by a law or by a royal decree - Article 10, § 1, paragraph 1, 1° of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a), (e) and (f);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a foreigner who meets the conditions set out in the Belgian Nationality Code to re-acquire Belgian nationality - Article 10, § 1, paragraph 1, 2° of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a), (e) and (f);
• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a woman who, through marriage or following the acquisition of a foreign nationality by her husband, has lost her Belgian nationality - Article 10, § 1, paragraph 1, 2° of the law of 15 December 1980, except (a), (e) and (f).

229 euro 

• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days submitted to a Belgian diplomatic or consular post (visa D) (study in a private higher education institution, au pair, professional card or proof of exemption, humanitarian reasons, visa with the purpose of marriage or legal cohabitation in Belgium, Working Holiday Scheme, annuitant, etc.) - Article 9 of the law of 15 December 1980, except (b), (c), (d) and (f).

237 euro 

• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days for a foreigner who wishes to stay in Belgium as a student in a public higher education institution - Article 60 of the law of 15 December 1980, except (b).

357 euro 

• Application for a residence permit of more than 90 days submitted in Belgium (exceptional circumstances) - Article 9bis of the law of 15 December 1980, except (b).

In case of application for a change of status, or application for a return visa after the loss of the right of return: application of the amount corresponding to the requested status.

(a) Unless the applicant is an unmarried disabled child over the age of 18, provided he or she submits a certificate from a doctor approved by the Belgian diplomatic or consular post stating that he or she is unable to support himself or herself because of his or her disability: free of charge.

(b) Unless the applicant is a foreigner who provides proof that he or she holds a scholarship granted by a body or authority referred to in article 1/1 of the Royal Decree of 8 October 1981 using a standard form in accordance with the model laid down by the Minister or a certificate issued by the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid of the Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation: free of charge.  

_{Read more: Exemption for foreign nationals who have received a scholarship granted by a government or an institution listed in article 1/1 of the Royal Decree of 08.10.1981}

(c) Unless the applicant is a foreigner who has been admitted to the resettlement procedure under a resettlement scheme supervised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: free of charge.

(d) Unless the applicant is an indigent alien and can prove this by means of an exemption from consular contribution fees granted by the diplomatic or consular post based on justified indigence, provided he or she does not have to prove sufficient means of subsistence in the context of his or her application: free of charge.

(e) Unless the applicant is a family member (spouse, registered partner, underaged child, single adult disabled child) of a foreigner who has refugee status or subsidiary protection status, of the father of the mother of an underaged child who has refugee status or subsidiary protection status: free of charge.

(f) Unless the applicant is a beneficiary of the Agreement creating an association between the Republic of Turkey and the European Economic Community signed on 12 September 1963: free of charge.

(g) Unless the applicant is a beneficiary of refugee status or a family member of a foreigner with refugee status: free of charge.

(h) Except applications submitted by family members of a Belgian citizen who has exercised his or her right to free movement in accordance with the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: free of charge.

The contribution fee must be paid in euro (€) by the applicant or a third party to the account of FPS Home Affairs, Immigration Office, Boulevard Pacheco 44, 1000 Brussels.

IBAN: BE57 6792 0060 9235

BIC: PCHQBEBB

Bank: BPOST SA, Centrum Monnaie (without number), 1000 Brussels

The payment reference must have the following structure : Name Forename Nationality Date of Birth (DDMMYYYY) of the applicant.

Please note: if you forgot the payment reference or made a mistake (for example you mentioned your identity instead of the identity of the applicant), you should not request a refund of the contribution fee and should not make a new payment. Send an e-mail and a proof of payment to the infodesk of the Immigration Office (infodesk[at]ibz.fgov.be). The Immigration Office will then contact the embassy/the consulate of Belgium or the competent municipal authority.

Read more about it below (Refund of the contribution fee).

When to submit proof of payment of the contribution fee?

The applicant must present a valid proof of the full payment of the contribution fee at the time of submitting his/her application to the Belgian diplomatic or consular post (application visa D), or to the municipal authority of the place of residence (application for residence), or to the competent regional authority (combined authorisation).

What proof should I present?

You can present proof of a transfer to the Immigration Office account, a bank record showing the money transfer, or any other document clearly indicating the amount of the contribution fee, the date it was made, the identity of the person applying for a visa or the stay (Last name First name Nationality Date of birth (DDMMYYY) and the definitive nature of the money transfer to the Foreigners' Office account.

What happens if the applicant fails to submit the proof of payment?

If the applicant fails to submit the proof of full payment of the contribution fee, the (diplomatic/consular) post or the municipal authority will declare his/her application inadmissible (annex 42*).

If the applicant does submit the proof of payment of the contribution fee, but the transferred amount is not sufficient, the (diplomatic/consular) post will declare his/her application temporarily inadmissible (annex 43*). The applicant has 30 days to submit the proof of payment of the balance  (= difference between the amount paid and the amount of the contribution fee). If the applicant fails to submit the proof of payment of the balance within this time limit, the (diplomatic/consular) post or the municipal authority will declare his/her application permanently inadmissible (bijlage 42*). The amount already paid will not be refunded.

An inadmissible application will not be processed.

_{*The annexes mentioned in this text are the annexes to the Royal Decree of 8 October 1981 on access to the territory, residence, settlement and removal of foreign nationals.}

When can a refund be requested?

A refund can be requested from the Immigration Office in the following cases:

• The contribution fee was paid by mistake; (Explain the mistake you have made)
• The contribution fee was paid for an application lodged between 2 March 2015 and 26 June 2016;
• The contribution fee was paid for an application lodged between 1 March 2017 and 2 June 2019. In this case only the surcharge of the contribution fee will be refunded.

What to do in case of forgetfulness or error in the payment reference?

If you forgot the payment reference or made a mistake (for example you mentioned your identity instead of the identity of the applicant), you should not request a refund of the contribution fee and should not make a new payment. Send an e-mail with the information about the visa or residence application (on which date and in which embassy or municipality was the application submitted?) and a proof of payment to the infodesk of the Immigration Office (infodesk[at]ibz.fgov.be). The Immigration Office will then contact the embassy/the consulate of Belgium or the competent municipal authority.. 

If you already made a second payment with the correct payment reference, you can request a refund for double payment. Please attach the two payment receipts with this request for contribution fee refund.  

How do I request a refund?

In any case, the person who requests the refund must respect  the following rules:

• Fill in a form "Request for contribution fee Refund" completely and legibly (capitals);
• Sign the form (manual or digital signature);
• Explain why you are requesting the refund
• Attach the proof of payment of the contribution fee for which full or partial refund is requested. If you have paid twice in error, attach both proofs of payment;
• Send the completed and signed form and the proof of payment to the address remboursement[at]ibz.fgov.be, preferably in PDF-format.

=> A REQUEST FOR REFUND = A MAIL to the address remboursement[at]ibz.fgov.be, with a form '"Request for contribution fee Refund" completed and signed in PDF-format and a proof of payment  in PDF-format. 

If the person who requests the refund of the contribution fee is not the person who paid the contribution fee, the request for refund must be accompanied by two additional documents:

• the authorisation to refund the contribution fee to a third party, signed by the person who paid the fee;
• a copy of the identity or residence document of the person who paid the contribution fee.

If the request for a refund is justified, the Immigration Office will inform the applicant.   As a rule, the contribution fee will be refunded within 6 to 8 weeks of this information to the applicant.  

Forms that must be used for a refund request:

• Request for a refund of a contribution fee paid by mistake 
• Request for a refund of a contribution fee paid for an application lodged between 2 March 2015 and 26 June 2016 
• Request for a refund of the surcharge of a contribution fee paid for an application lodged between 1 March 2017 and 2 January 2019.  

Points of attention:

If the refund application form is incomplete or illegible, the Immigration Office will not process the application and will send the documents back to the sender;

If the refund application form is not signed, the Immigration Office will not process the application and will send the documents back to the sender;

If the refund application form is sent without the form "Request for contribution fee Refund", without proof of payment or sent to another address than remboursement[at]ibz.fgov.be, the Immigration Office will not process the application and will send the documents back to the sender.