Marrying and Sponsoring a Belgian Citizen

• Located in Western Europe
• The climate in Belgium is temperate with mild winters and cool summers. The country is also rainy, humid and cloudy. There are rugged mountains in Ardennes forest

 

Marriage to a Belgian Citizen

Every country has its own laws that apply to its citizens marrying a person from a different country. Getting married to a Belgian citizen with the goal of eventually bringing them to Canada to live is a process with many steps.

You must demonstrate to Belgian officials that they are not currently married to anyone else – either you have never been married or all divorces are finalized – that your identity is proven, and that you have never committed any crimes in Belgium. This is done by providing various documents including an Affidavit of Single Status to the Belgian government either in Belgium or via a Belgian embassy.

If you want to bring your Belgian spouse or partner to live in Canada, you must then file a sponsorship application for them to become a permanent resident. If they would like to visit you in Canada while their application is in process, they must also apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization. For more information, please see our family sponsorship page and our eTA.

 

Belgian Marriage Basic Requirements

In order to marry your Belgium sweetheart, the following requirements must be met in order to get a visa to go to Belgium:

• A valid passport or travel document valid for 3 more months than the visa
• The passport must at least have one blank double blank page for the visa for each applicant
• A visa application
• Official copy of marriage notice form from a relevant registrar in Belgium not more than 6 months prior to the date of application
• Proof of sufficient financial means like copies of payslips, bank statement or formal obligation
• Copy of Belgian ID or residence permit
• Proof the relationship is stable and long term like letters, plane tickets of photos
• Proof of travel insurance with a minimum cover of 30,000 Euros valid for all Schengen countries

Other documents that may be required are;

• Medical certificate filled by a Belgian embassy approved medical Centre not more than six months prior to the date of application
• An extract from judicial records not more than six months prior to the date of application covering 5 years
• Proof that both spouses are above 21 years
• These documents should be submitted in original and 2 copies

In order to marry a citizen of Belgium, you must demonstrate to the Belgian government that you are eligible to do so. This includes:

• Proof of country of birth
• Proof of single status
• Proof of age requirement

Free Complete Spousal Sponsorship Course

 

Belgian Marriage Ceremony

The marriage ceremony to a Belgian citizen can legally take place in Belgium, Canada, or any other country as long as both parties have the necessary visas to enter this country legally. This marriage can then be recognized when applying for a permanent residence or an eTA for your Belgian spouse. To learn more about ceremony customs, see below.

 

Family Members

If your Belgian spouse has dependent children, this does not affect the Belgian Marriage document application.

If you have dependent children, they have no effect on the application to marry a Belgian citizen.

 

How long is the Belgian Marriage document valid?

The document is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. If you do not marry your Belgian fiancé within 6 months of the issuance of the Belgian Marriage document, you must apply again with new supporting documents.

 

List of Belgian Consulates in Canada

Embassy of Belgium in Ottawa, Canada

 

Calling Belgium from Canada

The country code is 32 so to call Belgium dial 011 – 32 – area code – local number

Area codes:

CITY	CODE	CITY	CODE	CITY	CODE
Aalst	53	Genk	89	Mechelen	15
Antwerp	3	Hasselt	11	Mons / Bergen	65
Bruges	50	Kortrijk	56	Namen / Namur	81
Brussels	2	La Louviere	64	Ostend	59
Charleroi	71	Leuven	16	Tournai / Doornik	69
Gent	9	Liege	4	Verviers	87

 

Canadian Embassy in Belgium

Avenue de Tervueren 2 1040 Brussels Belgium Tel: 02 741 0611 Fax: 02 741 0643

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Sponsorship Review

Immigroup will review your completed spousal sponsorship application. . Immigroup will make sure you have not made any mistakes on your application or in gathering the documentation of your relationship. We will assess your sponsorship letter and give you peace of mind that you are submitting an application with a very good chance of success. Don’t lose sleep at night worrying about whether you’ve done enough. Call us at 1-866-760-2623 for a review.