From the airport to the A card: registering with your Belgian commune.

How long do you have to register with your commune after arrival?

The D visa stuck in your passport allows you to enter Belgium, but it is not your final residence permit. As soon as you arrive, you must report to the local authority (commune) for your actual place of residence to convert this authorisation into an electronic residence permit. This step is mandatory and sets in motion everything that follows for your legal stay.

The official deadline is eight working days from your arrival on Belgian territory. This is the declaration of arrival. The clock runs fast: booking an appointment in a Brussels commune can take several days, even several weeks during the back-to-school rush, while the eight working day counter never stops. The practical rule is to book the communal appointment before you even leave, or on the day you land.

How does registration work, step by step?

1. 1Book an appointment with the Foreigners or Population department of the commune of your place of residence, as early as possible after arrival (ideally before the eight working days run out).
2. 2Attend the first appointment with your passport and D visa, your enrolment certificate from the institution, a photo and the communal fee. You file your declaration of arrival.
3. 3The commune forwards your file to the neighbourhood police, who carry out a residence check to confirm you really live at the declared address (a home visit, checking that your name is on the doorbell and the letterbox).
4. 4If the residence check is positive, the commune calls you in for a second appointment to finalise registration, capture your biometric data and order the A card.
5. 5You are registered in the foreigners' register, then you collect your electronic A card with its PIN/PUK code in the following weeks.

Depending on your documentary situation, the commune may first issue you a temporary certificate before the final A card. If you provided an admission certificate or an equivalence application (and not yet a definitive enrolment), you receive a registration certificate (attestation d'immatriculation) valid for 4 months from the date you entered the territory, while your definitive enrolment is confirmed.

Which documents should you bring to the communal counter?

• A valid national passport bearing the student D visa.
• An enrolment certificate (or admission certificate) issued by the recognised educational institution.
• An identity photo that meets Belgian standards.
• Proof of your residential address in Belgium (lease / kot contract, or proof of accommodation).
• The communal fee for producing the card (amount varies by commune; in the City of Brussels, 35 EUR for a file with a D visa, 2026 figure to confirm with your commune).

How long is the A card valid and when should you renew it?

The A card is the electronic residence permit of limited duration, issued in particular to students. For studies, it is generally valid for about a year (the exact expiry date is shown on the card and can vary depending on your commune, to be confirmed with it). It is renewable each year as long as the conditions of stay (enrolment, resources, insurance) remain met, within the limit of the duration of your studies.

Renewal must be anticipated: file your application several weeks before the A card's expiry date, with your new enrolment certificate for the current academic year. In Brussels, since 15 September 2025, the renewal application for a student residence permit is filed online via the IRISbox platform, and no longer at the commune's counter. The exact deadline and the procedure nevertheless depend on your commune of residence: always check its official instructions. Failing to anticipate this renewal is one of the costliest mistakes: an expired card can interrupt your legal stay and complicate a trip or a re-enrolment.

What calendar pitfalls should you avoid?

• Underestimating the appointment lead time: during the back-to-school period, communal slots in Brussels sometimes have to be booked several weeks in advance, while the eight working days run from arrival.
• Declaring an address where you do not actually live: the police residence check is a physical inspection; a letterbox without your name or repeated absence can cause the registration to fail.
• Confusing the D visa expiry date with the A card date: the D visa only serves to enter, your stay is then governed by the A card and its own deadline.
• Waiting until the last minute to renew: anticipate several weeks before expiry and check your commune's procedure (in Brussels, online via IRISbox), as filing late exposes you to a break in your legal stay.
• Travelling outside Belgium while your file is in progress, before you have the A card or a certificate covering your return, without checking what your temporary document allows.