Orientation year

The orientation year residence permit (A card) is a permit for which only non-EEA nationals can apply. It is valid for 12 months and cannot be extended. PhD graduates can only apply for an orientation year as long as they have a student residence status. 

During the orientation year:

• You have unlimited access to the Belgian labour market.
• You are not eligible for Belgian unemployment benefits. Applying for any kind of financial support from the Belgian government may result in an earlier and forced ending of your orientation year residence permit.
• You must make true attempts to look for work or take the necessary steps to comply with all legal obligations to exercise an independent professional activity in the case of setting up your own business. The government may ask for proof that you are either looking for work or setting up a business. In case you are not able to provide any proof, the government may end this residence permit.
• When you have found an employer who wants to employ you, they should submit an application for a single permit for you as soon as possible.

On the following links, information can be found on the professional card for foreigners and on which steps to take to start a business in Belgium:

1. Professional card for foreigners (Flanders)
2. Professional card for foreigners (Brussels)
3. Steps to follow when starting a business

To find out how to apply for the orientation year using a Belgian degree, have a look at this short video. You can also read about the full procedure in detail below.

To be able to apply, you must meet the following requirements:

• Your passport must be valid for the full orientation year
• You have a valid student residence permit for Belgium
• You have graduated in the current academic year

If you reside in the City of Antwerp or one of its districts, the university's Residence Permit services can assist in submitting your orientation year request to the Student Desk at the Immigration Office.

Applications for the orientation year have to be submitted through Mobility Online. Use this link to start up your application in Mobility Online. Enter your UAntwerp username and password to log in and follow the steps of the workflow in Mobility Online. IOB graduates need to send their documents to greet.annaert@uantwerpen.be. The submission deadline is 15 days before the expiry of your current residence permit.

The following documents must be submitted:

• Colour copy of a valid international passport
• Proof of current Belgian health insurance coverage (recent certificate)
• Proof of graduation at a higher education institution in Belgium
  • If you require a certified copy of your University of Antwerp degree, the diploma office can certify copies for you if you submit them along with the original diploma. Contact diploma@uantwerpen.be.
  • If you have finished your studies but have not yet received your diploma, you can request a provisional certificate after the deliberation period. This certificate is provided by your faculty's student administration office. 
• Proof of sufficient financial means
  • Annex 32 - You can submit a legalised Annexe 32 form, which is a declaration from a sponsor stating an agreement for acceptance of financial responsibility. This means that your sponsor will be financially capable of supporting you.
    
    • The minimum net monthly income of the sponsor needs to be 2 893 euros (amount for 2024-2025).  Proof thereof must be submitted by uploading the latest tax form of the sponsor if they are self-employed.  Otherwise three recent payslips if the sponsor is an employee. Add a colour copy of your sponsor’s passport or ID.
    • If your sponsor resides outside of Belgium, they will need to contact their local Belgian embassy to process the Annex 32 form.
      
  • Blocked account at the university- The university can facilitate this service for all its graduates. Please contact blockedaccounts.orientationyear@uantwerpen.be to request the application form. The blocked account procedure is similar to that for students, which means that you will need to transfer 12 100 euros to the university's account and 12 000 euros will be paid out to you in instalments (handling fee of 100 euros). If needed, a blocked account for a spouse can also be requested at the same time. The combined amount will be 27 000 euros plus the 100 euros handling fee. IOB graduates can request a blocked account through greet.annaert@uantwerpen.be. 
  • Employment contract -  The Federal Immigration Department also accepts a valid employee contract as long as the financial amount covers the total minimum amount required for the orientation year period of 12 months.

Follow the different steps of the workflow in Mobility Online. Once you have finalized the process, the International Relations Office will review your application.  When your application is approved by the IRO, you will receive a confirmation mail that your file has been forwarded to the Antwerp Immigration Office for further processing.

Note: The head office of Immigration in Brussels gives final approval, which often takes a considerable amount of time.

To find out how to apply for the orientation year using an EEA degree,have a look at this short video. You can also read about the full procedure in detail below.

To be able to apply, you must meet the following requirements:

• Your passport must be valid for the full orientation year
• You have a valid student residence permit for an EEA member state
• You have graduated from an EEA member state and have completed a mobility period in Belgium during this time
• You have valid health insurance for Belgium
  

You need to submit your application with the Belgian embassy or consulate relevant to you. This can be in the EEA member state where you graduated or in your home country.

The submission deadline is within 3 months of your graduation in the other EEA member state.

The following documents must be submitted:

• A colour copy of a valid international passport
• Proof of graduation at a higher education institution of an EEA member state
• Proof of Belgian health insurance coverage (recent certificate)
• Proof of your mobility period in Belgium
• Proof of sufficient financial means
  • Annex 32 - You can submit a legalised Annexe 32 form, which is a declaration from a sponsor stating an agreement for acceptance of financial responsibility. This means that your sponsor will be financially capable of supporting you.
    • The minimum net monthly income of the sponsor needs to be 2 893 euros (amount for 2024-2025).
      
    • If your sponsor resides outside of Belgium, they will need to contact their local Belgian embassy to process the Annex 32 form
      
  • Blocked account - The university can facilitate this service for all its graduates. Please contact blockedaccounts.orientationyear@uantwerpen.be to request the application form. The blocked account procedure is similar to that for students, which means that you will need to transfer 12 100 euros to the university's account and 12 000 euros will be paid out to you in instalments (handling fee of 100 euros). If needed, a blocked account for a spouse can also be requested at the same time. The combined amount will be 27 000 euros plus the 100 euros handling fee.
  • Employment contract -  The Federal Immigration Department also accepts a valid employee contract as long as the financial amount covers the total minimum required amount for the orientation year period of 12 months.

Can I start working full-time after I apply for the orientation year?

Unlimited access to the Belgian labour market will be granted as soon as your application has been filed. This means that you can start working full-time with your Annexe 15 document while waiting for the approval of the application and the issuance of the orientation year residence permit. Note, however, that the Annexe 15 document will only be issued after your current student residence card expires.

Can I receive an Annexe 15 document (with unlimited access to the labour market) immediately after my application for the orientation year has been submitted to the immigration office?

An Annexe 15 document will only be issued after the expiry of your student residence card.

Can I work in a neighbouring country of Belgium with the orientation year residence permit?

With a Belgian residence permit for the orientation year, you can only reside, look for a job and/or work in Belgium.

Can I still apply for the orientation year residence permit if I have already found a job?

Yes, that is possible. When your employer requests a single permit for you, it may take 3 months or longer for the single permit to be issued. In the meantime, if you apply for orientation year, you will have a valid document for residence (the Annexe 15 document or the orientation year residence permit) until you have received your single permit.

Can I apply for the orientation year permit if I have already worked?

No, this is not possible. You can only apply if you have a student residence permit and if you have recently graduated.

Can family members who are here based on family reunification also apply for an extension of their residence for one year when their person of reference applies for the orientation year?

Yes, this is possible. The requirements are the same as for family reunification with students. Family members must apply at least one month before the expiry date of their current residence permit. The family member (spouse or partner) has unlimited access to the labour market. This is not the case for family reunification with students.

If I graduate in January, do I have to apply for the orientation year immediately, even if I have a valid student residence card until the end of the academic year?

No, you can wait until your current residence card is about to expire. Note, however, that with your student residence card, you have limited access to the labour market.

Is it possible to present an employee contract as proof of financial means for the orientation year?  

It appears that the Federal Immigration Department also accepts a valid employee contract as long as the financial amount covers the minimum required amount for the orientation year period of 12 months.

Is it possible to start the orientation year immediately after graduation when I have found a job?  

Yes, that is possible upon request and in the following conditions only: 1. You have submitted the required documents for the orientation year application and 2. You turn in your student residence card for the Orientation Year Annex 15 document (temporary residence document with full access to the labour market) Note that the orientation year period of 12 months starts upon receipt of the Annex 15 document. Also note that travelling in and out of Belgium is not possible with the Annex 15 document.

How long does it take before I receive my residence card?  

As your application will be sent to the head office of Immigration services in Brussels for their review and decision, our experience has shown that it takes several months before results are known.