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The Professional Card in Belgium

If you are from a country outside the European Economic Area and you want to open a business in Belgium or to work in a self-employed capacity, then you can apply to SPF Economie, the Belgian federal ministry for the economy, for a Carte Professionelle or Professional Card.  

You should apply from your home country.

Your application will be assessed according to the following criteria:

  • Compliance with regulatory obligations
     
  • Relevance to Belgium – this is measured in terms of ‘economic utility’.
     
  • Number of jobs created
     
  • Economic benefits
     
  • Benefits for Belgian companies
     
  • Opportunities for exports
     
  • Innovation
     
  • Social and cultural benefits

You must present evidence of all relevant information with your application.

If your application is not successful, you can appeal within 30 days of rejection. If you are unsuccessful in overturning the decision, you will be barred from applying again for two years.