The Belgian parliament has passed a bill that restricts the possibility of family reunification for foreigners. The new law stipulates that foreigners with legal status in the country can only invite a limited number of family members. Refugees have six months to apply, while those without refugee status must wait up to two years.
“If someone wants to bring a partner and two children, they must earn 2,700 euros net per month. This is a very significant amount; I would even say that the average worker in Belgium does not earn that much,” explained Thomas Willekens.
The Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration notes that these restrictions are aimed at reducing the flow of migrants who use the family reunification scheme. The government has also increased the application fee for naturalization from 150 to 1,000 euros.
It is expected that these measures will help reduce the number of migrants who have exploited this scheme to enter Belgium. Last year, 20,724 people from non-EU countries were issued visas in Belgium under this scheme.
Members of the Belgian parliament have approved new rules that limit the possibility of family reunification for foreigners with legal status in the country. These restrictions are being introduced to reduce the flow of migrants who use this scheme to enter Belgium.