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Illegal
A person who is in the country without valid documents is without legal residence. Some people have documents that are no longer valid, others have none at all.
Blue passport
To travel abroad, you need a valid electronic residence card and a travel document. As a recognised refugee, you cannot apply for a passport at the embassy of your country of origin. You can apply to the municipality for a special travel document for refugees, also known as a 'blue passport'.
Student Guidance Centres (CLB / PMS)
A student guidance centre consists of a team of doctors, nurses, psychologists, pedagogues and social workers. Every school works together with a CLB/PMS.
The CLB/PMS is responsible for medical school supervision, but as a parent or student you can also go there for free help with learning difficulties, psychological and social problems. If you have a question, you can ask it through the school or directly to the CLB/PMS.
Vacancy
An available job within a company, an organisation or a public service that is open to jobseekers. Vacancies appear as advertisements in newspapers, in the windows of temporary employment agencies and on the internet.
Sham marriage
A marriage in which at least one of the spouses only marries in order to obtain a right of residence in a country and not to live together with the other person.
Cohabitation contract
A cohabitation contract is an agreement between two or more persons who have a shared household.
LRI / ILA / LOI
Local Reception Initiative. A group of houses managed by the OCMW/CPAS in a municipality where asylum seekers and refugees are housed.
Minor
A person younger than 18 years old.
Student worker
A student (secondary school or higher education) who also has a job in addition to their studies. Specific rules apply to student jobs. You must be at least 15 years old.
Public spaces
Public spaces are areas that are accessible to everyone. Most public spaces are in the open air.
Are you an unaccompanied foreign minor and have you applied for international protection? You will find useful information about your asylum procedure here.
Are you a victim of human trafficking or human smuggling? Are you exploited by an employer, forced to beg, work as a prostitute or commit a crime? Then you can get protection in Belgium under certain conditions.
You have been recognised as a refugee or have received subsidiary protection and want your family to come to Belgium. This is possible, but there are a number of strict rules. Ask for legal advice before submitting an application for family reunification.
If you are staying in Belgium without a legal residence permit, you cannot join a health insurance scheme.
Belgium is a monarchy headed by a king. The King has limited political power, but he is a strong symbol of the country.
There is one government in Belgium that takes decisions for the country as a whole: the federal government.
Most shops in Belgium are open from 10am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Shops are closed on Sundays.
In Belgium, you need to sort waste into different coloured waste bags. The colours and bags are different for each municipality or city.
Belgium considers some countries to be 'safe' because the inhabitants generally live in safety there.