Special residence procedure for unaccompanied minors

What is the special residence procedure?

• Your guardian submits the application for the special residence procedure. Your guardian will ask questions about your country of origin, your family members and your identity documents. Try to answer as well as possible.
• The Immigration Office will invite you, with your guardian, to an interview in Brussels. Sometimes the Immigration Office also invites a friend or acquaintance who can explain more about your situation in Belgium.
• During the interview you can talk freely about your situation and your wishes for the future. Your guardian and an interpreter are present at the interview. Your lawyer can also be present.

Decision in the special residence procedure

After the interview, we will look for a sustainable solution for your situation. You have three possibilities.

• Reunification with your parents in the country where they are situated
• Return to your country of origin or a third country where you can stay. The Immigration Office issues an order to return.
• Legal residence in Belgium

Residence in Belgium

If you are allowed to stay in Belgium after the procedure, you will receive a residence permit for 1 year. In that time you have to build a life in Belgium: go to school, learn the language, make friends, etc.

One month before your permit expires, your guardian will submit a new application and report on your life in Belgium (your family situation, your school, your language skills).

After 3 years you can get (permanent) residence permit in Belgium.