Moving to Brussels for work is easier when you tackle the essentials in the right order. Before you travel, confirm your right to work and stay in Belgium, gather the documents you may need and arrange an address. After arrival, commune registration, health coverage, banking and your first working-week setup are usually the main priorities.
This guide gives international professionals a practical Brussels relocation checklist while linking to official sources for procedures that depend on your personal status. If you still need temporary accommodation, BBF offers furnished and serviced apartments in and around Brussels, with more detailed housing guidance further below.
Before you move: check your right to work and stay in Belgium
Your first steps depend on your nationality and employment situation. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens generally benefit from free-movement rules, while non-EU nationals may need a visa, work authorisation or single permit depending on the assignment.
Before you move, confirm:
- what your employer is arranging;
- what you must apply for yourself;
- whether accompanying family members need separate documents;
- and which original documents you need to bring.
For the latest immigration and work-authorisation requirements, always check the official Working in Belgium guidance.
Prepare one folder with your important documents
Prepare digital copies and accessible originals of the documents that may be relevant to your situation, such as:
- passport or national identity card;
- visa or residence authorisation;
- employment contract;
- accommodation or lease contract;
- proof of health insurance;
- and relevant civil-status documents for accompanying family members.
If foreign civil-status documents are required, check in advance whether they need legalisation, an apostille or a sworn translation. Keep important originals in your hand luggage rather than checked baggage.
Arrange an address and housing that fits your assignment
Having accommodation arranged before arrival removes one major uncertainty and gives you the address you may need for local administration.
When comparing temporary housing in Brussels, start with your arrival and departure dates, workplace, household size, budget and the level of service you need.
If you are choosing between a furnished and a serviced apartment, our separate guide to Furnished vs Serviced Apartments in Belgium explains the differences in more detail.
For BBF apartments in Brussels, stays start from three months. Zilverhof Residence in Diegem is the current exception, with stays starting from one month.
For a temporary work assignment, it can be more useful to choose a practical base first and learn your real daily routine after arrival.
Register with your commune after arrival
Brussels is made up of 19 communes, and your home address determines which municipal administration handles your registration.
Registration deadlines and required documents depend on your nationality and residence status. For example, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens staying for more than three months follow a different process from non-EU residents.
Because procedures can change and individual situations differ, check the current guidance from the Brussels Expat Welcome Desk guide to registration and your own commune before arrival. Make an appointment early where possible.
A local residence check may also form part of the registration process.
Arrange your Belgian health coverage
If you work under the Belgian social-security system, you will generally need Belgian health coverage after arrival.
Different arrangements may apply if you are posted to Belgium, remain insured in another country or work for an EU or international institution.
Check which social-security system applies to you before changing existing coverage, and ask your employer whether additional hospitalisation or supplementary insurance is included.
Decide whether you need a Belgian bank account
A Belgian bank account can be useful for salary payments and local expenses, but you may not need one before arrival.
Requirements vary by bank, so check what identification and proof of address are needed. The Brussels Expat Welcome Desk provides practical guidance for newcomers.
Before moving, confirm how your salary will be paid and make sure you can access money during your first weeks in Belgium.
Check your tax and social-security position
Moving to Belgium for work can affect where you pay tax and social-security contributions.
The answer depends on your employment and assignment situation, so confirm with your employer or a qualified adviser which rules apply to you.
Keep your employment, payroll and relocation documents together, and use official Belgian guidance for your own situation.
Make sure your phone and digital access will work
Before travelling, check whether your current mobile plan works in Belgium and make sure you will still have access to two-factor authentication, banking, email and employer systems.
If you plan to change phone numbers after arrival, make sure important accounts are not tied exclusively to your old number. You can arrange a Belgian SIM or eSIM later if needed.
Plan the few journeys you need in your first week
You do not need to understand the entire Brussels transport network before you arrive.
Before your first working day, check only the journeys you know you will need:
- airport or station to your accommodation;
- home to your workplace;
- and home to basic shops or services.
When choosing accommodation, use your actual workplace and weekly routine as the starting point.
We cover metro, tram, bus, rail, airport connections, cycling and other transport options in our separate guide to Getting Around Brussels. A separate neighbourhood guide will look more closely at choosing between the European Quarter, NATO/Evere, Diegem/airport and central Brussels.
For now, knowing how you will reach work on Monday morning is enough.
Know what can wait until after you arrive
Not every relocation task belongs on your pre-departure list.
You can usually learn more about Brussels neighbourhoods, decide whether you want a different longer-term housing setup, choose local services and refine your everyday routine after you have lived here for a while.
Your priority before arrival is simpler:
make sure you can legally start your assignment, have somewhere suitable to live and can complete your first administrative steps.
That is much more manageable than trying to have your entire life in Belgium organised before the plane lands.
Your first-week checklist
Once you have arrived, work through the practical tasks in roughly this order:
- Confirm your accommodation and address details.
- Start the commune registration process that applies to your status.
- Complete the health-insurance or social-security steps that apply to you.
- Set up banking if you need a Belgian account.
- Confirm tax, payroll and employer administration.
- Make sure your phone and digital authentication work.
- Learn your essential commute and local services.
- Keep all new Belgian documents and reference numbers in one place.
If your situation is unusual – such as a diplomatic posting, EU-institution role, posted-worker arrangement or cross-border employment – get status-specific advice rather than assuming the standard employee process applies.
Finding temporary accommodation when moving to Brussels for work
BBF Apartments provides furnished and serviced accommodation for international professionals staying in and around Brussels.
For stays in Brussels, the minimum stay starts from three months. Zilverhof Residence in Diegem is the current exception, with stays starting from one month.
When contacting BBF, send us your:
- preferred arrival and departure dates;
- workplace or preferred area;
- number of residents;
- required apartment size;
- preference for furnished or serviced accommodation.
This helps our team identify the most relevant options for your stay.
Explore BBF apartments in Brussels or contact our team to discuss your requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What should I arrange before moving to Brussels for work?
Start by confirming your right to work and stay in Belgium, gathering the documents relevant to your situation and arranging accommodation. After arrival, commune registration, health coverage and practical banking or employer administration are usually among the main priorities.
How soon do I need to register after moving to Brussels?
Registration requirements and deadlines depend on your nationality and residence status. Check the current Brussels Expat Welcome Desk guidance and the website of your own commune for the procedure that applies to you.
Do I need a Belgian bank account when I move to Brussels?
Not necessarily before arrival, but a Belgian account can be useful for salary payments and local expenses. Requirements differ by bank, so check what identification and proof of address are needed.
How long can I rent a BBF apartment in Brussels?
BBF stays in Brussels start from three months. Zilverhof Residence in Diegem is the current exception, with stays starting from one month.