Investment-Based Visa to Belgium
Tourists from all over the world travel to the nation of Belgium to take advantage of all the country has to offer such as its beautiful landscapes for hiking and cycling, art museums, the Brussels World Fair, spas, and world famous restaurants.
In addition to the millions of tourists who flock to Belgium every year, an increasing number of foreign investors are also making the trip to the country in order to diversify their portfolios and become involved in the nation’s growing industries. Interested investors may be eligible to quickly relocate to Belgium through the country’s expedited citizenship by investment program.
Belgium’s Immigration Process
Foreign nationals seeking to immigrate to Belgium as entrepreneurs or investors will find that the process is relatively easy and quick in comparison to similar programs in nearby European nations.
The first step in the process is to obtain a residence permit. To do so, a foreign national must have a demonstrable tie to Belgium. For investors and entrepreneurs, establishing a company in Belgium is a good way to create a tie to the country.
If a foreign investor chooses to create a Belgian company, the investor must be a managerial or executive employee of the company and the salary must be a minimum of 35,000 Euros per year. Once the investment has been made, the investor applies for the resident permit at a Belgian embassy. If the application is approved, the investor and family receive their resident permits.
The second step in the process is the application for citizenship, which is also called naturalization. Belgian is perhaps unique amongst all other countries in that after only five years of permanent residence, a foreign investor can apply for Belgian citizenship.
Benefits of Belgian Citizenship
One of the reasons investors may choose to move to Belgium is because the nation’s tax laws are very favorable for businesspeople. Currently, there are no taxes on wealth, net worth, or capital gains and with special tax planning and preparation, individuals can avoid paying gift and inheritance taxes as well. Moreover, Belgium does not have any restrictions on dual citizenship so foreign investors need not renounce their former nationality upon receiving their Belgian passport.
Interested investors seeking a second residence or second citizenship with Belgium are encouraged to contact attorneys to assist them with the foreign business and immigration processes.
