Highlights: Belgium issues a record 20,000+ Family Reunification visas in 2024
- Belgium issued around 20,724 Family reunification visas in 2024.
- One out of every four visas was allotted to the family members of refugees.
- Around 6,000 non-EU nationals received a family Reunification visa, allowing them to come and reside there with a Belgian.
- The increasing number of family reunification visa applications prompts Belgium to tighten the visa rules.
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Belgium Grants 20,724 Family Reunification Visas in 2024
In 2024, Belgium issued 20,724 visas under the Family reunification visa category, setting a record. One out of every four visas was granted to the family members of refugees. Nearly 5,700 people were issued family visas, twice as many as those issued in 2023. Around 6,000 foreign nationals and family members of other groups, including migrant workers, were given family reunification visas last year.
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Belgium to tighten Family Reunification Visa Rules
Out of all the family reunification visa applicants, around 33,146 asylum seekers have applied for the visa, the second-highest record number since 2015. Asylum seekers with refugee status automatically apply for a family reunification visa to bring their families to Belgium. This is a major contributing factor to the increasing number of Belgium family reunification visa applications.
To address this issue, Belgium plans to restrict family reunification visas, setting stricter rules and an extended list of visa requirements. Finland has already tightened the family reunification visa rules, introducing age restrictions, while Denmark has proposed stricter rules that are set to be approved and implemented.
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