If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, once you have married your Belgium fiance or you have lived together for one year as common-law partners, you can sponsor him or her for permanent residence in Canada.
Requirements To Get Married in Belgium
- birth certificates for both parties
- proof of identity
- proof of nationality
- certificate of residence showing full name, place and date of birth, last legal residence, nationality and marital status for both party
- if either party has previously been married, they must provide a copy of the final divorce decree
- all documents will need to be taken to the marriage office in the commune where at least of the spouse lives
- all official documents issued in a country other than Belgium need to be authenticated and they must be accompanied by a translation from an approved translator.
- citizens from outside the EU may be asked to provide a certificate of law from the embassy which details their marriage laws in their home country
Costs Of A Belgium Wedding
The civil ceremony cost between 250-300 euro but may be more if the wedding is done in a popular place on a Saturday afternoon
Steps to get married
- First you must notify the registrar of the intention to get married at the least 2 weeks before the wedding
- must provide detailed information about you and the spouse as stated above (required documents)
- the registrar will then issue an act of intent to marry which is displayed publicly at the door of the Town Hall
- the marriage can then go ahead between 14 days to six months later.
- on the wedding day, only the civil registrar/council officer is to conduct the ceremony
Commonly observed local marriage customs in Belgium
Belgium marriage usually takes place in the municipality where the Belgian spouse is resident at the time the marriage was announced.
a declaration of marriage is posted on the door of the town hall.
Belgian law only recognizes the validity of a civil ceremony for both heterosexual and homosexual couples. A couple may choose to do a religious marriage right after but that will not have any legal impact.
civil marriages takes place at the Town hall in the presence of two witnesses and at certain times and on certain days, no charges in made for this service.
upon completion of the civil ceremony, the marriage is recorded in the register of civil status at the town hall and the newly-weds are issued a marriage booklet as proof of their news status as a married couple
Possible Challenges for Getting Married in Belgium
This is not necessarily a problem but something to know ahead.
- marrying a belgian citizen does not automatically grant citizenship for the other foreign spouse. They will have to go through application procedures.
- they must be resident in Belgium for three years before applying.
- if applying in the basis of the marriage, they must cohabitate for at least 6 months
- a Canadian having the marriage act from Belgium does not automatically grant the Canadian citizenship for their spouse upon arrival in Canada. They will have to go through the normal procedure for permanent resident application. They wish to return together in Canada, the non-Canadian spouse will have to apply for visitor visa.
- the greatest challenge is the uncertainty of the sponsorship application, the forms and supporting documents needed to prove that the marriage is genuine.
- the lack of communication from IRCC and not knowing where to get questions answered on the Canadian website.
- even after submitting the application, not knowing whether all the right documents were given and whether or not the application will be approved.
Sponsoring Your Spouse From Belgium To canada
Questions commonly asked at sponsorship interviews
- When and where did you meet your spouse for the first time
- Who initiated contact
- How often did you contact each other before meeting in person
- How did you communicate? How often on the phone? Any proof?
- What is your spouse’s name? Any nickname?
- What is your spouse’s birth date?
- Where was your spouse born? Country and city
- When and where did the marriage proposal take place
- When and where did you get married?
- Tell me why this marriage or relationship is genuine.
- These are few of the many questions that can be asked at a sponsorship interview
What kind of documents are frequently requested?
Checklist
- Document Checklist – Spouse (including dependent children of spouse) [IMM 5533] (PDF, 3.7 MB)
- Use your checklist to make sure you include all the forms and documents you need.
- Place the checklist on top, as a cover page for your application package
Sponsorship Application Forms for Belgium Applicants
Forms for the sponsor to fill out
- Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking (IMM 1344) (PDF, 588.96 KB)
- Sponsorship Evaluation and Relationship Questionnaire (IMM 5532) (PDF, 2.21 MB)
- Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] (PDF, 648.31 KB)
For the person being sponsored (principal applicant):
- Generic Application Form for Canada [IMM 0008] (PDF, 652 KB)
- Additional Dependants/Declaration [IMM 0008DEP] (PDF, 433.80 KB)
- Additional Family Information [IMM 5406] (PDF, 570.00 KB)
- Schedule A – Background/Declaration [eIMM 5669] (PDF, 597.99 KB)
Use of a Representative [IMM 5476] (PDF, 648.31 KB)
Longer processing times than the official government listing of 12 months?
The processing times for certain countries, including the time it takes to make the initial assessment of the sponsor, are now less than one year and belgium is one of the country listed
Are documents issued in Belgium issued in any language other than English or French? If so, what language(s)?
yes, the other language besides French and English are Dutch and German
Unique Sponsorship Application Requirements from Belgium
Belgium – Additional forms for residents
Yes, supplementary information- your travels (IMM 5562). The principal applicant and all family members included in the application who are 18years of age or older must complete it.
Is a TRV required for a person from Belgium to enter Canada for In-Canada sponsorship?
Citizen from Belgium do not need a TRV to enter Canada, they need an Electronic Travel Authorization to travel to Canada for visit up to 6 mo