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Baffled by the new "economic requirement" to aquire Belgian Citizenship.
The following below is taken from another q & a on Belgian citizenship on this forum. My questions are below it. I don't know if any one has answers to this point but in anycase, it's a great topic for discussion among expats as I suspect many run into this massive road block of a requirement when looking into attaining Belgian citizenship within the new "requirements" that were instituted in Jan. of 2013. Would love to hear anyones' thoughts, ideas, opinions..etc. Thanks for your time.
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6. If you are working you have to submit the INDIVIDUELE REKENING of the last 5 years (This paper is given by your employer for your tax declaration). You should have worked say for at least 468 days in the last 5 years to show your economic participation.
7. A letter from your current employer stating that you have been working with them since.....and you have a permanent contract for example.
8. Go to REGENSCHAPSTRAAT 54, 1000 Brussels and show your ID card and pay REGISTRATIERECHT amount of Euro 150.
9. Now go to Commune and show all the originals + 2 copies and pay Euro 50.
THAT's IT. Again, it depends from commune to commune.
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Thank you for your comprhensive answer. I'm really troubled by this "work requirement"....Completely negative citizesnship targeted. Difficult at best, and straight racist at worst. So let me see if I'm getting this right. If you cannot find work for that amount of days = not meeting requirement? You have to be kidding with this one.
Take me for example. Given 1 overqualified janitorial job on a 3 month contract. Worked every day of it (while being subjected to horrible harrassment) only to not be extended the contract after 3 months. Since then, zero job hires in 1 year. So when you say..."it depends from commune to commune." What exactly do you imply? That the commune can bend the rules for citizenship? If that is the case then this is a rule that must be bent or abolished all together. I think the entire world of expats wishing to become Belgian citizens would agree with me here!
This "economic rule" is not based on the individual's efforts but rather on outside forces beyond his/her control. What if you can show evidence that you've looked for work for 10 years!? Volunteerism? Helping in the community? You wouldn't be allowed citizenship because none of these racist pigs will hire you? This must be a sick joke that needs attorneys involved.
Why don't we just give Belgian citizenship to everyone who crosses the border? These rules are indeed absolutely crazy.
There are at least ten different ways to establish the legal basis to become a citizen of Belgium, and just one of those demands "economic integration". So it's hardly a massive roadblock.
I'm sorry, but if you don't have a useful skill set or cannot find work it is best to return to your own country. Countries that are considered to ave a high standard of living aren't required to take in the poor of the world. I am an expat with no local language and I have no problem finding work. I have always been on a permanent contract and am very happy with my salary. I switched careers when coming here because I paid attention to what was needed HERE not what was needed where I USED to live. All of these people who complain about not getting citizenship - IT IS NOT YOUR RIGHT. This may be harsh, but it is reality. A country doesn't need to change for you - you should change for the country or go back to where you came from....
Why do you want to be a citizen of a country apparently full of 'racist pigs' - your term?
"So that being said, and let me REMIND YOU that this economic provision is just went into force this year. So you can indoctrinate via, language, assimilation courses, some work (if you can find it) that is taxed to the extreme. Pay for all this, meet all the requirements, with countless man hours that this all takes, BUT you didn't amass 468 days of LEGAL work (since we all know it's done out here)...then you don't qualify?"
Why on earth are you getting this frothing-at-the mouth angry about something that simply is NOT TRUE? What's the point of this rant when it is not based on any fact at all but purely on your misunderstanding of the rules (as I had already pointed out before you got round to the response that triggered the rant)?
Maybe the tone of the some of the responses you received is directly proportional to the tone of your original message, which is rude to the extreme. If you really are interested in balanced, helpful responses, why not simply ask "Is it really true that from 1 January 2013 the law has been changed so that in order to be able to acquire Belgian citizenship, I absolutely must have worked in Belgium for at least 468 days in the last 5 years? Is there no other way to qualify for citizenship"?
In which case I'm sure you would have received responses telling you that no, it's not true and yes, there are loads of other criteria that can be used and you don't necessarily need to have worked in Belgium at all in order to qualify for citizenship. You can read more about the requirements in this official document: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/mopdf/2012/12/14_2.pdf#Page6
It's the section starting on page number 79998 which is of interest to you, in particular Article 9.
As Kasseistamper has already pointed out, calling people "racist pigs" is not the kind of thing that will intice positive responses.
