Since January 1, 2022: categories, conditions and documents required for the application of your first professional card

These include self-employed activities that:

• create jobs directly or indirectly and give rise to investments
  • Specifically, these investments must be recorded as fixed assets of the balance and the monthly depreciation costs via the profit and loss account.
• or have a verifiable favourable effect on the existing economic fabric.
  • The Economic Migration Department checks whether the project fits within the commercial strategic plan of the region. A foreign national can, for example, contribute with his independent project to the commercial strategic plan of the city of Antwerp with a project in the creative Antwerp industry.
  • In cooperation with VLAIO, the Economic Migration Department will evaluate if the type of activity in that specific location has a favourable impact on the regional economic strategy. For example: the start-up of an organic bakery in a remote area where there is a need for basic facilities.

Conditions

In order to receive a professional card for a self-employed activity with an economic added value, you must, as an applicant, fulfil the following conditions:

• you have an initial capital of at least 21 557 euro (new amount after indexation according to Art 34 decree of 17/12/21), on a financial account in your name
• you hold a diploma of at least qualification level 4 (VKS 4 = level of secondary education)
• you have stable, sufficient and regular financial resources to cover your own needs and those of your family (as a reference: 120% of the income support) and this as of the granting of the professional card. Concretely, this applies mainly when renewing an application for a professional card.
• you pose no threat to the public order and security of Belgium
• you comply with the applicable legal and regulatory obligations. This means, amongst others:
  • that, as an entrepreneur starting a business, you must register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises(opens in new window) (CBE). For this, you can contact an accredited business counter in the Flemish Region.
  • that you comply with tax obligations, social legislation and the code of companies and associations if applicable.
• your company is economically viable and has no negative impact on the market economy or employment opportunities.

The standard validity period for your professional card is 2 years.

These include self-employed activities that:

• develop new products, services or processes and convert these into added value
• or apply new or improved technologies to existing products, services or processes and convert these into added value
• or involve collaboration with an:
  • incubator or accelerator
  • or organisation for research and knowledge dispersion

Conditions

In order to obtain a professional card for a self-employed activity with an innovative added value, you must, as an applicant, fulfil the following conditions:

• you hold a diploma of at least qualification level 4 (VKS 4 = level of secondary education)
• you have stable, sufficient and regular financial resources to cover your own needs and those of your family (as a reference: 120% of the income support) and this as of the granting of the professional card. Concretely, this applies mainly when renewing an application for a professional card.
• you pose no threat to the public order and security of Belgium
• you comply with the applicable legal and regulatory obligations. This means, amongst others:
  • that, as an entrepreneur starting a business, you must register with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises(opens in new window) (CBE). For this, you can contact an accredited business counter in the Flemish Region.
  • that you comply with tax obligations, social legislation and the code of companies and associations if applicable.
• your company is economically viable and has no negative impact on the market economy or employment opportunities.

The standard validity period for your professional card is 3 years.

Important: a start-up does not by definition belong to the innovative business category. Depending on the activity that is started, the start-up can be listed in the category of innovative, classic, sporting, cultural or artistic businesses.

In order to obtain a professional card for a self-employed activity with a sporting added value, you must, as an applicant, fulfil the following conditions:

• be active in an area of sport on the list of sports disciplines (sporttakkenlijst (in Dutch)(PDF file opens in new window))
• perform the self-employed activity in a sports club that is affiliated with a recognised sports federation in Flanders
• perform a self-employed activity consisting of supporting individual athletes or groups of athletes older than 18 (except when regarding identified top sport talents)
• the support results in a sustainable improvement in the athletes’ sporting level
• perform the self-employed professional activity as an instructor, trainer, coach or assistant and hold a qualification from the Flanders Trainers School (or achieve it within 12 months of the application)
• be active in a discipline in which there are insufficient teachers, trainers, coaches or assistants with a qualification from the Flanders Trainers School available in Flanders
• your company is economically viable and has no negative impact on the market economy or employment opportunities.

In order to obtain a professional card for a self-employed activity with a cultural or artistic added value, you must, as an applicant, fulfil the following conditions:

• have a collaboration with an organisation from the Flanders cultural or artistic sector or show a future collaboration
• submit a CV or a portfolio from which can be inferred a particular affinity with the cultural or artistic field
• your company is economically viable and has no negative impact on the market economy or employment opportunities.

The validity period is proportional to the duration of the activity you want to perform in the Flemish Region, with a maximum of 3 years.

• Attach the translation and a copy of the document in the original language to your file.
• All documents provided by official institutions (authorities, banks, educational bodies, etc.) must be translated by a sworn translator. Is the translation handled by a translator sworn abroad? Then the translation must also be legalised or bear an apostille stamp of the competent authority in the issuing country.

You will need the following documents:

• a complete business plan (including the financial plan, as well as price structure, info on organisation, a market analysis, a marketing plan, info on investments and labour creation)
• proof of availability of 21 557 euro on a financial account in your name
• proof that 1 of the following 2 conditions are met:
  • proof that can demonstrate that jobs will be created and that investments will be made, possibly included in the financial plan
  • proof that can demonstrate that the activity has a favourable effect on the existing economic fabric.

You will need the following documents:

• a complete business plan (including the financial plan, as well as price structure, info on organisation, a market analysis, a marketing plan, info on investments and labour creation)
• Proof of fulfilling at least 1 of the following 3 criteria:
  • development of new products, services or processes that bring added value
  • application of new or improved technologies to existing products, services or processes, which are converted into added value
  • collaboration with an incubator or accelerator or with an organisation for research and knowledge dispersion.

You will need the following documents:

• proof that the activity that you perform is included on the list of sports disciplines (sporttakkenlijst (in Dutch)(PDF file opens in new window))
• proof of affiliation with a sports club, affiliated with a recognised sports federation in Flanders
• detailed description of the self-employed sporting activity: description of the way in which you support athlete(s), the age and the level of the athlete(s) in question, the use of an annual or multi-year plan with associated explanation
• optional: qualification from the Flanders Trainers School if you already have one.

You will need the following documents:

• proof of (future) collaboration with an organisation from the Flanders cultural or artistic sector
• CV or portfolio from which can be inferred a particular affinity with the cultural or artistic field.

You will need the following documents:

• (provisional) deed of incorporation of the company
• deed of your appointment within the company, possibly included in the deed of incorporation
• shareholders register or UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owners).

You will need the following document:

• valid employment permit as main occupation for at least 50%.

You will need the following document:

• solemn declaration by the business manager about your appointment as self-employed helper.

You will need the following document:

• solemn declaration by the director about your appointment as a working partner.

You will need the following document:

• registration certificate at an accredited Belgian university or university college.

You will need the following documents:

• valid arrival declaration (annex 3)
• a valid residence permit as a long-term resident in that country.