Belgium is a beautiful and interesting country with a long history, offering a wide variety of opportunities for work and fun. There are lots of reasons why you should move to Belgium – diverse nationalities, strong economy, high standard of life, ideal location, etc. But how to move to Belgium smoothly and successfully? Read on to find out:
Moving to Belgium Guide
Good to Know Facts
The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal monarchy in Western Europe with a population of about 11 million people, surrounded by France, Germany, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. The territory of the country is divided into three regions – the Flemish, which is in the north, the Walloon, which is in the south (they are both subdivided into provinces) and the Brussels Capital Region.
It is one of the countries that founded the European Union. The headquarters of the EU and other major organizations like NATO are situated there. The motto of the country is “Strength through Unity”, or, literally, “Unity makes strength”).
The official languages are Dutch, French and German but considering that the country hosts the headquarters of many organizations, English is widely known and there are lots of foreigners working in those institutions. The Dutch language area is the northern part of the country, and the French – the southern. German is spoken in the most eastern parts of the country.
Belgium is located in the CET timezone. The official currency is the Euro. People drive on the right side of the road.
The climate is maritime temperate and it rains pretty much all year long. Be ready for strong wind on the beach accompanied by a lovely view!
Belgium is situated in the heart of a highly industrialized region which helps make it one of the largest trading nations in the world and a country with a very strong economy that is mainly service-oriented. It exports food products, metals and metal products, finished diamonds, machinery, equipment, chemicals, etc. You can look for jobs and/ or trainings on this link.
The population of Brussels is a bit more than 1 million people. There are lots of foreigners – Italian (171,918), French (125,061), Dutch (116,970), Moroccan (80,579), Portuguese (43,509), Spanish (42,765), Turkish (39,419) and German (37,621).
In 2004 97% of the people in the country lived in the cities. The most populous cities in the Flemish region are Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges. In Wallonia these are Charleroi, Liège and Namur.
Most of the healthcare is provided by private practitioners and hospitals. Health insurance is obligatory. Mostly, patients pay first and then the insurance reimburses them. The healthcare system in the country is financed through both social security contributions and taxation.
What is also different and interesting in Belgium is the cuisine. It is claimed that the origin of the French fries is this country. “Steak and fries with salad” and “mussels with fries” are the national dishes. The country is also famous for its beer, chocolate, waffles and french fries with mayonnaise.
A very interesting and unique experience you can have in Belgium at Oostduinkerke is to observe fisherman go fishing in the water with horses. The horses are a special breed and they go into the water where the fishermen spread their nets.
Advice on Moving to Belgium
If you want to move to Belgium, as a UK citizen you have to apply for a visa. Here is the full explanation of this process. If you have pets (cats, dogs or ferrets) with a EU Pet Passport, you can take up to five animals with you. In case you want your pet to be able to travel between the UK and Belgium, you need the Pet Travel Scheme.
For your relocation needs like moving a piano, large furniture or just regular household items, you need Belgian movers. There are plenty of Belgian removal companies in RemovalReviews.co.uk database that can help you move your house or flat abroad.
For a more affordable move, you need to get an international removal quote and then compare quotes. Surely an international move to a European country would be more pricey than a move within the UK so be wise in comparing costs of services. Keep in mind that a quote that is considerably lower than the others may be a sign of moving fraud.
Moving overseas takes more time and your belongings need to be very well protected. That is why it is advisable when moving to Belgium from UK to rely on professional packers.
For more specific advice on moving to Belgium you can ask the removal company you have selected for your move. For general packing, moving and storage tips, you can look at our resources section for more tips, info and checklists.
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