Setting Up as a Foreign Self-Employed Worker in Belgium: The Professional Card

Setting up as a foreign self-employed person in Belgium often means obtaining a professional card and putting together a solid file. Most foreign documents must be submitted as a sworn translation into French or Dutch. Here is who is concerned, what must be translated and where to file the application.

📖 Also read: immigration documents · residence permit · apostille or legalisation

The professional card: who needs it?

The professional card is the authorisation that allows a foreign national to carry out a self-employed activity in Belgium. It applies to self-employed nationals of countries outside the European Union, outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and outside Switzerland. Without it, the self-employed activity is not permitted for these nationals. It is distinct from the work permit, which concerns employees.

Who is exempt?

Several categories are exempt from the professional card. This is the case for nationals of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, as well as their spouse and certain family members. Subject to conditions, the following are also exempt: foreign nationals authorised to stay for an unlimited period, spouses of Belgians, and certain trainees and students. Before any step, check your residence situation: the professional card requires a valid right of residence. For residence documents, see our guide on the residence permit.

The file documents to translate

The professional card file assesses the intention to operate, compliance with the conditions for access to the profession and the economic interest of the project. Documents written in a foreign language must generally be provided as a sworn translation into French or Dutch depending on the competent region. You most often find:

• Diplomas and qualifications: to prove access to a regulated profession or professional competence.
• Financial plan / business plan: description of the project, forecasts and economic viability.
• Proof of experience: employer certificates, contracts and references demonstrating your background.
• Criminal record extract: from the country of origin or recent residence.
• Identity document and residence permit: passport and documents establishing the right of residence.

For a complete overview of the documents requested from foreign nationals, see our guide to the immigration documents to translate.

Apostille or legalisation depending on the country

Before translation, foreign official documents often need to be authenticated. If the issuing country has acceded to the Hague Convention, an apostille is enough; otherwise, a legalisation by the competent authorities is required. This step takes place in the country of origin, before sending the documents for translation. To find out which one applies to your case, read apostille or legalisation in Belgium. The sworn translation comes afterwards, carried out by a sworn translator as explained in our guide to the sworn translation.

Where to file and timeframes

As a rule, the professional card application is filed through an approved business counterif you already reside in Belgium, or through the Belgian diplomatic post if you are abroad. The assessment falls to the competent region (Flanders, Wallonia or Brussels) depending on the place of activity. Timeframes vary according to the completeness of the file and the region: generally expect several weeks to a few months. A complete file, with translations and authentications in order, considerably speeds up processing.

Link with company formation and the CBE

The professional card alone is not enough: to operate, you must also set up the company and register it with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) through a business counter, which assigns the company number. Add to this affiliation with a social insurance fund for the self-employed and, where applicable, VAT activation. Translating the documents therefore prepares both the card application and the registration of the activity.