Depending on your residency status:

Contact the accredited business counter of your choice if you are already in Belgium and hold one of the following Belgian residence permits:

• An A, H, I, J, F, or F+ card
• An Annex 15 equivalent to the certificate of registration in the aliens' register (CIRE)
• A certificate of registration (orange card)

Please note, the certificate of registration is a temporary residence document issued to third-country nationals who have initiated the process of obtaining a residence permit. It does not constitute authorisation to reside or settle in Belgium. However, a professional card may only be issued to a person who has been granted permission to reside or settle in Belgium.

Consequently, a professional card may only be issued to the holder of a certificate of registration in the following two cases:

1. If, at the time the application for a professional card is reviewed, the competent authorities have issued a positive decision regarding the procedure for which the certificate of registration was granted.
2. If the applicant also holds a valid "Long-Term Resident – EU" card issued by another Member State.

• A P or S card, but only for family members of diplomatic and consular officials, provided they are covered by a reciprocal agreement concluded by Belgium that authorises them to engage in profit-making employment.

Please note that family members of employees or civil servants of an international organisation are not covered by these agreements and cannot apply for a professional card from within Belgium.

In all other cases, contact the Belgian diplomatic or consular post in a country where you are authorised to reside.

Special cases:

• If you are a performing artist, you may also apply for a professional card at a business counter if you have a valid “arrival declaration”, as referred to in Annex 3 of the Royal Decree of 8 October 1981 on access to the territory, residence, settlement and removal of foreign nationals, as well as a valid professional card or employment authorisation.  
• If you are an artist who is not exempt from the professional card requirement, you can submit your application to the Belgian diplomatic or consular representative in your area.
• If your safety requires it due to circumstances specific to the country where your application for a professional card should have been submitted, the regional Minister of Employment may authorise you to submit your application to a business counter, provided that the federal minister responsible for matters related to access to the territory, residence, settlement and removal of foreign nationals issues a favourable opinion.

Before going to the business counter or diplomatic post to submit your application, ensure you have prepared the various documents required.

The list of required documents depends, in particular, on your residency status.

If you are:

• A student who wishes to work as a self-employed person while pursuing their studies
• A salaried worker who wishes to engage in additional work alongside their regular job
• A person holding a residence permit obtained on one of the following grounds: family reunification, medical reasons (Article 9 ter), or human trafficking (Article 110bis)
• A person whose stay in Belgium is temporarily covered by a certificate of registration.

Click on the following link to download the list of documents to include with your application.

In all other cases:

Click on this link.

Our office may request any other documents deemed necessary during the review of your application.

A member of staff at the business counter or diplomatic post can help you fill out the application form. They will then send it to our agency (Public Service of Wallonia).

Please note: Is your business subject to regulations governing admission to the profession? If so, even if you apply from abroad, you must submit your application electronically to a business counter. The representative at the counter must then complete and sign Appendix 1 and return it to you electronically. Click here to see the list of regulated professions.

1. You must pay a sum of 140 EUR, payable to:

• the business counter, in person, if you are submitting your application from within Belgium
• the diplomatic or consular post if you are submitting your application from abroad.

2. Fill in, date, and sign your application form (preferably in electronic format) and submit it, along with the appendices, to the business counter or the diplomatic post.

3. The business counter or diplomatic post forwards your application to us.

4. We receive your application. First, we will send you an email confirming receipt, along with a case number.

5. We will then review your application and, if necessary, send you a request for additional information via email.

6. You will receive one of the following three decisions by email and in the post : 

• Granted (for a limited period of time)
• Refusal
• Inadmissibility (if the procedure was not followed)

7. If you submit your application for a professional card from abroad (i.e. through a diplomatic post) and we issue a decision granting your application, that decision will be accompanied by an invitation to apply for a visa D at the diplomatic post. The approval procedure will be put on hold until you obtain your visa D, which you must then send to us (directly to your casehandler). 

8. If your application is approved, you can pick up your professional card at the business counter listed on your application form.

9. Three months before your professional card expires, you can apply to renew it through your business counter. In that case, you must submit a new application form and pay the fee of 140 EUR again.

Professional cards are allocated for a maximum period of five years.

A first card is usually issued on a probationary basis for two years.

It may be renewed at the end of this period provided that self-employed foreign workers satisfy the regulatory, tax and social obligations as well as the criterion of usefulness that justified the granting of the authorisation.

Employed workers must submit their renewal application at least three months before the expiry date of their card, via the chosen business counter.

The validity of the card is linked to the right of residence. If this right is withdrawn, the card can no longer be used and must be returned to the business counter.

• • 140 euros at the time of submitting any application for a professional card (new application, renewal, amendment, or replacement)
  • 90 euros per year of validity upon issuance of the professional card at the business counter.

A card valid for two years will therefore cost you 140 EUR when you submit the application and 180 EUR when you pick up the card at the business counter, i.e. a total of 320 EUR.

The professional card is generally valid for a period of one to three years, depending on the specifics of the application. This card may be renewed, provided that you have fulfilled your regulatory, tax, and social security obligations, as well as any additional conditions listed on the card. The renewal application must be submitted at least three months before the card's expiration date.

The validity of the card is linked to the right of residence. If you lose your right of residence, your professional card will no longer be valid, and you will no longer be able to work as a self-employed person. You must then return your professional card to the business counter.

The average processing time for a professional card application is three months.  This time frame varies significantly depending on the quality and completeness of the initial application.  The more complete your application is from the start, the less information we will need to request from you later, and the faster a decision will be made.  

In the event of an appeal, the Walloon Minister of Employment shall make a decision within three months of the date the appeal was filed.  

A card is issued for one or more specific activities. These activities are listed on the card.

If you change your business activity, add a new one, or if any of the information on your card needs to be amended, you must request an amendment to your professional card.  You must go to a business counter to request these amendments, fill out a new form, and pay the 140 EUR fee again.

If you lose your card or it is damaged, you must also go to a business counter to request a replacement.  You must include a sworn statement regarding the loss or damage.

If your application is refused, you must wait two years before submitting a new application, unless you can provide new information to support your case or wish to submit a new application for a different activity.

If you wish to challenge a decision to refuse, declare inadmissible, or revoke your card, you may file an appeal against the decision by sending a signed and dated registered letter to:

Public Service of Wallonia Economy Employment Research
Department of Employment and Vocational Training
Directorate of Employment and Work Permits
Place de la Wallonie, 1 - Building Il - 5100 JAMBES

This letter must be sent within 30 days of the date of notification of the decision to refuse, declare inadmissible, or revoke the card.

In this letter, you must explain why you are contesting the decision that was notified to you and include all relevant information to support your position.

After sending your registered letter, you still have one month to provide us with additional documents to support your appeal.

Please note:

• You must be legally residing in Belgium to be able to submit your appeal to us in person
• If you are living abroad or no longer have a valid Belgian residence permit, a representative must file the appeal on your behalf. This representative may be a natural or legal person and must therefore hold an official mandate.  The address of their head office, establishment unit, or primary residence must be in Belgium.  

 An appeal does not have a suspensive effect; i.e. when you file an appeal, the decision to refuse, declare inadmissible, or revoke the card — which you are challenging — remains in effect while your appeal is being reviewed.

If the Minister confirms the refusal, inadmissibility, or revocation of the card, you may then file a second appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court of Belgium. You then have 60 days to do so, starting from the date the ministerial order confirming the decision to refuse, declare inadmissible, or revoke the card is signed.