FAQs - Registering presence after the first 3 months
The local authorities will provide me with a registration certificate only after they have checked that I meet the conditions of the right to stay. Can they do that under EU rules?
YES - Local authorities are permitted to check that you meet the conditions of the right to reside for periods over 3 months. It is normal that you should be asked to present the documents which prove that you fulfill those conditions.
I am Slovak, and have enrolled at a university in Belgium. When I tried to register my residence in the local town hall, I was asked to prove that I have health insurance and that I have enough money to support myself. Can the Belgian authorities ask me to provide such proof?
YES – As a student, you are required to have health insurance that provides comprehensive cover in Belgium. You are also required to declare that you have ‘sufficient resources' so that you don't become a burden on the Belgian social welfare system.
What are "sufficient resources" and how can I prove I have them?
If you are a student or economically inactive citizen, when you register your residence or apply for residence cards for your family members, you will need to prove (or just declare, if you are a student) that you have ‘sufficient resources' for yourself and your family members; you should not become a burden on the social welfare system of your new country of residence.
There is no fixed amount which can be considered as ‘sufficient'. The authorities must take into account your personal situation. In any case, you meet the condition if your resources amount to more than either the threshold below which nationals of the host country can get social welfare, or the minimum state pension paid by that country.
You can prove your resources by any available means, including bank statements or pension slips. You cannot be obliged to show bank account extracts if you do not wish to use that means of proof.
When do I need to prove that I have comprehensive health insurance cover, and what do I need to show to prove such cover?
If you are a student or self-sufficient person, when you register your residence or apply for residence cards for your family members, you need to demonstrate that you (and your family members) have comprehensive health insurance in your host country.
The documents that can be accepted as proof of this include:
- European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), or
- social security certificates proving your entitlement to healthcare in another EU country (such as forms S1, S2 and S3), or
- an original private health insurance policy document.
I have been issued a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in Finland. Does that mean that I have comprehensive health insurance cover in Belgium?
YES – A valid European Health Insurance Card proves that you have comprehensive health insurance cover for any health care you may need during temporary stays in another EU country.
I am Croatian and well into my first year of residence in Slovenia. I have just realised I forgot to register with the local authorities and I would like to rectify my situation. Do I risk being expelled?
NO – However, depending on the country, you can be fined for failure to register. The fine must be proportionate to fines paid by the nationals of that country for failure to comply with similar administrative obligations.