Residence & long-stay visa
Settling permanently in a new country is a series of steps that must follow each other without a hitch. We support you from the visa to the residence permit.
- Long-stay visa (type D)
- Residence permits and renewals
- Long-term follow-up
- Long stay
- > 90 days
- Always a purpose
- Purpose
- After arrival
- Permit
Beyond 90 days, a short-stay visa is no longer enough: you need a long-stay visa.
Family, studies, work, retirement, own means: the purpose determines the procedure.
The visa lets you enter; the residence permit is then requested on site.
Understanding the residence visa
From long-stay visa to residence permit
In the Schengen area, stays of more than 90 days fall under each country's national law: this is called a long-stay visa, or D visa. It is always linked to a specific purpose — joining family, studying, working, or living on your own means — and each purpose has its own conditions.
Once you arrive, the process continues: in Belgium, you must report to the municipality where you live to get a residence card; in France, the long-stay visa equivalent to a residence permit (VLS-TS) must be validated online after arrival. These often forgotten steps determine what comes next: renewals, changes of status and eventually long-term residence.
We support you throughout: choosing the right procedure from the start, gathering proof of means, housing and insurance, then preparing each renewal on time.
Settlement plans
Joining your family
Spouse, children: family reunification is the most common route. See also our family visa page.
Living on your own means
Retirees or people with sufficient income: some countries offer a stay without professional activity.
Renewing or changing status
End of studies, new job, marriage: we help you plan the renewal or change of permit.
Documents to prepare
Identity and purpose
Generally:
- Valid passport and photos meeting the standards
- Long-stay visa application form
- Proof of purpose (family, studies, work, means)
- Civil status certificates, legalised if requested
Means and housing
To prove you are settling:
- Proof of regular and sufficient income
- Lease or accommodation certificate
- Bank statements
Health and background
Often requested:
- Health insurance covering the entire stay
- Medical certificate
- Criminal record extract
Your move, step by step
- 1
Review
We identify the purpose and the procedure that suit your situation.
- 2
Preparation
List of documents, legalisations, translations and proof of means.
- 3
Long-stay visa
Submitting the file at the embassy and following up the review.
- 4
To
Formalities at the municipality or online validation of the residence permit.
- 5
Over time
Reminders and preparation of renewals before the deadline.
Support over time
Don't let a permit expire
A long-term stay doesn't end once you get the visa. An expired residence permit, an undeclared address, an unreported change of situation: these oversights can complicate, or even jeopardise, your right of residence.
With our offices in Brussels and in Burundi, we stay by your side after you arrive to remind you of deadlines and prepare each renewal on time.
- Choosing the right procedure from the start.
- Formalities on arrival explained step by step.
- Preparing renewals before the deadline.
- Advice when your situation changes (job, studies, family).
What Fatma Travel does for you
Analysis of your situation
First, we study your profile, your plans and the destination country to choose the right visa and spot the weak points in the file.
Tailor-made document list
You receive a clear list, adapted to your case and checked against the official requirements in force — nothing unnecessary, nothing forgotten.
Document-by-document check
We review every document: consistency of dates, amounts, names, translations. This is where most refusals are decided.
Forms and appointments
We fill in the forms with you and help you get an appointment at the visa centre or embassy.
Interview preparation
If there is an interview, we prepare you for the usual questions so you can answer clearly and confidently.
Follow-up until the decision
We stay reachable until the consulate replies, with a French-speaking team in Brussels and in Burundi.
After a refusal
We analyse the reasons for the refusal and advise you: appeal, a better-documented new application, or another strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a long-stay visa and a residence permit?
The long-stay visa lets you enter the country for a specific purpose. The residence permit, obtained afterwards on site, proves your right to live there and is renewed according to the country's rules.
Can I turn a tourist visa into a long-term stay?
As a rule, no: a short-stay visa does not allow you to settle, and changing status on site is only possible in limited cases. You almost always need to leave with the right visa.
When should I prepare my renewal?
Several weeks before expiry, depending on the country's rules. We advise you to contact us at least two months before the deadline.
Can you help me if I'm already in Belgium?
Yes. Our Ixelles agency welcomes you for renewals, changes of status or family reunification.
Other visa types
Tourist visa
Schengen, United Kingdom, USA, Canada…
Short stays for holidays, family visits and tourism. Usual processing time: 5 to 15 days.
Learn more : Tourist visaBusiness visa
All countries
Conferences, business meetings and trade missions.
Learn more : Business visaFamily visa
Europe, Africa, worldwide
Family reunification, sponsorship. Support for complex files.
Learn more : Family visaStudent visa
Belgium, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Higher education: help with universities and admission.
Learn more : Student visaWork visa
Europe and international
Employment contracts and expatriation.
Learn more : Work visa
Let's prepare your move
Tell us about your plans: we assess your file and tell you clearly which documents to gather, the timelines and the cost of our support.