How do I show sufficient proof of relationship?


Approval of a Cohabitation Visa application in Belgium is based mainly on your proof of a durable and stable relationship. You have to show immigration that you have a very strong relationship with your partner and therefore should be given a visa to live with them.

Here is a list of some of the best things that you can include in your Cohabitation Visa application to show proof of relationship. The more you can show, the stronger your application will be and every document must be dated and verifiable.

  • Proof that partners have lived together for at least 1 year (apartment lease contract)*
  • Proof that you have known each other for 2 years or longer *
  • Proof of regular contact by email or phone
  • Joint Financial Records
  • Joint Bank Account statements or any joint liabilities
  • Utility Bills that have both names on them
  • Mortgage/Rental Agreement with both names on it
  • Letters from friends and family stating when the relationship started and how strong it is
  • A signed statement documenting the relationship- how you met, any periods of separation etc.
  • Photographs- write the date taken on the backs
  • Plane Tickets or hotel invoices of travel together or to visit each other
  • Passport Stamps of travel together or to visit each other
  • Tickets from Travel Agencies of travel together or to visit each other
  • Any joint responsibilities to care for and support any children

* The strongest case is when the  partners have previously lived together for at least 1 year and have known each other for at least 2 years. But the technical requirement is partners should either have lived together for 1 year, OR they have know each other for 2 years, have met at least 3 times and in total minimum 45 days, OR they have a child together.

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  1. #1 by Iva on September 29, 2014 - 8:18 am

    Hi, many thanks for the useful info. My boyfriend and I are just compiling the documents together but I was wondering what kind of things did you submit and in what form.

    We have 300 pages of chat in Facebook, another 300 in Google Chat and the same on Whatsapp, plus emails and photos, as well as letters from friends. Do you think it is better to submit all the chats (1000pages might be a bit excessive for the commune, I guess) and is better to do everything electronically or print some things out?

    Also, I was wondering- does everything have to be submitted in the commune again? We live in Brussels 1000, where the commune is extremely busy so I was not sure if the submission of the documents is done through the same desk where my boyfriend submitted his paperwork to begin with.

    Many thanks.

    • #2 by Alina on September 29, 2014 - 9:48 am

      I would only submit some of the chats. A few from different time periods including the oldest one because you need to show that you have known each other for 2 years if you have not already lived together for 1 year and we printed everything out. I went to the Brussels commune too, and even though it is very busy you do need to go back there to submit everything.

      • #3 by Iva on September 30, 2014 - 1:26 pm

        Thanks, Alina. Did you guys do screenshots of the chats then or did you copy them in Word and then print them? Sorry for all the questions but the commune is not big on providing details.

        • #4 by Alina on September 30, 2014 - 4:36 pm

          As long as you can save all the information (dates etc.) I think putting them into a word document and printing would be the most clear.

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