Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers letter explained in English
Immigration office. The federal immigration office. It decides on residence rights, visas and orders to leave the country.
Letters you may get
- Beslissing over verblijf / décision de séjour — your residence was approved or refused
- Bevel om het grondgebied te verlaten / ordre de quitter le territoire — you must leave the country by a set date
- Vraag om documenten / demande de documents — they need more papers
What to do
- Deadlines to appeal are short — often 30 days, sometimes only 10 or 5 days. Contact a lawyer or a free legal aid office (pro deo) right away.
- Keep a copy of every paper you send and receive, and note the date you received it.
- Find the deadline. Look for “termijn”, “uiterlijk op”, “délai”, “au plus tard le”.
- Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
- If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“bezwaarschrift”, “beroep”, “verzet”, “bezwaar”). See the template.
Words you may see
- bevel om het grondgebied te verlaten
- Order to leave Belgium by a set date.
- ordre de quitter le territoire
- Order to leave Belgium by a set date.
Questions
What is the Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers?
Immigration office. The federal immigration office. It decides on residence rights, visas and orders to leave the country.
How long do I have to answer a letter from the Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers?
It depends on the letter. Look for words like “termijn”, “uiterlijk op”, “délai”, “au plus tard le” — they mark the deadline. In Belgium, a letter sent by post is usually treated as received on the third working day after the date it was sent. Many deadlines, for example 6 months to object to a tax bill, start from that day. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“bezwaarschrift”, “beroep”, “verzet”, “bezwaar”).
Can I read a Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers letter in English?
Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in Dutch or French. Your letter never leaves your device.
Other offices in Belgium
FOD Financiën / SPF Finances · Vlaamse Belastingdienst / Brussel Fiscaliteit / SPW Fiscalité · Gemeente / Commune · OCMW / CPAS · RVA / ONEM · VDAB / Actiris / Le Forem · Ziekenfonds / Mutualité · Groeipakket / Allocations familiales