You know how in all those movies/tv shows characters seem to just pick up their lives and move to a cool new country? That isn’t quite how this process works.
 
I accepted my job offer to work in Belgium back in early June 2022. Originally, we thought I would be in Belgium by September…then it was October…and then I didn’t end up here until January.

So why did it take so long and then suddenly it was time to pack up and go?

The process had several intense steps. The first step was to apply for my single permit, which felt like I had to gather every single document of mine that ever existed. My organization (all the way up to the CEO) also had to provide documents. I had to provide the following:
    •    Passport
    •    Diploma
    •    Birth certificate
    •    Resume
    •    Police Clearance Letter, legalized with an apostille (had to go downtown Chicago to get an apostille, which I had never even heard of before)
    •    Federal contribution fee to Belgian Ministry of Internal Affairs
    •    Medical certificate, only authorized to be completed by 6 doctors in the USA (luckily there is one in Chicago!)  
    •    Proof of health insurance covering a cost of EUR 30,000              
    •    Assignment letter, dated and signed by employer and employee
    •    Employment contract with the home company (US doesn’t use employment contracts so this was tricky to navigate)
    •    Limosa declaration
    •    Certificate of Coverage from US social security (this took 4 months to receive!)
 
After receiving the single permit, I had to obtain the Authorization to Work from the Ministry of Employment in Belgium. Several weeks later, I received the Authorization to reside from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Belgium. This clearance gave me my Annex 46, which was needed to be able to apply for the Visa.

It was time to gather documentation for my husband and head off to the Belgium consulate in NYC. We went to apply in person, as they had to take our biometrics. For that, we needed:

• Visa Application forms
•  Our passports
• 2 recent passport-size pictures
• Our marriage certificate, legalized by apostille
• Proof that the principal visa applicant is authorized to reside in Belgium (our Annex 46)
• My spouse’s Police Clearance Letter/FBI Identification Record. (it had to be the original sealed version, otherwise it would have been rejected)
• My spouse’s medical certificate
• Proof of sufficient lodging
• Proof of stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence
• Proof all the family members are covered by a health insurance
• Visa/Consular fee 

The trip to NYC was very stressful because I wanted to ensure I had every document that was needed. (don’t worry- we did do some sightseeing and ate lots of NY pizza)

It was there we learned that our visas would be approved and mailed to us in January. From that day on, the packing began!
 
All of these steps mentioned do not include sorting our belongings to determine what we were storing, donating, or setting aside to be shipped to Belgium, working with the international movers, working with the pet relocation company, working with the benefits department to be put on the international benefits plan, discussing tax equalization with our assigned tax preparation assistant, taking our dog to the vet to receive her USDA endorsement and EU health certificate, all while still working full time and managing the stress of moving more than 4,000 miles away.

It was such a crazy process, and it wasn’t until we were on the flight to Belgium where it finally felt real.