Country guide for new EPIET/EUPHEM fellows
Belgium
Useful information for the new EPIET fellows
based on the experience of the fellows of the previous cohort(s)
Host country : Belgium
Host institution : Scientific Institute of Public Health (SIPH)
Contract/health insurance:
1. Necessary documents to sign the contract
o Curriculum vitae
o Letters of declaration given attestation of the work experience
o University or post graduation diploma, translated to one of the national languages (french, dutch or german) or in english
o Identity card or passport from a EU citizen or work permit from non EU citizens
2. To get a health insurance
o A contract or a declaration from enrollement in an University
3. Information about the health insurance :
o In Belgian the health insurance is private and there is a large number of health insurance groups “mutualities”;
o when you have a employment you are covered for normal medical care, based mostly in private clinics of your choice, where you pay and later you are reimbursed, approximately 60 – 80%.
o For hospitalisation there is complementary health insurance.
o a waiting list for non urgent care
o For antenatal care, there is a period of 6 months before you can have rights for delivery fees reimbursement
o Medical care has a quite good quality, better in the Flamish region
3. Recommendations/Suggestions :
o Keep your national health insurance
o check which are the agreements with the social security in Belgian.
o Keep the payment of social benefits in the country of origin.
o Bring the personal documents, university degrees translated
Bank account :
1. Necessary documents to get a bank account:
o Identity card or passport from a EU citizen
o A contract or a declaration from the employer
o Residence card (maybe)
2. Recommendations/Suggestions:
o You can find a list of banks here:http://www.easyexpat.com/brussels_en/practical_bank.htm
o Most banks have a special “expat” package – it enables you to easily get a bank account (even before leaving your own country in some cases!), but you will have to pay a monthly fee.
o Keep your bank account from the country of origin, if there is no obligation to open a new bank account in Belgium
o You can also open an account in Dexia or post office bank account, where you have less administration fees
o Note that you are obliged to insure your flat/apartment against fire, which you can do through your bank
Accommodation :
1. Necessary documents to enter into a rental lease:
o Identity card or passport from a EU citizen
o A contract or a declaration from the employer
o The rental contracts most of the times follows the rule 3-6-9 years; but most of them use 3 years.
o For 1 – 2 years stay, there is the studios or one room appartements furnished, for students when is accepted to have one year duration, renewable. With private landlords the rental duration might be negotiable. Also, you can agree with your agency or landlord that if you leave before 3 years, you will find a person to take on your lease. Please note that if you do not find a person or the agency/landlord do not agree to them, you are liable to lose your rental deposit (see next bullet point)
o Often, there is a request to pay 1 to 3 months rental deposit, in a special bank account, which is reimbursable in the end of the contract.
o In Brussels, there are possibilities of colocation, to share an appartment with one or two persons, most of the times students or young professionals.
2. Recommendations/Suggestions :
o Look for a rental through thewww.vlan.beor pick up the Vlan magazine from a newsagent.
o Check for the rental: close to Ixelles, the neighbourhood of the IPH, there is quite a good offer nearly the VUB or ULB campus, which are in walking distance from the IPH
o The public transport nework is quite good, but the IPH is not in the metro line network, which means you have the possibility to use the bus (95/96) or the tram (23/90) lines or use the train (gare the etterbeek).
Residence permit/card (if needed) :
1. Necessary documents :
o Identity card or passport from a EU citizen
o A contract or a declaration from the employer
o Recent color passport pictures (3-4)
2. Recommendations/Suggestions :
Fun/Ideas/other useful suggestions/ contacts :
There is quite a rich cultural life, several new theaters, opened by the Flamish or French communities. There are also regular plays and other events in English.
As Brussels is a very international city, there exist many international communities and many possibilities to make social contacts, for example:http://aclubbrussels.hostrocket.com/index.shtmlorhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/CercleDesVoyageurs/
Brussels is a cosmopolitan city, where you can find whanever you want to eat. You have a mixture of french-belgium cuisine and the influences of the migrant cultures: marrocco, turkish, congolese, etc.
The Belgian’s have a quite taste to enjoy life, meaning they appreciate a good kitchen, good wine and the rich list of more than 200 beers. There are more Michelin stars per capita in this country than anywhere else!
It is a small country and easily you can visit the country side or the main cities (Ghent, Antwerpen, Brugge, Namur, etc) and is traditional to go biking in the seaside (Knokke). In Brussels, there are several parks, and a wonderful Forest “de Soigné”, nearly Auderghen or Tervuren.
And the chocolate is great…