Ukrainians in Belgium: preparing the exit from temporary protection
ALTEA, a Brussels law firm for Ukrainians in Belgium under temporary protection, assists Ukrainian nationals at a turning point. The temporary protection granted since 2022 on the basis of European law will end on 4 March 2027. This deadline may seem distant, but it is in fact very close given the time required to analyse an individual situation, gather the relevant documents, file an administrative application and obtain a decision. Anticipation is essential: waiting until the final months before the end of the status exposes the persons concerned to a loss of residence, to a break in social rights and to professional and family fragility.
The work of a lawyer for Ukrainians in Belgium under temporary protection begins with a careful review of the current administrative situation: confirmation of the temporary protection status in force, validity of the residence document, family, school and professional circumstances, and any prior application for international protection. The benefit of temporary protection does not prevent the right to file an asylum application, and an effective examination of such an application deserves to be considered for those whose individual situation reveals personal risks in the event of return.
Beyond international protection, several avenues under Belgian domestic law may allow residence to be stabilised before the March 2027 deadline. A lawyer for Ukrainians in Belgium assesses each option concretely against the file: family reunification for persons with a Belgian or European family member in Belgium, the single permit for employees whose employer is willing to file the application, the professional card for self-employed persons, or residence regularisation on humanitarian grounds under article 9bis of the Act of 15 December 1980, particularly for persons with strong social, economic and family ties. Each of these routes is subject to strict conditions, which must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Choosing the right strategy requires a precise reading of the file, careful coordination between the various available legal routes, and particular attention to timing. ALTEA receives Ukrainian individuals and families in consultation, in person or remotely, to help them prepare this transition. Appointments can be booked via altea.be.
Altea can provide you with the services of a lawyer who is an expert in your situation.
Contact Celine Verbrouck, lawyer specialising in immigration law and international private family law, certified by the Brussels Bar.
