Family reunification: the income requirement

How the calculation works

Cases without a means condition. The tool checks these first:

• only children for whom the law requires no means are joining, for example minor children of a Belgian;
• the sponsor is a recognised refugee who applies within 6 months of recognition, for the spouse or partner and minor children; the file must be complete within 10 months;
• the sponsor has subsidiary protection and the family is not in Belgium: condition suspended (Constitutional Court, judgment 24/2026).

The regime. The date of the application decides it (art. 24 of the law of 18 July 2025). The old regime, 120 % of the integration income at the family rate, applies to an application filed before 18 August 2025, to the renewal of a permit issued before that date, and to an application filed up to 17 August 2027 by the family of a Belgian (art. 40ter) or of a foreign national admitted to stay for more than 3 months before 18 August 2025. For the family of a Belgian, this is how the Immigration Office applies art. 24. Other applications fall under the new regime: 110 % of the guaranteed average minimum monthly income.

The threshold. The tool uses the amount in force on the chosen date:

• new regime: €2,456.97 since 1 July 2026 (€2,408.79 from 1 April to 30 June 2026);
• old regime: €2,217.47 since 1 September 2026 (€2,173.88 from 1 March to 31 August 2026).

Under the new regime, the amount rises by 10 % of the 110 % amount for each additional dependent family member, whether joining or already in Belgium. As the Immigration Office computes it, the total is rounded once: guaranteed income × 1.10 × (1 + 0.10 × number of additional members). Since 1 July 2026: €2,702.67 with one additional member, €2,948.37 with two, €3,194.06 with three.

The means counted. The tool adds up the net monthly incomes and leaves out those the law excludes (art. 10 § 5 para. 2; art. 40ter § 2 para. 2, 1°):

• integration income and CPAS social assistance;
• family allowances;
• professional integration allowance and transition allowance;
• unemployment benefit, unless the sponsor proves an active job search.

A partner's own income counts for a Belgian sponsor (Constitutional Court, judgment 38/2026). For other sponsors, the tool leaves it out and asks for a check.

Legal basis

• Law of 15 December 1980 (Aliens Act), arts. 10 § 5, 10bis, 12bis § 2, 40ter § 2 and 42 § 1.
• Law of 18 July 2025 (Belgian Official Gazette of 8 August 2025, in force on 18 August 2025), art. 24 for the transition.
• Constitutional Court, judgment 24/2026 of 26 February 2026 and judgment 38/2026 of 2 April 2026.
• Immigration Office: stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence and family reunification with a Belgian (French).

Points of attention

• Increase per member. 10 % of the 110 % amount, about €245.70 per member since 1 July 2026, with the total rounded once, as the Immigration Office computes it.
• Family of a Belgian. Every family member of a Belgian (art. 40ter) stays on the old regime for applications filed up to 17 August 2027, as the Immigration Office applies art. 24. The new rules apply fully from 18 August 2027.
• Below the threshold. The Immigration Office assesses the family's actual needs (arts. 12bis § 2 and 42 § 1 para. 2). Since 18 August 2025, every document must be filed with the application.

What the tool does not do

• It does not examine housing, health insurance or the fee.
• It does not assess the regularity of the income or the family's needs.
• It does not cover the family of an EU citizen (art. 40bis).
• Under the old regime, it adds no increase per member.
• It does not cover amounts before 1 November 2023 (old regime). The new regime starts on 18 August 2025.

Verification

The rules and amounts were checked on 5 October 2026. The tool assists the lawyer, who remains responsible for the calculation and for checking the applicable rule.