Family reunification in Belgium: the income requirement

The rule in brief

• Since the law of 18 July 2025 (in force on 18 August 2025), the sponsor must have stable, regular and sufficient means of at least 110 % of the guaranteed average minimum monthly income: €2,456.97 net a month since 1 July 2026.
• The amount rises by 10 % of that 110 % amount for each additional dependent family member, whether joining or already in Belgium: €2,702.67 with one, €2,948.37 with two.
• During a transition, the old threshold of 120 % of the integration income at the family rate still applies to some applications, including every application by the family of a Belgian filed up to 17 August 2027: €2,217.47 since 1 September 2026.
• Integration income, social assistance, family allowances and some other benefits do not count; unemployment benefit counts only with proof of an active job search.
• Below the threshold, the application is not refused automatically: the Immigration Office assesses the family's actual needs, on the documents filed with the application.

The family reunification income check applies these rules to the sponsor, the date of the application and the incomes entered.

Who must prove an income

The Aliens Act (law of 15 December 1980) sets the means condition by type of sponsor:

• Third-country national (art. 10, § 2 and § 5): 110 % of the guaranteed average minimum monthly income (revenu minimum mensuel moyen garanti / gewaarborgd gemiddeld minimum maandinkomen) for a spouse or partner and for disabled adult children. No means are required when only the minor or disabled children listed in art. 10, § 1, al. 1, 5° and 6° are joining.
• Belgian who has not used free movement (art. 40ter, § 2, al. 2, 1°): the same 110 %, plus 10 % per additional dependent member. No means are required when only minor children are joining. A Belgian who has used free movement falls under art. 40bis.
• Recognised refugee: exempt from the means, housing and health insurance conditions for the family listed in art. 10, § 1, al. 1, 5°, if the application is filed within 6 months of recognition (previously 12), with first proof of identity and of the family tie, and the file is complete within 10 months.
• Subsidiary protection beneficiary (art. 10bis, § 2/1): a two-year waiting period, a family tie that existed before arrival, means of 110 %, housing, health insurance and a fee. The Constitutional Court (judgment 24/2026 of 26 February 2026) suspended the fee, the waiting period and the means, housing and health insurance conditions for family members who are not on Belgian territory, pending answers from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
• EU citizens (art. 40bis) are outside this threshold and outside the tool.

The thresholds by period

Earlier old-regime amounts: €2,048.53 from 1 November 2023 and €2,089.55 from 1 May 2024. The guaranteed income is a gross amount; the Immigration Office applies 110 % of it as a net threshold.

Which regime: the transition of art. 24

The date of the application decides the regime (art. 24 of the law of 18 July 2025). The old 120 % threshold still applies to:

• applications filed before 18 August 2025;
• renewals of permits issued before 18 August 2025, and for two years renewals of permits granted under the transition;
• applications filed from 18 August 2025 to 17 August 2027 by a family member of a Belgian (art. 40ter), with no condition of prior residence;
• applications filed in the same two years by a family member of a foreign national admitted or authorised to stay for more than three months before 18 August 2025.

The new rules apply fully to applications filed from 18 August 2027, as the Immigration Office states.

The increase per family member

The statute says the amount "is increased by ten per cent" for each additional family member dependent on the sponsor (art. 10, § 5, al. 1; art. 40ter, § 2, al. 2, 1°). The base covers the first family member who joins; each other dependent member counts, whether joining or already in Belgium. The Immigration Office applies 10 % of the 110 % amount per member, computed from the guaranteed income and rounded once: guaranteed income × 1.10 × (1 + 0.10 × number of additional members).

The Immigration Office's own examples for 18 August 2025 (guaranteed income €2,111.89) give €2,787.69 for a partner and two children joining, and €3,020 with one more child already in Belgium. Under the old regime, the tool adds no increase per member.

Which incomes count

Not counted (art. 10, § 5, al. 2; art. 40ter, § 2, al. 2, 1°):

• the integration income (revenu d'intégration / leefloon) and the supplementary family allowance;
• financial social assistance from the CPAS / OCMW;
• family allowances, basic and supplements;
• the professional integration allowance and the transition allowance;
• unemployment benefit, unless the sponsor proves an active job search.

The Immigration Office also weighs the nature and regularity of the means. For a Belgian sponsor, the partner's own means count: the Constitutional Court held in judgment 38/2026 of 2 April 2026 that arts. 40ter, § 2, al. 2, 1° and 42, § 1, al. 2 are constitutional only if read that way. For other sponsors, the tool leaves the partner's income out and asks for a check.

Below the threshold: the needs assessment

If the means fall short, the minister or delegate must determine, from the actual needs of the sponsor and the family, what means they need so as not to become a burden on the public authorities (art. 12bis, § 2, for third-country nationals; art. 42, § 1, al. 2, for Belgians). Since 18 August 2025, the applicant must file every document and piece of information with the application: the Immigration Office weighs only what was produced and no longer has to ask for more. Build the needs file before filing, not after a refusal.

Worked examples

A third-country national sponsor, partner and two children

The sponsor was admitted to stay in 2026; the application is filed on 5 October 2026 for the partner and two minor children. New regime, two additional members: threshold €2,948.37.

• Incomes: net salary €2,920 and family allowances €400. The allowances are excluded: €2,920 counts.
• Result: €28.37 short. The file should already contain the documents for the needs assessment.

A Belgian sponsor and the partner's income

A Belgian sponsor's spouse applies on 5 October 2026: the old regime applies until 17 August 2027, €2,217.47.

• Incomes: the sponsor's net salary €1,900 and the spouse's own income €500, which counts (judgment 38/2026). Total €2,400: €182.53 above the threshold.
• Without the spouse's income, €1,900 would fall €317.47 short.

Unemployment benefit and the job search

A third-country national sponsor admitted before 18 August 2025, whose spouse applies on 5 October 2026: old regime, €2,217.47. Net salary €2,100 and unemployment benefit €300. Without proof of an active job search, only €2,100 counts (€117.47 short); with it, €2,400 counts (€182.53 above).

Each result above comes from the income check.

Common mistakes and open points

• Applying the new threshold to every application. The date of the application and the sponsor's situation decide the regime.
• Counting family allowances or social assistance. They are excluded by statute.
• Relying on a request for more documents. Since 18 August 2025, the Immigration Office decides on what was filed.
• Which day's amount. No text read says whether the amount of the filing day or of the decision day applies; the tool uses the date you choose.
• Not examined by the tool. Housing, health insurance, the fee and the regularity of the income.

The tool assists the lawyer, who remains responsible for the calculation and for checking the applicable rule. To challenge a refusal, see the guide on the appeal before the CCE.

Sources

• Law of 15 December 1980 (Aliens Act), arts. 10, 10bis, 12bis, 40ter and 42, as amended by the law of 18 July 2025 (Belgian Official Gazette of 8 August 2025), art. 24 for the transition: text adopted by the Chamber, DOC 56 0913/010 and bill, DOC 56 0913/001. Verified on 5 October 2026.
• Law of 26 May 2002 on the right to social integration, art. 14, § 1, 3° (integration income at the family rate). Verified on 5 October 2026.
• Immigration Office: stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence and family reunification with a Belgian. Verified on 5 October 2026.
• National Labour Council, amounts of the collective agreements at 1 July 2026 (guaranteed income, CCT no. 43). Verified on 5 October 2026.
• Constitutional Court, judgment 24/2026 of 26 February 2026 and judgment 38/2026 of 2 April 2026 (press release). Verified on 4 October 2026.