Indians in Belgium: Community, Visas, PR and Marriage

By Venkata Nagireddi, Founder & CEO, NRI Hearts · Last reviewed 21 October 2026 · Rules checked against Belgian government and Indian Embassy sources

About 35,000 Indians and people of Indian origin live in Belgium (Embassy of India, Brussels): a large Sikh community, IT professionals around Brussels, Antwerp's diamond families and students in Leuven and Ghent. This guide covers where Indians live, temples and community life, work permits, bringing your spouse, PR and citizenship, getting married and planning an Indian wedding, with every rule linked to its source.

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Indians in Belgium looking for a match

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43 yrs

Marathi · Hindu

Rashi not shared
Not Manglik
Engineer (Non-Information Technology)
Eindhoven, Netherlands

Phone verified

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24 yrs

Kannada · Hindu

Rashi not shared
Engineer (Non-IT)
Germany, Germany

Kundali ready

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35 yrs

Telugu · Hindu

Rashi not shared
Manglik
Engineer (Non-IT)
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Kundali ready

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33 yrs

Hindi · Hindu

Rashi not shared
Not Manglik
Manager
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

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Key facts at a glance

Indians and people of Indian origin: About 35,000 (Embassy of India)
Share of Belgium's population: About 0.3% of 11.87 million
Largest groups: Sikhs ~15,000 · IT ~9,000 · diamonds ~8,000
Indian students: About 1,131
Spouse visa income (2026): €2,408.79 net a month
Long-term residence: After 5 years (L card, 10 years)

Indian population in Belgium: how many Indians live here?

The Indian population in Belgium is about 35,000, according to the Embassy of India in Brussels, citing Belgian IBZ data. Out of 11,867,634 residents on 1 January 2026 (Statbel), that is about 0.3% of Belgium's population.

Group	Number	Source
Indian citizens (NRIs)	18,283	Embassy of India, Brussels
People of Indian origin (PIOs)	16,717	Embassy of India, Brussels
of whom students	About 1,131	Embassy of India, Brussels
Sikh community	About 15,000	Embassy of India, Brussels
IT professionals	About 9,000	Embassy of India, Brussels
Diamond business	About 8,000	Embassy of India, Brussels

Where do most Indians live in Belgium?

Belgium does not publish an easy city-by-city count of Indians, but the main centres are well known:

Brussels and the towns around it: IT and corporate jobs (Indian IT firms such as TCS, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and HCL have a presence in Belgium, per the Embassy), EU institutions, and Brussels Mandir in Evere.
Antwerp: the diamond trade, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and a Jain temple in Wilrijk.
Limburg (Sint-Truiden and nearby villages): the heart of the Sikh community, with the Benelux's largest gurdwara opening in Hoepertingen in October 2025 (VRT NWS).
Leuven and Ghent: universities with Indian students and researchers, alongside Antwerp and Brussels (Embassy of India, Brussels).

Indian community in Belgium: temples, gurdwaras and festivals

Community life centres on places of worship and festivals. See our guide to Hindu temples, gurdwaras and Jain temples in Belgium for addresses, opening times and what each one offers.

Diwali: the Brussels Diwali Festival takes place at the Atomium esplanade on 24 and 25 October 2026, supported by the City of Brussels and the Embassy of India (visit.brussels).
Gurdwaras: the Sikh community's gurdwaras are concentrated in Limburg; the newest, in Hoepertingen, is the largest in the Benelux, with room for 300 people (VRT NWS).
Embassy of India, Brussels: passports, OCI, consular certificates and community events.
Newcomer groups: “Indians in Belgium” Facebook and Instagram groups are where most people ask about housing, jobs and paperwork.

Is Belgium a good place for Indians?

For many Indian professionals and families, yes. There are established communities in Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven, Ghent and Limburg, temples and gurdwaras, a spouse who joins through family reunification can usually work, and long-term residence is possible after 5 years.

Is €7,000 a good salary in Belgium? As a gross monthly salary, yes: the Brussels average gross monthly wage used for work permits in 2026 is €4,748 (Brussels Economy and Employment), so €7,000 is about 47% more. Net pay depends on tax and family situation.
What is the 30% rule in Belgium? The informal name for the special tax regime for inbound taxpayers and researchers. When it started in 2022, 30% of salary could be paid as a tax-free allowance (capped at €90,000 a year) to people recruited from abroad earning at least €75,000 (VLAIO). The rules changed from income year 2025, so confirm the current figures with FPS Finance or your employer.
The trade-offs: three official languages (Dutch, French and German) and regional rules, high income tax, and high rents in Brussels (about €1,346 a month on average for new contracts in 2025).

Cost of living in Belgium for an Indian family

Rent is the biggest cost, and it depends heavily on the region.

Cost	Figure	Source
Rent, new contracts (2025)	Brussels €1,346 a month on average; Wallonia €879; Flanders €893 for an apartment	L'Avenir (Belga)
Health insurance	Joining a mutualité (health insurance fund) is compulsory; most cost is paid through social-security contributions on your salary	INAMI-RIZIV
Daycare (Flanders)	Income-related; the standard minimum is €6.47 a day	City of Ghent
Child benefit (Flanders)	Basic amount €190.66 a month per child, plus a one-off birth payment	Flemish government

Brussels and Wallonia have their own daycare and child-benefit rules.

Belgium work permit for Indians: single permit and EU Blue Card

Most Indian professionals come on a single permit(a combined work and residence permit) for highly qualified workers, or an EU Blue Card. Your employer applies through the federal “Working in Belgium” portal, and the salary rules depend on the region where you will work.

Region	Highly qualified single permit	EU Blue Card
Flanders	€48,912 gross a year (30+); €39,129.60 under 30. These 2025 amounts still apply in 2026	€63,586 gross a year
Brussels-Capital	€3,703.44 gross a month (2026)	€4,748 gross a month (2026)
Wallonia	Indexed every year; under-30s need 80% of the amount. Check the current figure with SPW Emploi	Check with SPW Emploi

Sources: Flemish government, Flemish government, Brussels Economy and Employment, Wallonia (SPW Emploi).

In Flanders the regional check currently starts after about 2 weeks, followed by about 14–15 weeks at the Immigration Office (about 11–12 weeks for a Blue Card), as of October 2026 (Flemish government).

Belgium spouse visa, dependent visa and family reunification

The Belgium spouse visa (often called the dependent visa) is family reunification: your husband or wife applies for a type D visa through VFS in India, then gets a Belgian residence card. The main conditions (Embassy of Belgium in India, Immigration Office (DOFI)):

Income: at least €2,408.79 net a month (indexed 1 April 2026) under the rules in force since 18 August 2025, plus 10% for each additional family member. Social assistance and child benefit do not count. Some older applications still use €2,173.88.
Age: both spouses at least 21, or 18 if you were married before the sponsor came to Belgium.
Housing: proof of ownership or a registered rental contract.
Health insurance: cover through your Belgian mutualité, or private insurance of at least €30,000.
Documents: your marriage certificate, income proof for 6 months, a medical certificate from a panel doctor and police clearance with apostille.
Work: family reunification is exempt from a separate work authorisation; the family member is admitted to work on the basis of the residence document (Brussels Economy and Employment).

Belgium PR for Indians: permanent residence and citizenship

After at least 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence you can apply for long-term residence at your municipality; the Immigration Office decides. Student years count for half. Most A-card holders receive an L card (EU long-term resident), valid for 10 years (City of Leuven).

Belgian citizenship for Indians: the usual route is a declaration at your municipality after 5 years of legal residence, with knowledge of a national language, proof of social integration (for example a diploma, an integration course or 5 years of work) and economic participation (468 working days in the last 5 years) (City of Brussels, page dated 2022; check for later changes). Belgium allows multiple nationalities (Belgian diplomatic service), but becoming Belgian affects your Indian citizenship: check the Embassy of India and the Ministry of External Affairs before you apply.

Getting married in Belgium as an Indian or NRI

You marry at the civil registrar of the municipality where one of you lives or is registered, and the civil marriage must come before any religious ceremony (Flemish government). A temple or gurdwara ceremony on its own does not create a legal marriage.

Who can marry here: your capacity to marry is set by your nationality's law, and bigamy, sham and forced marriages are prohibited (Flemish government). Wallonia asks that at least one partner be Belgian or have lived in Belgium for more than 3 months (Wallonia).
Declaration of marriage: both partners (or one with a power of attorney) file it at the register office (Flemish government). A foreign national typically needs a birth certificate, identity document and proof of unmarried status; non-residents also need a certificate of nationality and of main residence.
Indian documents: an apostille from India's Ministry of External Affairs is enough; Belgian embassy legalisation is no longer required (Embassy of Belgium in India, Ministry of External Affairs (India)). Documents then need a sworn translation into Dutch or French (German in the German-speaking region).
Certificate from the Indian Embassy: the Embassy of India in Brussels issues a certificate on marriage conditions under Indian law; its checklist asks for a bachelorhood certificate issued and apostilled in India, among other documents (Embassy of India, Brussels).
Timing: the wedding takes place between 14 days and 6 months after the declaration (Flemish government). In the City of Brussels the declaration and marriage booklet cost €50 in total (City of Brussels).
Checks: if there is a serious presumption the legal conditions are not met, the registrar can postpone or refuse, and may consult the Immigration Office, ask the police to visit or hold an interview (City of Brussels).

Married in India? Register the marriage at the register office of your Belgian municipality after you arrive; it is free, and the certificate needs an apostille and a sworn translation (Flemish government). Confirm your own case with your municipality or the Embassy of India.

Planning an Indian wedding in Belgium

Most couples hold the civil ceremony at the town hall first, then the religious or cultural ceremony, often the same day or weekend. Things to plan:

Order of ceremonies: book the town hall date first (14 days to 6 months after the declaration), then the temple, gurdwara or venue.
Priests and granthis: some temples list priests on their websites; for example, Brussels Mandir lists priests who perform pujas, including for marriages. For a Sikh Anand Karaj, speak to a gurdwara directly. Always confirm with the temple or gurdwara; a mention here is not an endorsement.
Venues: if the ceremony is not at a temple or gurdwara, ask any hall or hotel up front whether a havan (sacred fire), live music and outside Indian catering are allowed.
Catering, clothing and photography: ask your temple, gurdwara or community group for recommendations; we do not list vendors we have not verified. Many families also bring outfits and jewellery from India.
Guests from India: they need Schengen visas, so send invitations and supporting letters early.
Traditions: Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Muslim and Christian Indian weddings all follow the same rule in Belgium: civil first, religious second.

Indian matrimony in Belgium: finding an Indian partner

Which matrimony site is best for NRIs in Belgium? It depends on what you want. The big Indian portals have the largest overall pools; community networks, temples and gurdwaras remain important for many families. NRI Hearts is built for NRIs: it shows members who live in Belgium, with the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France alongside. We run NRI Hearts, so compare for yourself.

On NRI Hearts you can search members by country and community, check kundali compatibility, and see what each verification badge covers. Every profile is email-verified and manually reviewed before it goes live; we do not check marital status, visa or employment, so do your own checks too (how to verify an NRI match). Planning the move as a couple? See our NRI marriage planning guide and marriage and immigration guides.

Browse members in Belgium, see Indians in the Netherlands or all Indian singles in Europe.

Frequently asked questions

How many Indians live in Belgium?

About 35,000, according to the Embassy of India in Brussels (citing Belgian IBZ data): 18,283 Indian citizens (NRIs) and 16,717 people of Indian origin (PIOs), including about 1,131 students. The Embassy groups them as roughly 15,000 Sikhs, 9,000 IT professionals, 8,000 in the diamond business and 3,000 others.

What percentage of Belgium's population is Indian?

About 0.3%. Belgium had 11,867,634 residents on 1 January 2026 (Statbel), so the Embassy's figure of about 35,000 Indians and people of Indian origin is roughly 0.3% of the population.

What are the requirements for an Indian citizen to get permanent residence in Belgium?

After at least 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residence you can apply at your municipality for long-term residence; the Immigration Office decides. Years as a student count for half. Holders of an A card normally receive an L card (EU long-term resident), valid for 10 years.

Can my spouse work in Belgium?

Yes, in most cases. Family reunification is one of the grounds exempt from a separate work authorisation: on the basis of the residence document the family member is admitted to work without further steps. In Flanders the residence document itself states whether the holder may work.

How much income do I need to bring my spouse to Belgium?

Under the rules in force since 18 August 2025, the Immigration Office asks for stable, regular and adequate income of at least €2,408.79 net a month (110% of the guaranteed minimum monthly income, indexed 1 April 2026), plus 10% for each additional family member. Some older cases still use the previous amount of €2,173.88.

What is the 30% rule in Belgium?

It is the informal name for Belgium's special tax regime for inbound taxpayers and researchers, introduced in 2022: when it started, 30% of salary could be paid as a tax-free expense allowance, capped at €90,000 a year, for people recruited from abroad earning at least €75,000. The rules were changed from income year 2025, so check the current percentage and threshold with FPS Finance or your employer.

Is €7,000 a good salary in Belgium?

Yes, as a gross monthly salary it is well above average. The Brussels average gross monthly wage used for work permits in 2026 is €4,748, so €7,000 gross is about 47% more. Net pay depends heavily on tax and family situation.

Can an Indian get married in Belgium?

Yes, at the civil registrar of the municipality where one partner lives or is registered. You file a declaration of marriage, with documents such as a birth certificate and proof of unmarried status; Indian documents need an apostille from the Ministry of External Affairs and a sworn translation. The wedding can take place 14 days to 6 months after the declaration. The civil marriage must come before any religious ceremony.

Is a temple or gurdwara wedding legally valid in Belgium?

Not on its own. In Belgium the civil marriage at the town hall must take place before any religious marriage, so plan the civil ceremony first and the Hindu, Sikh, Jain or other ceremony afterwards.

Is Belgium a good place for Indians?

For many Indian professionals and families, yes: Brussels, Antwerp, Leuven and Ghent have established Indian communities, there are temples and gurdwaras, a spouse joining through family reunification can usually work, and long-term residence is possible after 5 years. The trade-offs are three official languages, high taxes and Brussels rents.

Which matrimony site is best for NRIs in Belgium?

It depends on what you want. The big Indian portals have the largest overall pools; community networks, temples and gurdwaras remain important for many families. NRI Hearts is built for NRIs: it shows members who live in Belgium, with the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France alongside, kundali matching and badges that say exactly what was checked. We run NRI Hearts, so compare for yourself.

Sources

All checked on 21 October 2026. Rules and amounts change, and some differ by region; always confirm with your municipality, the Immigration Office or the Embassy of India before you act.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. NRI Hearts is a matrimonial platform, not an immigration adviser.