You may receive tax letters or other payment requests (all in Dutch) during your stay.

We list them below:

Provincial tax

Everyone who is domiciled in Ghent needs to pay provincial taxes. You will receive a tax letter on your address in Ghent. You don't need to fill in any forms - you will also receive a transfer form with a set payable amount.

In some regions, you are excluded from provincial tax if you have Enhanced Reimbursements (”Verhoogde tegemoetkoming” in Dutch).

Income tax

All adults holding a residence permit will receive an annual income declaration. Spring is traditionally tax time in Belgium, so watch out for either the 'manilla' colored envelope containing the annual income tax declaration or the provincial tax transfer form.

The Belgian Federal Public Service Finance (in Dutch: Federale Overheidsdient Financiën) sends out requests and reminders to submit your annual tax return online.

• You did not work and did not receive any income in Belgium?

  You can ignore the request to submit your tax return. The Public Service Finance confirmed to us that they cannot charge you any fines for not submitting a blank tax return. No income? ⇒ no taxes.

• You did work?

  You will have to fill out the income declaration.

  • You either fill in the tax return online - Tax-on-web
  • You request a paper version of the tax return. Call the contact center and ask for a paper version > Phone number. Keep your national register number at hand, they will ask for it. The tax return form will be sent to you by post. You will probably receive a Proposed simplified return. Read more about What to do after receiving this here.

Students will not be taxed on revenues from allowance or gifts from family members.

Flemish care insurance

You may receive a payment request in Dutch for the Flemish Care Insurance ("Vlaamse Zorgverzekering"), which provides those who need long-term care with part or full cover of the costs of non-medical care offered by services, professional care providers or informal care providers. If you are a student of researcher (or family member) with a temporary residence permit or if you're from a state outside the EU, the EEA and not from Switzerland, you are exempt from joining the insurance and paying the tax. Just send proof of enrolment/registration at Ghent University for the current tax year.