Ahead of the 12 October strike, the commune of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode—the most densely populated municipality in Belgium—announced that all administrative counters would be closed on 9 and 12 October, with the sole exception of the Demography, Civil Status and Foreigners desks on the second date. The decision matters disproportionately to expatriates: Saint-Josse processes a high volume of first-registration ‘arrival declarations’ for new non-EU residents working in Brussels’ EU Quarter. HR teams that had scheduled biometrics or residence-card pick-ups on 12 October were instructed to re-book online or use proxy mandates for urgent filings. Local relocation firms report that appointment slots in the commune’s electronic booking system are now fully allocated until early November, potentially delaying residence-card issuance for recently arrived families. Without the card, newcomers are unable to complete key tasks such as opening Belgian bank accounts or exchanging foreign driving licences. While other Brussels communes followed similar closure patterns, Saint-Josse publicly clarified that emergency ‘Annexe 35’ documents for overstayers would still be issued in the morning. The clarification is helpful for foreign nationals whose visas expired during the strike window and who risk breaching Schengen rules. Employers should audit upcoming immigration milestones for staff residing in Brussels and consider using municipalities in Flanders or Wallonia—where strike participation is lower—for time-sensitive renewals.
Source: Commune of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
