EmmieBE
Chinese expat in Belgium
Forum posts
4
About me
Chinese
Lives in Brussels Capital, Belgium
Speaks Chinese, English, Japanese
Registration: 26 March 2025
About
I have stayed in the US on F-1 (student/trainee) status since 2015. I left in 2025 due to political changes that eventually resulted in a massive reduction in research funding. I am currently located in Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium for a postdoctoral position. My parents are retirees who frequently visit Chiangmai, Thailand, so I am also interested in developments there.
Occupation
I am Postdoc for ULB
My expat journey
Brussels Capital, Belgium
Got accepted for a postdoc position located in Anderlecht (one of the communes in Brussels).
Postdoctoral researcher
- Amazing architectural diversity with lots of Art-Deco buildings
- Food options are diverse and delicious, while still being reasonably affordable especially by European standards
- Brussels-City (zip code 1000) is notoriously slow for administrative procedures (only affects people who live in an address affiliated with them)
- Weather can change very fast and can rain extremely often
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Got accepted for a postdoc position that was based in Downtown Chicago.
Postdoctoral researcher
- Rightfully earned its title for the most beautiful city in North America
- Lots of public space, including extensive running trails along Lake Michigan
- Lots of things to do such as clubs, meetup groups, etc
- Good public transport by US standards
- Winters are brutal if you are not accustomed to colder climates
- Food is good but disproportionately expensive
- Crime is very high in certain parts of Chicago; doesn't affect lives of most expats but it can be concerning
Houston, Texas, USA
I did grad school (PhD).
Graduate student
- Generally low cost-of-living by US standards
- Top-notch Mexican/Tex-Mex and Vietnamese food, other options are available too
- Bad weather all-year round, such as flooding in summer and freezing temperature (with bad heating infrastructure) in winter
- Texas' weak power grid means power outages are frequent
- Need a car for just about everything unless you only ever go to Downtown/Midtown/TMC
- Relatively poor employment laws so working there can be a bit miserable
Lafayette, Indiana, USA
I went to school for undergrad.
Student
- Vibrant college town, lots of things to do within Purdue University
- Not too far from Indianapolis (1hr drive) and Chicago (2-3 hrs drive)
- There is little else to do outside of Purdue campus
Beijing, Beijing, China
I was born and raised here. I occasionally go back to visit as well.
Activity
Single permit processing 2026 by mdaliatbe
Hi all,I am creating this post for people that are waiting for their single permit and future applicants, please share your timeline here :My SP application (renewal - Change of Employer) - Region: BrusselsApplication date : 16/12/2025In treatment ...
Single permit (researcher). Renewal, same employer. My employer handled everything, so I had little to no information about the detailed timelines... Only how long the total process lasted.Region: Brussels(Before application) contacted by employer ... Read More
L card application eligibility by jithuadm
Hello all, I was a PhD researcher between 2019 March and June 2024 in Belgium.I had a Social Security-covered grant from 2019 March until 2019 December (Exempted from tax but considered as paying tax). I had a Belgian fellowship Grant between ...
@Josefine23Sorry for bumping, but I do want to ask a follow-up question to this about the situation in reverse. I am currently working as a postdoc similar to OP. However, I'm hired under a "fellowship" where the employer doesn't have to pay income ... Read More
L card - minimum social contribution requirements by ng.an1
Hello all,I'm planning to apply for an L card next year since it will have been 5 total years that I've been in Belgium (5 years on a student visa, 1 search year, 1.5 years work permit). However, I've heard from varying sources that you need to ...
Hi ng.an.1, this is what I've heard from my work colleagues, I do not have personal experience so please take this with a grain of salt.If you spend any time in Belgium without paying income tax, it will only be counted as half for immigration ... Read More
New members of the Belgium forum, introduce yourselves here - 2025 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Belgium forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
Hi everyone, since I'm just joining the forum I guess I should introduce myself...I am a Chinese citizen (no other citizenship) who has stayed in the US since 2015 on an F-1 visa; sadly I still don't have permanent status as of now. I'm currently ... Read More