How to find housing in Belgium: free options

In Belgium, you can live both in social housing and in families or rent accommodation independently. To find housing, you can use housing search sites or ask for it during registration.

To find housing in Belgium, you can use housing search sites or request it during registration.

If you need accommodation, you should say so when you check in at the center in Brussels. It is important to understand that the housing search process takes place immediately on the spot. You cannot choose or refuse the housing that has been found for you. Otherwise, you will have to look for housing on your own. Once you have become more independent, you can move and register a new address in your commune. In addition, after registration, a police officer will come to you to check if you live at the given address. They can come without warning.

There are different options for free housing. You can live with your family or in a "Community Center" - houses with a shared kitchen, but everyone has a separate room. There are very few separate apartments or houses. The Belgians can provide a "house for the summer", but this is a limited offer.

Regarding the duration of free accommodation: there are Belgians who have agreed to accommodate Ukrainians in their accommodation for one month, and there are options for only up to two months. If you register officially, through the government structures of Belgium, then in case of problems with the people who provide housing, you can contact the Belgian authorities and they will help you change the housing.

In addition, you may find yourself in a common center for refugees. There you can get:

• medical assistance;
• three meals a day;
• 8 euros per week for pocket money.
• If a family with children, they give a separate room. If a person is alone, 4-5 people will live in the rooms. There can be from 30 to 300 people of different nationalities in the camp. In the territory of the refugee camp, you must follow the rules: you must be present in the center. If you are absent for 30 days, you will lose the right to stay at the center.