Hosting Agreement (only for non-EEA citizens + citizens of Romania and Bulgaria)
On 12 October 2005, the European Commission issued regulation 2005/71. Through this regulation, the Commission intends to simplify the admission and mobility of researchers and, thus, to reinforce European research policy and establish a European research area. Over the course of 2007, Belgium incorporated the regulation into its federal legislation.
Henceforth, some researchers (viz. research associates, (doctoral) assistants and postdoctoral fellows) can apply for a ‘scientific visa’ on the basis of a ‘hosting agreement’. In the hosting agreement, the researcher commits to undertaking a research project at K.U.Leuven and K.U.Leuven commits to receiving the researcher as a guest. Once complete approval for the researcher’s appointment has been obtained, the Human Resources Department sends the hosting agreement to the researcher. Both parties are required to sign it.