Access to Belgian territory and legal sojourn (stay) therein for foreigners is governed by the law of 15 September 2006, which amends the law of 15 December 1980, which permits the following:

Legal migration to come and work as a salaried employee

Legal migration to work freelance

No work permit or professional card is granted to obtain a visa to come to and to practice sex work in Belgian territory.

Foreigners on a tourist or student visa cannot prostitute themselves. In the event of a police inspection, they are reported to the Foreign Office and will receive an order to leave the territory and risk expulsion.

In the event of a police inspection, migrants awaiting regularization of their stay who are found visibly practicing prostitution can be considered to be disturbing the peace. The Foreign Office is informed of this matter and a migrant’s request for regularization risks being rejected and of receiving an order to leave national territory and outright expulsion.

Those persons staying illegally in Belgium who fall victim to violence on Belgian territory have the right to file an official complaint with the police; however, the police are obligated to report the matter to the Foreign Office, which will issue an order to leave national territory and may decide to expel the complainant.

Only the victims of human trafficking can benefit from regularization of their stay if they file official complaints against their exploiters, provided that they accept breaking away from their role as sex worker.