Nationality

Belgian embassies and consulates abroad have limited powers in terms of granting, maintaining or losing nationality.

For further information, contact the Federal Public Service for Justice or consult the FPS Foreign Affairs website

Granting before 18

A child born abroad of a Belgian parent who was himself born abroad is not Belgian by birth.

If the Belgian parent wishes his/her child to obtain Belgian nationality, he/she must sign a deed granting Belgian nationality within five years of birth.

Contact us as soon as possible to check the formalities, at least six months before the child's fifth birthday. 

Acquisition after 18 years

Since 1 January 2013, it is no longer possible to apply for Belgian nationality from abroad. One must be resident in Belgium for this purpose. 

Loss, retention and re-acquisition

Declaration of retention before your 28th birthday

You automatically lose Belgian nationality on your 28th birthday if you:

• was born abroad after 1 January 1967 AND
• did not have a main residence in Belgium between the ages of 18 and 28 AND
• does not work abroad for the Belgian government or for a Belgian organisation AND
• did not acquire Belgian nationality after the age of 18 AND
• only to the extent you were not yet 28 years old on 12 July 2018: did not apply for and obtain a Belgian passport nor a Belgian identity card between your 18th and 28th birthday.

unless you sign a retention declaration before your 28th birthday at the Belgian consular appeal post where you are registered in the consular population register.

If you meet these conditions, contact us at least six months before your 28th birthday to find out about the formalities.

Attention, it is not always clear whether one holds only one nationality!
 

Renunciation

You can renounce Belgian nationality on condition that you hold another nationality. The renunciation procedure takes several weeks.

Contact us in good time to find out about the formalities.
 

Regaining

You can only make a declaration to regain Belgian nationality at our Embassy when you have lost Belgian nationality due to the impossibility to make the declaration to retain Belgian nationality before your 28th birthday.

In all other cases you must have your main residence in Belgium