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You can have Belgian nationality legally or voluntarily. You can also lose your Belgian nationality. This section will provide you with further information.
The Code of Belgian Nationality (WBN) contains the legal conditions relating to Belgian nationality and the Minister of Justice is the ‘guardian’ of Belgian nationality in general. The Nationality division of the Public Federal Service Justice monitors the appropriate application of the WBN.
Attribution of nationality: Belgian parent was born abroad
The Consulate general of Belgium wishes to remind you that, according to the Belgian Law, you have to sign an attribution of the Belgian Nationality before your child’s 5th birthday.
The following ORIGINAL documents, not older than 5 months, will have to be presented:
THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE TO BE BROUGH TO THE COMPETENT CONSULATE GENERAL AT LEAST ONE MONTH BEFORE THE CHILDS 5TH BIRTHDAY!!!!
- Birth certificate of the child, translated by a sworn translator into French or Dutch and duly *legalized.
- Copy of the passport of the newborn and the mother.
Other documents may be requested by e-mail during the file processing.
The processing delay varies from one file to another; in general, it takes up to 3 months. Original documents will be returned to you once the nationality act is signed.
Conservation of nationality
If you are born outside of Belgium and meet the 5 conditions mentioned here below, you will lose the Belgian nationality on your 28th birthday, unless you sign a declaration of the conservation of your Belgian nationality with the Embassy or Consulate where you are registered.
Conditions:
- you were born abroad after 1 January 1967
- you hold one or multiple nationalities
- you did not have your principal residence in Belgium during the period between the age of eighteen and twenty-eight
- you do not work abroad either for the Belgian government or for a Belgian company or association
- you did not acquire Belgian nationality after the age of eighteen.
IMPORTANT!
If on 12 July 2018 you were not yet 28 years old AND if you applied for and received a Belgian ID card or Belgian passport between your 18th and 28th birthday, you do not lose the Belgian nationality when you turn 28.
Procedure:
The following ORIGINAL document, not older than 5 months, will have to be presented:
- Birth certificate , translated by a sworn translator into French or Dutch and duly legalized.
