Reporting your departure from Belgium
Are you a non-Belgian, do live in Ghent and do you intend to go abroad for a short or long period of time? Find out what you have to do.
What is it about?
You want to leave Belgium. Depending on the time you will be away and whether your departure will be temporary or permanent, you will need to take different steps.
What are the conditions?
- You are registered in the population register of Ghent
- You have an address abroad
- You will be abroad for more than 3 months
How much does it cost?
Reporting your departure from Belgium is free of charge.
What do I need?
- your national identification number
- the personal data of your family members who will leave with you
- your e-mail address and telephone number
- your address abroad
- the date of your departure
- the date of your return if you will leave Belgium temporarily
What steps need to be taken?
You will be abroad less than 3 months
Are you planning to travel abroad for less than 3 months? In that case you don’t need to report your departure and your return.
Note: If you are not a EU citizen and your residence card expires, there is a risk you will not be allowed to enter Belgium again. If your residence card will expire during your stay abroad, be sure to apply for an extension before you leave!
You will be abroad more than 3 months
Report your absence online with the municipal authorities at the latest 1 week before your departure.
You wil receive an e-mail containing:
- a confirmation
- a certificate of departure (annex 18)
You can keep your residence card.
How to report your return
If you return to the same address, you have to report to the Migration Office at the latest 15 days after your return and present the annex 18. To do this, you can go to the City Office without having to make an appointment.
If you don’t return to the same address, you have to report your return online using a different form (Dutch).
You will leave Belgium permanently
In this case you have to report your departure to the municipal authorities. The end of your stay will be registered.
Only complete the form after your departure from Belgium. You will receive a proof of departure (model 8 - Certificate of deregistration from the national register) by e-mail. Your residence card will be cancelled and your file in Belgium will then be closed.
If you need a 'model 8 - Certificate of deregistration from the national register' before your departure from Belgium, you can exceptionally also obtain it at the counter. Call 09 266 71 50 to make an appointment with the Migration Office. You will have to hand in your residence card and you will receive an annex 37 and a copy of your residence card.