Re-registering in Belgium as a non-Belgian
Have you previously been registered in Belgium and wish to return? In most cases, you can re-register. Find out what you need to do here.
What is it about?
Were you removed from the population or foreign nationals register? Have you spent some time abroad?
If you wish to re-register in Belgium, you must apply at the municipal office. In some cases, you may need to prove that you have not left the country.
What are the conditions?
- You are a non-Belgian
- You previously held a right of residence
- You have not been removed from the register or stayed abroad for longer than the legally permitted period of your residence permit:
- Maximum 1 year with a valid A, B, C/K, E(U), F, H, M, I, or J card
- Maximum 2 years with a valid E(U)+ or F+ card, or as a mobility student with a valid A card
- Maximum 5 years with an M card for permanent residence
- Maximum 6 years with a valid D/L card in another EU country (maximum 1 year in a non-EU country)
What do I need?
- Your passport. For EU citizens, an identity card is sufficient.
- The Immigration Office may request proof of your presence in Belgium. You can provide this evidence with the following documents:
- Official documents you have signed with a date
- Payslips from employment in Belgium
- Stamps in your passport
- Records of visits or observations by the police, municipality, or other public authority (e.g., reports from social investigations by the OCMW, visits to Migration desks, etc.)
- Visits to a doctor, dentist, physiotherapist, etc. (you can prove this with reimbursement certificates from your health insurance provider—request them from your insurer)
- Proof of consultations in a hospital
- Proof of bank transactions with your signature
- An official report showing you were present
- Various contracts with your signature and the date (e.g. your rental contract)
- Other documents that undoubtedly prove your presence in Belgium during the disputed period
The Immigration Office does not accept the following documents as proof:
- A standard bank statement showing invoice payments, a copy of a bank card, etc.
- Letters received at your address
- Payslips from employment abroad
- Remuneration as a company director, manager, or partner
- A traffic fine
- A statement from someone else claiming that you were in Belgium
If you would like personal advice, please make an appointment at the Migration Information Desk.
What are the steps?
- Make an appointment with Migration.
- Depending on your previous status, we will either process your application immediately or request advice from the Immigration Office. In the latter case, we must wait for a decision before proceeding with your file.
- The police will check your address.
- You will receive an email invitation to apply for your residence card. Use the link in the email to book an appointment for your new residence card application. At the counter, you will receive a temporary residence document.
- You can collect your residence card at the City Office or service centre where you applied for it, using the codes sent to your home. This process takes 3 to 4 weeks. No appointment is required.
Are there any exceptions?
If you have been outside Belgium longer than allowed, you lose your right to return. You must start a new residence application.