If you meet the requirements for Belgian citizenship while residing in Belgium, you might be able to obtain a Belgian passport. Since Belgium is an EU member and allows multiple citizenships, you won’t have to give up your original nationality unless your home country mandates it. With it, you can travel unrestrictedly within the EU and, as an EU citizen, anywhere in the world.
Citizenship
It can only be obtained by citizens of Belgium. A person can become a citizen of Belgium through birth, marriage, investment, descent, or ancestry.
Belgium’s passport
It is a biometric document that has an electronic chip carrying the principal personal information of the bearer. The new biometric passport with fingerprints was released in 2014, and Belgium was one of the first nations to begin issuing electronic passports in 2004. Like many European passports, the common passport is a burgundy booklet with a choice of 35 or 60 pages. The holder’s picture, signature, vital personal data, and ID number are all displayed on the main page. Belgium’s Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs is responsible for the issuance. There are several different passport types available:
- a standard biometric type for all citizens
- a diplomatic one that is given to government employees and royal family members
- the service type is awarded to civil servants traveling overseas to perform official activities
- temporary ones are issued in an emergency and are valid for six months.
Perks of a Belgian passport
Obtaining it after becoming a citizen of Belgium is optional. An electronic ID card that allows travel to more than 50 countries, including the entire EU, is given to all Belgian citizens and permanent residents, however, it allows you to:
- leave and enter Belgium as many times without any restrictions.
- have dual nationality if your home country permits
- travel the world as both an EU citizen and a Belgian
- travel without a visa to 117 different nations.
Eligibility
Belgian citizenship, which you can obtain after five to ten years of residing there, is a requirement for eligibility for a Belgian passport. The criteria also include evidence of social and economic integration as well as proficiency in one of the country’s three official languages.
Application
You have two options if you want to apply for it: your local municipality in Belgium if you live there, or the Belgian embassy or consulate in your country if you reside elsewhere.
If you are applying to renew your passport, you will also need to submit proof of identity, like your Belgian ID card, and your old passport. In addition to providing your biometric data, you will also need to sign the document with a digital photograph and fingerprints.
Children under the age of 18 need both their parent or legal guardian and themselves to sign their passports, starting at age six.
Ordinarily, passports are issued five working days after the necessary paperwork and information are received. If possible, applicants within Belgium must pick up theirs in person from their neighborhood municipal office; if not, they must send a representative.
For an extra cost, a new fast-track program issues it in just 24 hours.
Renewal
Passports from Belgium are valid for seven years (five years for children). If yours is about to expire or has already expired, or if your photo no longer accurately depicts you, you must renew it. The procedure for renewing is the same as for applying for a new one, except you must provide your current passport to the authorities.
Cost
Current costs of passports are:
- For adults, a standard passport (32 pages), costs €65, while for kids, it costs €35
- Adult 64-page passports cost €240, while child passports cost €210
- Fast-track passports cost €240 for adults and €210 for kids
- Belgian passports cost €240 and €210 for adults and children
Foreigners must pay for their passports in their home currency using the current exchange rate at a Belgian embassy or consulate overseas.
