How To Register Your Address In Belgium
Moving to Belgium brings a whirlwind of excitement and a checklist of essentials, with address registration topping the list. Don’t Worry! We’ve got you covered completely!
This pivotal step is not just about legality; it’s your gateway to becoming a true part of the Belgian community. Our guide simplifies this crucial process, ensuring that your transition into Belgian life is as smooth as Belgian chocolate.
Let’s dive in!
How Do I Register My Address In Belgium?
To finally obtain a one-year residence permit, you must register at the city hall or commune when you come to Belgium for an extended period (more than a year).
The staff will deliver a 2D architectural view of the building and ask you to clarify which room you live in.
Before that, you must establish a genuine address in Belgium by presenting your rental agreement or property contract.
Your address is entered into the system, though the address status has not yet been verified.
How Can I Complete Residency Registration In Belgium?
If you’re moving to Belgium and plan to reside there, you must register at your local municipal administration office (commune/gemeente).
This process is known as “Declaration of Arrival” (Aangifte van Aankomst/Declaration d’Arrivée).
Within eight days of your arrival in Belgium, you must register with the commune’s local government administration by reporting to the Foreigners Department (Service des Étrangers) with the documentation necessary by the commune, for which a fee will be charged.
Required Documents
When registering, you will need various documents, such as:
- Valid ID/passport
- Proof of residence (rental agreement, property deed, or a housing certificate from the person you live with)
- Birth certificate (possibly translated if not in Dutch, French, or German)
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Work contract or proof of income
Following steps need to be followed while registering your address in Belgium:
- Visit The Local Municipality Office: Go to the local municipal administration office in the area where you’ll be living. They will provide you with the necessary forms to fill out.
- Fill Out Forms: Complete the registration forms accurately. They typically require personal information, address details, and sometimes information about your family members.
- Submit Documents: Present your completed forms and the required documents to the municipal administration office.
- Confirmation And Registration: After reviewing your documents and information, the municipal administration will process your registration. Once approved, they will issue a residency certificate or an identity card (depending on your status) that confirms your registration at that address.
- Update Additional Authorities: After registering, you might need to inform other relevant authorities about your new address, such as the immigration office, tax office, health insurance provider, employer, etc.
- Annual Confirmation: In Belgium, you should confirm your address annually. The local municipality might send you a form or reminder to confirm your continued residence at that address.
- Residency Card For Non-EU Citizens: If you are a non-EU citizen staying in Belgium for an extended period, you might need to apply for a residence card (called “Annex 8” or “Bijlage 8” for long-term stays).
What Are Examples Of Address Formats In Belgium?
The following components, in the specified order, are found in a usual Belgian address:
- RECIPIENT
- [FLOOR] [APARTMENT]
- [BUILDING] [URBANIZATION]
- STREET_TYPE STREET_NAME HOUSE_NUMBER
- POSTAL_CODE LOCALITY
- BELGIUM
You should know that some components, such as the building, flat, floor, and urbanisation, are optional.
Only the premises number of Belgium addresses is verified by Informatica Address Verification.
Address Verification copies any additional data you provide into the building and sub-building fields in the order you enter.
How Are Addresses Verified In Belgium?
The police department handles the confirmation process; within a week of your registration, a policeman usually knocks on your door without warning to confirm that you indeed live at the location you provided.
The procedure is completed if you are at home when he visits; otherwise, he will leave you a letter inviting you to the police station with the letter and your passport to finish the process.
If you are at home, you only have to show him your passport for recording.
The police officer will then inform the commune about you and your verified address, after which your application for a residence permit will proceed.
How To Change Your Official Address?
You must proactively notify the commune office of any changes to your official address after registering with the commune. Unfortunately, there will also be another police visit.
This is extremely, very crucial! It’s a common misconception that you can notify the commune of an address change while renewing your permit, even if your residence is usually valid for an entire year.
However, this is quite challenging.
What Is The Entire Procedure?
Notifying An Address Change
Where your new address is located, the local government must be notified of any address changes. After relocating to your new address, the declaration needs to be made within eight business days.
The declaration may be made online, in person at the counter, or by written application with an acceptable form of identification for the applicant, depending on the municipality.
Depending on the municipality, the declaration may also be filed using the Federal Government’s Mon DOSSIER program.
The declaration can cover the entire household.
Check-In Residence
The municipality will request a local police officer conduct a residential check (enquête de résidence) based on the change-of-address declaration.
This check will be conducted within fifteen days of the change-of-address statement.
The Real Address Change
The local government representative will enter the applicant’s new address in the National Register if the residence check is successful, meaning the local police officer is satisfied that the applicant resides at the new address.
After that, the applicant will be asked to come in person to the municipal building by the municipal official so that the data from their identity card or residency permit may be input into the system.
Ready To Relocate: What’s The Next Step?
In the Belgian municipality where you are registered, you must file a departure declaration if you relocate your primary residence abroad.
The day before your departure is the deadline for completing this.
If you fail to do this, your identity card or residency permit, which also verifies your registration in the population records, will be revoked and immediately removed from the register.
How Can Objections And Appeals Be Addressed?
If you disagree with the municipality’s decision about your primary residence, you have 30 days from the date of notification to file an appeal.
Appeals must be filed with the General Directorate for Institutions and Population (the appellate body is the Minister of the Interior). The application must include the following information:
- The surname(s), forename(s), address in population records, date(s) of birth, and, if appropriate, National Register number(s) of the person(s) whose principal residence is disputed;
- A thorough explanation of why the Minister’s intervention is needed;
- A thorough statement of the applicant’s interest if the individual requesting the Minister’s assistance is not the person whose existing primary residence is being challenged.
The application must be dated and signed, or it will be rejected. The application must include all necessary available papers.
The appeal procedure before the Minister is free. However, the applicant is responsible for correspondence costs (postage).
The timeframe for processing the declaration does not influence the decision’s (délai d’ordre’s) validity.
As a result, if no decision is reached within the specified time frame, the appeal is deemed to have been rejected tacitly.
In this instance, an appeal against the decision may be filed with the Council of State to seek a ruling compelling the local authority to decide.
Failure to meet the deadline cannot give rise to an appeal before the Minister using the above-mentioned appeal procedure.
However, if the decision is excessively delayed, the Minister may be held accountable through the chain of command.
There is no timeframe for the Minister to hear the appeal. Only the implicit rejection of a refusal decision may be appealed to the Council of State.
A Ministerial decision may be appealed to the Council of State within 60 days of notification. Appeals brought before the Council of State have to submit to a fee.
Every proceeding must be held in the language(s) permitted by the language-use legislation in the municipality where the applicant wishes to move residence or where they are registered.
This means Dutch in the Flemish Region (and French in municipalities with special provisions for French speakers);
- French in the Walloon Region (and German in municipalities with special provisions for German speakers,
- Or Dutch in municipalities with special provisions for Dutch speakers);
- And French or Dutch in the Brussels Capital Region
depending on the language used by the applicant in the initial proceedings.
Conclusion
As you complete your address registration in Belgium, you’re not just fulfilling a formality; you’re establishing your new home in the heart of Europe. This guide aims to make your journey easier, paving the way for a seamless integration into Belgian society.
Remember, correctly registering your address is the foundation of your Belgian adventure, unlocking access to local services, and community involvement.
Home Registered!
But wait! There’s lot more that you might be interested in following: