Acquisition of Belgian nationality (over 18 years old)

• To have one's main residence on the territory of the City of Brussels
• To be 18 years or older
• To have an unlimited residence permit at the time of application

Other conditions may apply depending on your situation:

1. To be born in Belgium

Conditions:

To be born in Belgium and residing there legally without interruption since birth.

2. To have lived in Belgium since 5 years

Conditions:

• to have lived in Belgium legally and without interruption for 5 years
• and provide proof of knowledge of one of the three national languages
• and prove social integration
• and prove your economic participation

3. To be married to a Belgian or being a parent or adopter of a Belgian minor child

Conditions:

• to have lived in Belgium legally and without interruption for 5 years
• and be married to a Belgian and have lived together for at least three years or be a parent or adoptive parent of a Belgian child who has not reached the age of 18 or has not been emancipated before that age
• and provide proof of knowledge of one of the three national languages
• and prove social integration

4. Be disabled or have reached retirement age

Conditions:

• to have lived in Belgium legally and without interruption for 5 years
• and being 66% disabled, without being able to exercise any activity or profession, or having reached retirement age

5. To live in Belgium since 10 years

Conditions:

• to have lived in Belgium legally and without interruption for 10 years
• and provide proof of knowledge of one of the three national languages
• and provide proof of knowledge of one of the three national languages
• and provide proof of participation in the life of the host community. This proof can be provided by any legal means and includes elements showing the applicant's participation in the economic and/or socio-cultural life of their host community.

Information:

• By e-mail to nationalitebelge@brucity.be stating your national number
• By calling on 02 279 34 60
• By appointment, at the counter of the Administrative Centre of the City of Brussels

Submission of your complete file:

By appointment, at the counter of the Administrative Centre of the City of Brussels

• ID card or residence card
• Birth certificate from the birthplace of the candidate, translated and legalised if necessary

If no birth certificate can be obtained, you may:

• For persons from Somalia, South Sudan, Angola (Cabinda enclave) and Afghanistan only: produce an equivalent document issued by the diplomatic or consular authorities of the country of birth.
• By a deed of acquaintance issued by the Justice of the Peace of their main residence.
• Or if a notarial act cannot be obtained, the citizen may request the Court to issue an Affidavit
• Proof of payment of the registration fee (150 euros payable to the account of the Registry after verification of the file)

Other documents depend on the procedure followed:

• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificate of the Belgian child

For proof of social integration:

• by a diploma or certificate having at least the level of upper secondary education issued by an educational establishment organized, recognized or subsidized by a community or by the Royal Military School
• by having completed vocational training recognized by a competent authority for at least 400 hours
• by having successfully completed an integration program, a reception program or an integration program of the competent authority of his main residence at the time the applicant starts the program
• by having worked continuously for the last five years as an employee and/or as a statutory employee in the public service and/or as a self-employed person in his main profession

For proof of economic participation:

Either:

• by having worked as an employee and/or statutory employee in the public service for at least 468 working days in the last 5 years
• by having paid in Belgium, in the context of a self-employed activity exercised in main profession, the quarterly social contributions of the self-employed for at least six quarters of the last five years

For participation in the host community:

This proof can be provided by any legal means and includes proof that the applicant participates in the economic and/or socio-cultural life of their host community.

For persons with disabilities or who have reached retirement age:

• Certificate of disability issued by the FPS Social Security (Disability Directorate General)
• Certificate of invalidity issued by the insurance company
• Certificate of early retirement for health reasons from the administrative health service of the department where you work (only for statutory civil servants)
• Attestation from the Industrial Accident Fund or the Occupational Diseases Fund or the competent government medical service attesting to 66% incapacity for work (in the event of an industrial accident or occupational disease)
• Copy of the final judgment establishing 66% incapacity for work (if the person was the victim of an accident outside work)

50 euros

Registration fee payable to External site FPS Finance: 150 euros

Once the file is complete, you can make an appointment to submit it to us. We will send it to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which has 4 months to issue its opinion. If the decision is positive, you must add the administrative time needed to process and complete your file. You will then receive a call to apply for your Belgian identity card.