Change of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-belgium
Change description : 2019-09-03 17:03:00: Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating. [Brexit]
Showing diff : 2019-04-15 10:31:13 +00:00..2019-09-03 16:31:10 +00:00
Guidance
Official information British people moving to and living in Belgium need to know, including EUBrexit Exit guidance, residency, healthcare and driving.
This page tells you what to do ahead of Brexit. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.
You should:
This
To keep up to date with information about EU Exit:date:
YouCheck may want to check the entry requirements for Belgium.
You must carry anphotographic ID at all times.
You must register at your local town hall (commune/gemeente) within 8 days of arriving in Belgium. You might be asked to bring:
You may be given further forms for you or/andand/or your employer to complete and return.
The police will verify your address by making a house call. If you’re not at home when a police officer calls, the officer will leave a card giving you an appointment at your local police station.
Once the police have verified your address, you’ll get a statement of registration and you can apply for an electronic residence card, valid for 5 years.
Read the 14 February 2019 update from the Belgian government on UK nationals’ rights to reside if there is a deal and if therethere’s is no deal.
If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, there will be no change in residency rules or registration procedures for British citizens arriving in Belgium tilluntil the end of Decemberthe 2020.implementation period.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, British citizens arriving in Belgium will be subject to the residency rules and registration procedures for third country nationals, with a few exceptions. We will update this page as information is available.
You can apply for or renew your British passport online from Belgium.
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YouAfter shouldBrexit, checkthe rules on travel will change. Check your passport is suitablevalid for travel before you book your trip. You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.
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You must register with a healthhealthcare care insurer (mutuelle/ziekenfonds) to access the healthcare system.system Bothif you are resident in Belgium. If you are working, both you and your employer mustwill make contributions to your social security and healthhealthcare care system through the mutuelle/ziekenfonds. The amount you have to pay is set by the Belgian government. This may be different if you are a posted worker, in which case you may be eligible for healthcare cover funded by the UK.
Read the NHS guidance on who can access healthcare in Belgium and how to register.
When you visit a doctor or pharmacist, you need to pay and then send the receipt to your mutuelle/ziekenfonds. The amount you’ll be refunded depends on the health services covered by your insurance.
If you are resident in Belgium, you should not beuse usingyour an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Belgium.
YouWhen you travel from Belgium for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:
If you are a student, read the NHS’sNHS guidance on healthcare inand Belgiumstudying abroad.
YouRead can read our health advice for Belgium.
You can findFind English-speaking doctors.
You should also checkCheck your prescriptions are legal.
PleaseCheck consult the Belgian sitegovernment guidance on health and social security entitlements.
If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal your current rights on access to healthcare will continueremain the same until the end of 2020.
If the UKimplementation leavesperiod, theas EUlong withoutas you remain a resident in Belgium.
If there’s no deal, the Belgian Federal government has approved a bill that, contingent on reciprocity, will preserve current social security rights, including healthcare, for British citizens already resident in Belgium,Belgium unaffected until 31 December 2020. This bill will become law applicable to all branches of social security that are part of the federal competence in Belgium (pensions, unemployment benefits, healthcare, incapacity and invalidity benefits, benefits for occupational accidents and illness).
If you registered as a resident in Belgium whilst the UK was a member of the European Union, you have the right to work in Belgium whether the UK has left with a deal or without a deal. Read our guidance on working in another EU country.
YouTo apply for a job you may need to apply for a:
IfRead you’rethe planningguidance on providing services after Brexit if you plan to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the EU leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.profession.
PleaseConsult also consult the Flemish, Wallonian and Brussels Capital guidance depending on where you live and where you want to set up business,business. asThere there are some temporary exemptions for BritishUK nationals arriving in Belgium after theBrexit UK leaves the EU but before 31 December 2020.
If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal, there will be no change for UK nationals studying in Belgium until the end of 2020.the implementation period.
If thethere’s UKno leaves the EU without a deal, the Flemish government has said that those already in education and higher education can continue until the end of the 2020/2021 academic yearyear. The 2020/2021. From discussions with the governments of Wallonia and Brussels Capital,Capital weare knowconsidering theylegislation. have legislation in train to do the same. We will provide links to that legislation when it is available.
UK students in Belgium can also read the no deal guidance on:
The European Commission has published guidance on professional qualifications. If you have already been recognised by an EU country as holding valid professional qualifications, this will remain valid after Brexit. If you hold qualifications obtained in the UK before Brexit, you should obtain recognition in a EU27 Member State before Brexit.
The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Belgium to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. YouAsk can ask the relevant tax authority individualyour questions about double taxation relief.
YouRead can read guidance about:
WeYou recommendshould you get professional advice on paying tax in Belgium.
All residents must declare assets outside Belgium, including bank accounts, securities, rights, insurance, annuities and property. The declaration is separate to the annual tax return, and there are severe penalties and criminal charges forif notyou doingdo this.not comply.
YouFind mayout beif ableyou tocan pay National Insurance while abroad so that you protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
TheBrexit UK’s double taxation agreement with Belgium will not change onceexisting thedouble taxation arrangements for UK leavesnationals theliving EU.in Belgium.
If thethere’s UKno leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in Belgium. Read our guidance on using a bank card, insurance or other financial service if there is nono-deal Brexit dealBrexit..
YouTell will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Belgium, you can claim:
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible -– your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
The UK government will continue to pay thea UKState statePension pension to those eligible afterin the UKEU leavesafter theBrexit. EU.
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If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Belgium, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Belgian pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.
Also, read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.
You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Belgium.
You should:
IfMany you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you.
Youyou canif requestyou’re proofabroad offor themore timethan you’ve4 worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.weeks.
You may be eligible for Belgian benefits. ToFind find out if you are entitled to Belgian benefits and how to claim them, you can:them:
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.
The UK government will continue to pay the UK stateState pension,Pension, child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Belgium, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Belgium contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.
If thethere’s UKno leaves the EU without a deal, the Belgian Federal Government has approved a bill that will keep the social security situation of British citizens in Belgium unaffected until 31 December 2020, to honour the principle of reciprocity between Belgium and the UK.
YouRead canthe also read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a nono-deal deal scenario.
If you are a resident in Belgium, you should exchange your UK licence for a Belgian driving licence before theBrexit. UK leaves the EU, as your UK licence may no longer be valid after the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Belgian licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.
For information on driving in Belgium, read the guidance on:
When driving in Belgium, you should always have:
Read the guidance on driving licences for residents and visitors provided by the Belgian Federal Public Service for Mobility.
Contact your vehicle insurance provider to obtain a motor insurance Green Card. The Green Card for your vehicle covers your trailer. If your trailer is not attached or exceeds 500 kgkg, you will need an additional Green Card for it.
Read the guidance on car insurance validity when travelling to Belgium.
Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.
If you spend more than 6 months of the year in Belgium with your UK-registered car, you must register your vehicle with the Belgian authorities. You can read the European Union’s guidance on car registration rules and taxes. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.
If thethere UKis leaves the EU with a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.
Read the guidance on driving licences for residents and visitors provided by the Belgian Federal Public Service for Mobility.
You may be able to vote in some UK elections.
You can:
Whilst the UK is a member of the EU, if you’re resident in Belgium, you can vote and stand in Belgian local municipal and European parliamentary elections. To do so, you must:
You cannot vote in federal or regional elections in Belgium.
Once the UK leaves the EU, UK nationals will no longer be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections.
We are pursuing bilateral arrangements with individual Member States to secure the right to vote in local elections forafter Brexit.
UK nationals living in the EU, and EU citizens in the UK. UK nationals resident in Belgium for more than 5 years will continue to be able to vote in local elections after the UK leaves the EU.Brexit.
If your child is born in Belgium, you will need to register the birth abroad.
If someone dies in Belgium you can:
Find out how you can get married abroad.abroad.
Find out about notarial[notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Belgium.Belgium].(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-belgium)
You may also need:
Read guidance on how to buy a property in Belgium.
When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. YouRead can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after EU ExitBrexit.
While the UK is still a Member State you’llyou will be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport.
If you’reyou are travelling with your pet for the first time you’llyou havemust to visit your vet to get a pet passport.
Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK.
For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.
You can dial the European emergency number on 112 or:
Consult the Belgium emergency numbers.
If you need urgent consular help, contact the British Embassy Brussels.
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This information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Belgian authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.
2025-11-28 10:49
Rewrote guide to make it easier to read and understand.
2024-08-09 10:22
Additional information added under ‘Passports and Travel’ about the EU Entry/Exit System.
2024-05-30 13:46
Update to information about the EU Entry/Exit scheme if you hold an M card.
2024-05-22 15:12
Update to ‘ Visas and residency if you were living in Belgium before 1 January 2021’ and the ‘Passports and travel’ sections to include information about the EU’s entry/exit scheme.
2023-02-14 15:35
Update on passports and travel section: important advice about carrying valid ID documents in Belgium
2023-01-26 10:30
Updated broken links in the following sections: ‘If you have a P or S card’ and ‘Exchanging your UK, Gibralter or Isle of Man licence’.
2022-03-11 10:57
Important information in the Working in Belgium, and National insurance sections if you work in Belgium, even it if it is for an employer based in the UK.
2022-01-01 07:00
Visas and residency guidance updated, following the 31 December 2021 residency deadline for people with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.
2021-03-03 13:25
Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines.
2020-09-07 14:05
Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021.
2020-01-23 16:47
Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity, healthcare rights and State Pension uprating if the UK leaves the EU with a deal.
2019-09-23 17:23
Brexit update: healthcare section updated to reflect transitional arrangements announcement
2019-09-03 17:03
Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating.
2019-04-15 11:21
EU Exit update: added information about passport validity to passport section