Nationality

You can be Belgian by operation of law or become a volunteer. You may also lose your Belgian nationality. This section will guide you through this.

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You can have Belgian nationality legally or voluntarily. You can also lose your Belgian nationality. This section will provide you with further information.

The Code of Belgian Nationality (WBN) contains the legal conditions relating to Belgian nationality and the Minister of Justice is the ‘guardian’ of Belgian nationality in general. The Nationality division of the Public Federal Service Justice monitors the appropriate application of the WBN.

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Dual nationality

The Belgian Bulletin of Acts, Orders and Decrees of May 10, 2007 contains the Belgian Royal Decree concerning the date of commencement of section 386, subsections 1 and 2 of the law of 27 December 2006 regarding various stipulations. Choose your language: NL - FR - D. Introduce the date in Andere Inhoud - Autre Sommaire - Anderer Inhalt : 2007-05-10. Edition 1: ref: 2007009414.

From 9 June 2007 Belgian nationals who voluntarily acquire another citizenship will keep their Belgian nationality. If you became an Australian citizen on or after 9 June 2007, you did not lose the Belgian nationality. On the other hand, if you became an Australian citizen before 9 June 2007 as an adult, you have in all likelihood lost the Belgian nationality. The current law does not change this.

Any questions regarding acquiring Australian citizenship should be directed to the relevant authorities in Australia, i.e. the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The website of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship offers excellent information, or you can visit the citizenship website. You may also contact DIAC by telephone for citizenship enquiries and appointments on 131 880.

Once you have obtained Australian citizenship, please forward us a copy of the certificate, so we may update our records.

If you apply for a new Belgian passport or identity card, we will request your Australian citizenship certificate, unless you have already sent it to us.
 

Retention of Belgian nationality

(unofficial translation, in case of unclarity the Dutch or French version prevail)

Do you need to make a declaration stating your intention to retain the Belgian nationality? 

The Belgian who

  • Was born abroad after Januari 1st, 1967
  • Never received a Belgian ID card or Belgian passport between 18 and 28 years old (receiving a passport or identity card only exempts the Belgian from a retention declaration if this person had not yet reached the age of 28 on 12/07/2018)
  • Never had his principal residence In Belgium between 18 and 28 years old
  • Does not work abroad either for the Belgian government or for a Belgian company or association in accordance with Belgian law
  • Has one or more other nationalities

has to make a declaration stating his intention to retain the Belgian nationality before the age of 28 years old. 

In case of doubt we advise you to make a declaration of retention.

Persons who obtained the Belgian nationality by naturalization, option, regaining (i.e. after expression of will) do not have to make a declaration of retention. 

Persons who obtained the Belgian nationality in a legal manner before their 28th birthday (most of them will have obtained it before their 18th birthday) have to make a declaration of retention.

Anyway, a Belgian who has reached the age of 18 years old and meets most of the conditions that will cause the loss of Belgian nationality can make a declaration of retention if he does not intend to settle in Belgium before his 28th birthday.

This declaration of retention shall be made before the head of the Belgian consular offices at the consular post where you are registered in the consular population register.

We remain at your disposal for further information: check your personal information, giving information concerning the required documents and procedure.

Legal basis: article 22, §1, 5° and article 22, §2 (in effect since 12.07.2018) of the Belgian nationality Code