Belgium Nationality 2026

Dear all, finally i got the nationality certificate today.

Dear all,

Application region: Brussels – Ixelles commune

Application date: 11/09/2025

Documents submitted:

    •    Birth certificate

    •    Language certificate (A2)

    •    Integration certificate

    •    5 years of individual rekening

Status: approved today, (29/01/2026)

Dear all,

Application region: Stad Gent

Application date: 27/10/2025

Documents submitted:

    •    Birth certificate

    •    Language certificate (A2)

    •    Integration certificate

    •    5 years of individual rekening

Status: approved today, (30/01/2026)

Dear All,

I want to apply for the nationality for my children born in Belgium. I received the nationality certificate for me but not for my children. I can not find any information on the procedure to apply for them.

Can someone guide me in the similar situation?

Hello!

I have L card, translated apostilled birth certificate, 5 years of uninterrupted residence and work.

Has anybody had a situation when to accept the nationality application at the commune they demand the Birth certificates of the parents or their marriage certificate (because in my Birth certificate the Place of birth for my parents is not specified, just their name/second names and my place of birth)? This is first time I hear about this – cannot find a legal written requirement for that.

One of my parents is deceased with no possibility to get his docs...

@gannam

And again stupid commune employees.

There is NO legal requirement that the place of birth of your parents must be written in YOUR birth certificate. In mine it is also not written - only my parents’ names and their dates of birth.

In many, if not almost all, countries in the world, parents’ places of birth are not included. This document is about YOU, not about them.

And asking for a parents’ marriage certificate is complete nonsense. They may never have been married. Or, as in your case, one of them may already be deceased.

I never stop being amazed at how stupid, arrogant, and tactless commune employees can be…

Anyway, your problem is solved very simply:

You submit the birth certificate that you do have. If they refuse to accept it, you ask them for an official written refusal to accept your documents.

Magically, after that, they usually accept everything.

If they refuse to give such a paper, or if they give one where they write this nonsense, you can file a formal written complaint and send it by registered mail to the commune and to the Ministry of Interior (Binnenlands Bestuur).

Good luck and please write back and tell us how it ended.

@Hodaya Biske

Congrats!!

if your kids are minors it should be automatic

They mentioned that the documents should not be older than six months. Does this mean we need to obtain a new birth certificate, or can we use the one we already have even though it’s older than six months?

1. Application Region:

Leuven

2. Application Date:

30/10/2025 very first online form request

15/12/2025, they provide a receipt and send it out for the decision

3. Requested Documents:

1. Birth certificate (apostilled original duplicate from home and its official (Belgian) translation into Dutch)
2. Economical participation: Individuele rekeningen and Loonfiches combined giving >= 468 working days
3. Social integration: Attest van inburgering after the integration test
4. Dutch language certificate (A2) from ILT

4. Additional Information:

The procedure started on 30/10/2025 via an online request form on the city website and a couple of back-and-forths (e-mails) to send and check the documents with the clerk. The response to the e-mail takes sometimes 1.5-2 weeks, but it was very comprehensive and smooth.

They initially asked for my Belgian MSc, but it was not really needed in the end since it was in English.

No police visit.

4 months start from the moment they send your application to whomever makes the decision, so for me it was only ~50 days (plus Christmas holidays in-between)! 

5. Approval Date:

06/02/2026

The overall procedure is very smooth and clear in Leuven. Surprised it was so fast, given that I am not from a friendly country and my work/status history here was not as straightforward. But maybe this new 1000 EUR fee made the difference and drastically reduced the number of applications?

@vknlmsra

That was really fast.

congrats 🙂

@ss942

Duplicate of birth certificate should not be older than 6 months yes

The overall procedure is very smooth and clear in Leuven. Surprised it was so fast, given that I am not from a friendly country and my work/status history here was not as straightforward. But maybe this new 1000 EUR fee made the difference and drastically reduced the number of applications? - @vknlmsra

Yes, it was really very fast I would even say a record!

I don’t think your origin or the reduced number of applications played a role (actually, from what I know, the number of applications has even increased). The difference between 150 and 1000 euros is not that significant, considering the cost of living in Belgium.

Congratulations on obtaining Belgian citizenship! I truly hope that as a sign of gratitude to the Kingdom whose citizen you have become, you will also take this step. It is time to choose a side.

@vknlmsra

Congrats