You are a family member of a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement

You are a family member of a UK national in Belgium with a valid residence document at the end of the transition period and you want to continue to reside in Belgium afterwards.

You must submit your application to the commune in which you normally reside:

a copy of your valid residence document (E, E+, F, F+ card);
a valid identity card or passport;
an extract from the criminal record, not older than 6 months (as of 01/01/2021 with apostille) .

Only for nationals of the European Union or the United Kingdom will a valid identity card be accepted, in all other cases it must be a valid passport.

The extract from the criminal record may be a Belgian extract or an extract from the United Kingdom's criminal record (police records) or the country where you habitually resided before coming to Belgium. You submit the extract most relevant to your situation. Remember to provide a legalised translation of this extract from the criminal record if it is not in Dutch, French, German or English.

If you do not submit all the documents at the time of submitting your application, you must complete your application as soon as possible and at the latest within 3 months of submitting it. It is important that your application is complete so that you can receive a decision and your new card as soon as possible. If you do not do this, you run the risk of your application being declared inadmissible.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a certificate for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement guaranteeing your rights pending receipt of your electronic card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. You can use this certificate both in Belgium and when you are travelling.

If you have submitted all these documents and your extract from the criminal record is blank, the commune will take a positive decision and request your new card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. If this is not the case, it does not automatically mean that your application will be refused but the Immigration Office will examine the application further and take a decision. As soon as the Immigration Office has taken a decision, it will be notified to you by the commune and, if the decision is positive, the commune will request your new card for beneficiaries of the agreement to withdraw. You will be able to obtain it in the commune as soon as the electronic residence card (M card) for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement is ready.

Until 31 March 2022 at the latest, you can continue to use your valid old residence card (E, E+,F, F+ card) in Belgium pending obtaining your new electronic residence card for beneficiaries other than those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. As from 31 December 2020, this document only shows that you must be considered provisionally as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement. As free movement for UK nationals expires on 31 December 2020, this card no longer covers the rights only Union citizens enjoy.

Until 31 December 2021 at the latest, you can continue to use your valid old residence card (E, E+, F, F+ card) to travel and prove at the border that you can be considered provisionally as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement in Belgium.

You are a family member of a UK national and you already stayed in Belgium before 31 December 2020 but do not have a valid residence document:

You must report to the commune in which you normally reside to submit your application:

a valid identity card or passport;
an extract from the criminal record not older than 6 months (as of 01/01/2021 with apostille);
proof that you can obtain family reunification with your British family member. The same means of proof will be accepted as for family members of Union citizens[Under construction] ;
the official documents or any other evidence that can validly establish the link of blood or affinity or of partnership:
- For spouses or assimilated partners: the marriage certificate or registered partnership - if necessary legalised or accompanied by an apostille and translated by a sworn translator - or, if this is impossible, any other valid proof;
- For legal partners: the deed of the legally registered partnership, proof of the lasting and stable relationship, proof of age;
- For descendants: birth or adoption certificate, proof of right of custody, possible proof of 'dependency', proof of the family cell;
- For parents: birth certificate of your child, marriage certificate or registered partnership certificate, proof of 'being dependent' except in the case of minor children, proof of the family cell;
- Other family member: proof of a duly proven long-term relationship with the economically active beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement OR proof that you are a dependant or part of the family of the beneficiary in the country of origin, proof that you are a family member of the beneficiary (e.g. birth certificate), proof of being dependant or part of the family issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin or proof by any appropriate means OR proof of serious health reasons for which personal care by the beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement is strictly necessary. Proof that you are a family member of the beneficiary (e.g. birth certificate).

A valid identity card or passport will be accepted for UK nationals or Union citizens, family members coming from a third country must be able to produce a valid passport.

The extract from the criminal record will, in principle, have to be an extract from the United Kingdom's criminal record (police records) or the country where you habitually resided before coming to Belgium. You will present the extract most relevant to your situation. Remember to provide a legalised translation of this extract from the criminal record if it is not in Dutch, French, German or English.

If you do not submit all the documents by the time you submit your application, you must complete your application as soon as possible and at the latest within 3 months of submitting it. It is important that your application is complete so that you can receive a decision and your new card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card) as soon as possible. If you do not do this, you risk the application being declared inadmissible.

As soon as you have submitted your application, you will receive a certificate for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, guaranteeing your rights pending receipt of your electronic residence card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card). You can use this certificate both in Belgium and when you are travelling.

As soon as the application is complete, the commune will forward it to the Immigration Office, which will examine it further and take a decision. As soon as the Immigration Office has taken a decision, the commune will notify you and, if the decision is positive, the commune will apply for your electronic residence card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card). You can obtain it in the commune as soon as it is ready.

You are a direct family member of a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement with a right of residence in Belgium and you wish to join them after 31 December 2020:

If you are subject to a visa requirement, you can apply for a C visa free of charge at the competent diplomatic mission or consular post abroad. This allows you to travel to Belgium where you can follow the normal procedure explained below.

You must submit your application to the commune where you normally reside and submit the following documents:

a valid identity card or passport
an extract from the criminal record not older than 6 months (as of 01/01/2021 with apostille)
You must also prove that you meet the conditions for family reunification with your British family member. The same means of proof will be accepted as for family members of Union citizens;
official documents or any other evidence which can validly establish a link of blood or affinity or partnership:
- For spouses or assimilated partners: the marriage certificate or registered partnership - if necessary legalised or accompanied by an apostille and translated by a sworn translator - or, if this is impossible, any other valid proof;
- For legal partners: the deed of the legally registered partnership, proof of the durable and stable relationship, proof of age.
- For descendants: birth or adoption certificate, proof of right of detention, possible proof of 'dependency', proof of the family cell;
- For parents: birth certificate of your child, marriage certificate or registered partnership certificate, proof of 'being dependent' unless it is a minor , proof of the family cell;
- You must also prove that the family relationship or durable partnership already existed before the end of the transition period (with the exception of children born or adopted after the end of the transition period).

A valid identity card or passport will be accepted for UK nationals or Union citizens, family members from a third country must be able to produce a valid passport.

As soon as you have submitted your application, you will receive a certificate for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement guaranteeing your rights pending receipt of your electronic card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. You can use this certificate both in Belgium and when you are travelling.

As soon as the application is complete, the commune will forward it to the Immigration Office, which will examine it further and take a decision. When the Immigration Office has taken a decision, the commune will notify you and the commune will request your electronic residence card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card) if the decision is positive. You can obtain it in the commune as soon as it is ready.

- You are the (de facto) partner with whom the beneficiary of the WA had a durable relationship before the end of the transition period which is still ongoing and you wish to join this partner in Belgium after 31 December 2020.

If you are subject to a visa requirement, you can apply for a C visa free of charge at the competent diplomatic mission or consular post abroad. This will allow you to travel to Belgium where you can follow the normal procedure explained below.

You must submit your application to the commune where you normally reside and submit the following documents:

- a valid identity card or passport
- an extract from the criminal record not older than 6 months (as of 01/01/2021 with apostille)
- the official documents or any other evidence enabling the partnership to be validly established;
- evidence of a duly proven long-term relationship with the economically active beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement both before the end of the transition period and at the time of the application.

A valid identity card or passport will be accepted for UK nationals or Union citizens; family members from a third country must be able to present a valid passport.

Once you have submitted your application, you will immediately receive a certificate for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement guaranteeing your rights pending receipt of your electronic residence card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card). You can use this certificate both in Belgium and when you are travelling.

As soon as the application is complete, the commune will forward it to the Immigration Office, which will examine it further and take a decision. When the Immigration Office has taken a decision, the commune will notify you and the commune will request for your electronic residence card for beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement (M card) if the decision is positive. You can obtain it in the commune as soon as it is ready.