The next free webinar on Brexit issues from the Commissioner.Brussels Expat Welcome Desk will be on Monday 22 May from 12h00 to 13h30 and will cover the various routes open to UK citizens to obtain Belgian citizenship post Brexit.
Since Brexit, acquiring Belgian nationality has become increasingly appealing to UK citizens resident in the country. Becoming Belgian not only offers a route to unconditional residence and democratic rights in Belgium, but also restores your rights as an EU citizen — including freedom of movement - within the rest of the EU.
After a certain period of residence in Belgium, adult UK citizens residing in Belgium can acquire Belgian nationality if they meet specific eligibility requirements. There are various routes to citizenship, each with their own conditions. British children can also acquire Belgian nationality, but they have access to a different set of possible routes with their own specific rules.
In recent years, a number of questions have arisen regarding the eligibility of UK citizens for Belgian citizenship, in particular in light of issues related to their residence status (for example, as holders of Special Identity Cards) or to their employment status (for example, as posted workers or EU civil servants).
This webinar will outline the general eligibility conditions and process for Belgian nationality, while focusing on some of the questions that have arisen for UK citizens. Some insights into the latest developments in practice and in case law will also be shared and there will be an opportunity to ask questions after the presentations.
The webinar will be chaired by Amélie Bovy, Legal Adviser Welcome Desk, commissioner.brussels and the speakers will be Wout Van Doren and Jana Schellemans from Fragomen Brussels and Anthony Valcke, Avocat au Barreau de Bruxelles and a professor of Law and Migration Law at Vesalius College and the University of Kent amongst other roles.
To register for this webinar send an email to inscription@commissioner.brussels stating the name and/ or date of the webinar. A link to access the webinar will then be sent to you before the event. By registering, you will consent to be added to the UK Citizens in Brussels newsletter from commissioner.brussels.
The following webinar in this series will discuss the options for bringing family members to live with you in Belgium and will take place on Thursday 22 June 2023.
