The Belgian Government Immigration Office website has today issued an update on the final steps being taken in the country to implement the Brexit withdrawal agreement, which regulates the situation for UK citizens already living and working in Belgium before 31 December 2020.

It foreseen that UK citizens will have a period up to 31 December 2021 to apply for a new residence card specifically for beneficiaries of the withdrawal agreement, i.e. those UK citizens and their family members who have declared their residency in Belgium by 31 December 2020. This application period also applies to applications for a card for local border traffic (cross-border work) for beneficiaries of the withdrawal agreement.

During the year-long application period, all (residence) rights of the British and their family members who already resided or worked in Belgium will be protected. 

E or F to M or N

During this period, you can continue to use your current (residence) documents (E,E+,F, and F+ cards). When you submit your application for the new status, you will also receive a certificate of application from the municipality which will cover your (residence) rights during the formal examination of your application.

More information will be available soon regarding the application procedure to be followed for submitting an application for the new residence card (M card) or as a frontier worker for a local border traffic card (N card). You will also be informed individually by letter of the procedure to be followed by your commune or other appropriate authority.