- How can you get Belgian citizenship?
- Naturalization in Belgium
- Simplified procedure for obtaining Belgian citizenship
The answer to the question of how to obtain Belgian citizenship will probably be one of the easiest when comparing the same process in neighboring countries, members of the European Union. Experts in the field of international law note that today one of the most liberal laws on citizenship is in force in this state.
The main normative legal act governing the issues of admission to citizenship, refusal or return is based on a mixed principle. In the Kingdom of Belgium, the right of blood is valid, at the same time the right of land is valid, this allows a child born of the citizens of this country to obtain the rights of a citizen, or a person who has proven ethnicity. In this material, we will consider in more detail what methods of obtaining citizenship are offered by Belgian legislation, what conditions it imposes on potential applicants.
How can you get Belgian citizenship?
In terms of admission to citizenship, Belgian legislation operates in line with global trends; there are different ways and mechanisms to obtain citizenship of this country. The most famous are the following: by birth; by the law of the land; by origin; through naturalization.
Not all children born on the territory of the Kingdom of Belgium automatically acquire the rights of a citizen. Only those whose parents have the rights of a Belgian citizen can go through the procedure quickly and easily. If they do not have such rights, then two options are possible, the first - the child receives the citizenship of the parents (or one of them). Option two - the possibility of obtaining Belgian citizenship, however, this requires some conditions, including: lack of citizenship at the time of birth (impossibility of establishing it); stateless parents have lived in Belgium for five years (out of the last ten); adoption / adoption.
Moreover, the last point applies equally to cases when the child is adopted by citizens of Belgium, and when the parents are not citizens of this state in the full sense of the word, but live in the territory (it takes five years out of the last ten).
Naturalization in Belgium
The method of obtaining citizenship of the Kingdom of Belgium through naturalization is again one of the easiest in the European Union. One of the main conditions is the number of years lived in the country, Belgian legislation has established the shortest period in Europe - only three years. An even shorter period of permanent residence in the country is necessary for persons who do not have any citizenship or are officially recognized as refugees.
There is another attractive point - it is not necessary to live in Belgium itself, it is important to prove that the potential applicant for citizenship has maintained genuine ties with the state for the entire required period. Any written confirmation of this fact is taken into account by the immigration authorities when considering the issue of citizenship.
An important note for those immigrants who would like to obtain Belgian citizenship in connection with marriage - two conditions must be met, the first is to be married to a Belgian citizen for more than three years, permanently stay in the country for six months.
Simplified procedure for obtaining Belgian citizenship
The legislation of the Kingdom of Belgium has established a special (simplified) naturalization procedure for certain categories of potential citizenship seekers. It is based on a declaration that can be submitted by a person who has reached the age of majority, in the country this moment comes from the age of 18.
The law defines the factors influencing the passage of the accelerated procedure for admission to citizenship, for example, birth in Belgium itself or in the territories dependent on it, birth outside the country, but from a parent with Belgian citizenship. There is one drawback - you can submit a declaration only in Belgium, embassies, consulates do not accept such documents.
Since 2007, the kingdom has had regulations that regulate the process of maintaining dual citizenship. When obtaining the rights of a foreign citizen, a Belgian can retain the citizenship of his country, in some cases, if an international treaty is concluded between Belgium and another state.
Another important section of the Belgian citizenship law is related to the loss of the rights of a citizen of the state. A person can voluntarily renounce citizenship for one reason or another, for this you can send an appeal to the nearest consular mission or embassy. There is also a forced loss when a person takes the citizenship of another country. The same applies to Belgian citizens born abroad, residing there and not applying for citizenship.
