You can demonstrate your family relationship or partnership with official documents, such as:

• a marriage certificate
• a birth certificate
• an extract from the Civil Registry
• a declaration of legal cohabitation
• …

If you have a foreign document, you may need to submit a certified copy of the legalised original. A foreign document drawn up in a language other than German, English, French or Dutch must be translated by a sworn translator.

If you are unable to prove the family relationship or partnership on the basis of official documents, other valid proof may be taken into account. If necessary, the Immigration Office may invite you for an interview or carry out any other investigations that are necessary to establish the family relationship or partnership (e.g. DNA analysis).

Legislation

Article 40bis, §2 of the Act of 15 December 1980 on access to the territory, residence, settlement and removal of foreign nationals.

Article 44 of the Royal Decree of 8 October 1981 on access to the territory, residence, settlement and removal of foreign nationals.

Support Service

Immigration Office

02/793.80.00

infodesk [at] ibz.fgov.be

Information services survey