When you arrive in Belgium you are required to complete certain administrative formalities, including registration in the commune where you live. How do you go about this? What are the various steps involved? What effect can this have on other rights and obligations? The Expat Welcome Desk explains everything...
It is important to distinguish between the concepts of "domicile" and "residence".
Domicile is freely chosen and results from the combination of a material element and an intentional element. The material element is the "principal establishment" of a person. In other words, it is the place where a person has his home, where he works, and where his wealth, family relationships and permanent attachments are centred. The intentional element is the will to establish oneself in this place and this intention is demonstrated by the express declaration made in the commune.
On the other hand, residence is the place where a person actually lives. No criterion of intention is required to determine residence and a person may have more than one. Residence can be proven by any legal means because it is a concept of fact.
However, one can have only one principal residence and it is this one which is taken into account from an administrative point of view, including registration in the commune.
In order to be entered in the commune registers and to have your principal residence recorded, you must make a specific request to the commune authorities and justify the reason for your request (work, family reunification, job-seeker, holder of sufficient resources, etc.).
The Brussels-Capital Region consists of 19 communes (municipalities) and each one has its own way of operating. Depending on the commune, you can make an appointment with the “service for foreigners” to submit your residence application either on the commune website, by telephone or by visiting the commune’s administrative centre. You should enquire beforehand because the documents you need to provide will differ depending on your status and nationality.
IMPORTANT: as of 1 September 2025, European citizens and their family members must provide a complete file in order to validly submit an ‘application for a registration certificate’ (Annex 19/Annex 19ter) at their first appointment at the municipality; otherwise, the application cannot be processed.
After this first appointment at the commune, you will be given an attachment (it differs depending on whether you are an EU or non-EU citizen) as well as your provisional national register number. This number consists of 11 digits, starting with your date of birth in reverse order. This number is used to identify you in the Belgian system and is needed to complete various administrative formalities.
In order to establish residence – in other words, to verify that a person actually lives at the address indicated as their main residence – the commune will ask the police (a local officer) to carry out an investigation (2nd step). To be actually living at the address given to the commune at the time of registration is therefore the one and only condition for residence.
If the local officer's report is positive, the commune will register the person concerned as having the right to residence in one of the civil status registers. The commune will then call you back to finalise your registration.
For more detailed information on the practical steps and information required for registration in your commune, we invite you to read the section “Residence formalities” on our website.
Registering with the commune where you live is compulsory from a legal point of view, but it also affects your rights; here are a few examples.
In order to receive child benefits, the only common criterion with the various federated entities is the child's right of residence, which is confirmed by his or her registration in the Belgian national register. It is therefore compulsory to register your child with a Belgian commune in order to receive child benefits.
Similarly, if you want to open a bank account you must provide proof of your identity and prove with an official document (for example, a certificate from your commune) that your principal residence is in Belgium.
Registration with the commune is also required in order to register with a mutual insurance company and thereby have your medical costs reimbursed.
To obtain a parking permit to park in your street, your commune will ask you for proof of your registration. The registration of your vehicle in Belgium can also only be completed on the basis of your commune registration.
Once registered with the commune, you will receive your annual tax declaration form and will be presumed to be a Belgian tax resident.
Finally, you will also be entitled to vote in local and/or European elections under certain conditions.
For more information
Registration and Reporting Requirements (General Information) – FPS Interior
Contact your commune of residence or visit their website.
The Expat Welcome Desk is here to help you during this period! Do not hesitate to contact us by telephone (T +32 (0)2 430 66 00) or email (expat@commissioner.brussels).
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