Belgium

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Belgium is a highly developed and stable democracy with a modern economy. Tourist facilities are widely available.  Read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Belgium for additional information.

REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit Belgium, please take the time to tell the U.S. Embassy in Brussels about your trip.  If you check in, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency.  Here’s the link to the Department of State’s travel registration page.

Local embassy information is available below and at the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates.

U.S. Embassy Brussels, Belgium
27 Boulevard du Régent (the Consular Section is at 25 Boulevard du Régent)
B-1000 Brussels
Telephone: 011-32-2-811-4000 (available 24/7)
Consular Section Fax: 011-32-2-811-4546

ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS: Visit the Embassy of Belgium website for the most current visa information.  If you need additional information about entry requirements, including visas for employment or study in Belgium, you can contact the Embassy of Belgium at 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008, telephone (202) 333-6900, fax (202) 338-4960; or one of the Belgian Consulates General in Atlanta, Los Angeles, or New York.  Detailed contact information can be found on the Embassy of Belgium website.

Belgium is a party to the Schengen Agreement. This means that U.S. citizens may enter Belgium for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.  Your  passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.  You need sufficient funds and a return airline ticket. For additional details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schengen fact sheet.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Belgium.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.  For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information page.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Belgium has been largely free of terrorist incidents.  Belgian law enforcement and security officials, in close cooperation with neighboring countries, maintain a solid anti-terrorism effort and a peaceful environment for tourism and business.  Since Belgium belongs to the Schengen Agreement on free cross-border movement, its open borders might allow the possibility for terrorist groups to enter/exit the country with anonymity.

Prior police approval is required for all public demonstrations in Belgium, and police oversight is routinely provided to ensure adequate security for participants and passers-by; nonetheless, spontaneous demonstrations do take place in Belgium from time to time in response to world events or local developments.  Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can become violent and unpredictable; you should avoid them if at all possible. Be alert and aware of your surroundings, and pay attention to what the local news media have to say. In general, larger public demonstrations are announced on the Demonstration Notices page within the U.S. Embassy Brussels website.

Stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution.

You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the U.S. and Canada, or call a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

Take appropriate measures to improve your personal security.  Here are some useful tips for traveling safely abroad.

CRIME: Belgium remains relatively free of violent crime, but low-level street crime is common.  You should always be watchful and aware of their surroundings.  Muggings, purse snatchings, and pocket picking occur frequently, particularly in the major cities.  Thieves often loiter in transportation hubs like the Metro (subway) and train stations to take advantage of disoriented travelers.  In Brussels, pocket picking, purse snatching, and theft of light luggage and laptops are common at the three major train stations -- the North Station (Noordstation or Gare du Nord), the Central Station (Centraal Station or Gare Central), and especially the South Station (Zuidstation or Gare du Midi, the primary international train hub).  We advise you to pay particularly close attention to your personal belongings when in Metro and train stations. One ploy that thieves employ is to distract you by spraying shaving cream or another substance on you.  Another trick is for the thief to ask you for directions while an accomplice steals your luggage.  It is a good idea to hold onto your  hand luggage at all times, and not to place carry-on luggage on overhead racks in trains.

Another growing problem, especially in Brussels, is theft from vehicles, both moving and parked.  Do not leave valuables in plain sight where a thief may spot them.  Thieves will sometimes position themselves at traffic lights to scan for valuables in stopped cars.  If they see a purse or other valuable item, they break the window and steal the item before you have time to react.  Expensive car stereos and GPS navigational devices left in plain sight are often stolen from parked cars.  Always drive with your windows up and doors locked.   During the last year there have been a number of parked cars destroyed by home-made incendiary devices.  Whenever possible, park your car in secure areas or parking garages.    

You should be aware that small groups of young men sometimes prey on unwary tourists, usually at night and often in metro stations in Brussels.  These thieves typically seek small, high-value items such as mobile phones and MP3 players. You should carry only a minimum amount of cash, credit cards, and necessary personal identification (see Special Circumstances, below, for acceptable forms of identification).  We advise U.S. citizens to avoid wearing expensive jewelry and watches.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.  Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, you may be breaking local law too. 

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate (see the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates).   If your passport is stolen, we can help you replace it.  For violent crimes such as assault and rape, we can help you find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends, and help them send you money if necessary.  Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime are solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you understand the local criminal justice process and find an attorney if needed.

The Belgian “Commission for financial assistance to victims of intentional acts of violence” provides financial compensation, under specific circumstances, for victims of crime and for those who have suffered injuries and consequent loss caused by such incidents.  The fund also provides for dependents or immediate family members of homicide victims.  For more information, contact the Commission by phone at +32 2 542-7208; + 32 2 542-7218; + 32 2 542-7224; + 32 2 542-7229, or +32 2 542-7244; by e-mail at Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann. or Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist gegen Spambots geschützt! JavaScript muss aktiviert werden, damit sie angezeigt werden kann. ; or visit the Ministry website (French, Dutch and German only).

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Belgium is 101 for emergencies requiring police assistance.  For all other emergencies, please dial 112.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.  Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.   In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.  In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.  In some places, driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.   These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.  There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but  illegal in the United States while you are overseas, U.S. laws don’t apply; however, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods or engage in child pornography.  If you do something illegal in your host country, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.  It’s very important to know what is legal and what is not where you are going. 

Persons violating Belgian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.  Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Belgium are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Belgian law requires that everyone carry official identification at all times.  This ID must be displayed upon request to any Belgian police official. U.S. citizens who are not residents of Belgium will need to present a U.S. passport.

While most monetary transactions are available (cash, credit cards), U.S. money orders cannot be negotiated in Belgium.  Personal checks may only be cleared through a bank at which a person holds an account, and clearance can take two to four weeks.  Banks and exchange facilities may refuse U.S. dollar denominations of $50 and $100 if they are not equipped with devices to identify counterfeit currency. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are widespread in Belgium and accept most U.S. ATM cards for fund withdrawals.  If you want to to purchase Euros, you are likely to find a more favorable exchange rate at banks than at money exchange facilities located at tourist locations, train stations, and airports.

Non-EU citizens visiting Belgium and staying in a private residence must register with local Commune authorities within three days of their arrival.  U.S. citizen travelers must request any change in visa or resident status through Commune authorities.  They must complete any such request prior to the expiration of the current status.  You should note that given the substantial requirements to change status, it is nearly impossible to do so within the 90 days permitted to remain in Belgium without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program.

Business visitor and employee registration requirement
Since April 1, 2007, non-Belgian employers and self-employed persons or their employees who carry out short-term assignments in Belgium must declare these activities in advance.

This mandatory "Limosa" declaration applies to: (1) Employees and apprentices who come to Belgium to execute certain temporary work and who, because of the nature of their short term assignment, are not subject to the Belgian social security system; (2) Self-employed individuals and self-employed apprentices who come to work in Belgium temporarily, irrespective of whether they are subject to the Belgian social security system.

Some exceptions to this general obligation exist.  Certain persons may be exempted, especially for short-term assignments.  For more information, please see the Limosa website. For more information about working in Belgium, please visit the web site of the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: High-quality medical facilities are widely available in Belgium.  The large university hospitals can handle almost every medical problem.  Hospitals in Brussels and Flemish-speaking Flanders typically have English-speaking staff.  Hospitals in French-speaking Wallonia, however, may not necessarily have staff members who are fluent in English.  The Embassy's Consular Section maintains a list of English-speaking doctors.

Helpful information on vaccinations and other health precautions can be found via the CDC website.  For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website.  The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel.  It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave.  You need to ask your insurance company two questions:

• Does my policy apply when I’m out of the U.S.?
• Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or an evacuation?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service.  Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors’ and hospital visits in other countries.  If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip.  For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Belgium’s road network is generally well built and maintained, but you may occasionally encounter potholes, even on principal roads.  Major highways are well lit at night, but rural roads are less likely to be illuminated at night.   Belgian rules for right-of-way differ from those in the U.S., and new drivers should thoroughly understand these rules before driving in Belgium.  For instance, traffic coming from the right generally has priority at uncontrolled intersections and roundabouts, even if coming from a smaller street.  The maximum speed limit on Belgian highways is 120 kilometers (72 miles) per hour, but is not always posted.  The maximum speed in urban areas is normally 50 km (30 miles) per hour.  While Belgian authorities strictly enforce speed limits, many Belgians still drive significantly faster than the posted limit. Claims of ignorance may not prevent a significant fine for speeding, which can also lead to the vehicle being impounded if the driver is unable to pay the fine on the spot.  Belgian police also conduct breath analysis checks for alcohol use, particularly at night and during major holidays. The legal limit for operating a motor vehicle is .05 percent (or 0.5 per mille) blood alcohol content.

Roadside assistance and information on road conditions are available in English from Touring Mobilis, tel: 02 286-3040.  Belgian police will also provide information on road conditions, tel: 02-642-6666. Emergency services are efficient and responsive.  For police emergencies, dial 101 by phone within Belgium.  For all other emergencies, dial 112.

For more information, please refer to our Road Safety page and the official website of the Belgian Tourism Office.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Belgium’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Belgium’s air carrier operations.  Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for Belgium dated December 2, 2009, to update all sections.