Citizens Guides for Foreign Residents of Belgium

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Citizens Guides for Foreign Residents of Belgium

Citizens of the USA, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia living in Belgium can access information from the Consular sections of their relevant Embassies.

Click on the appropriate link below to access the home page of each of these four embassies in Brussels.

• US Citizens
• UK Citizens
• Canadian Citizens
• Australian Citizens

US Citizens

The US Citizens Service consular section provides passport services, registration of births, information on visas, Federal benefits, notary services, voting information, as well as offering emergency assistance to American citizens in distress. The consular section of the Embassy also has a Volunteer Embassy & Consulate Tax Assistance Programme (VECTA). Volunteers can provide assistance with the preparation of US income tax returns.

• For information about VECTA: Click here 
• For comprehensive information about the services that the Embassy provides: Click here

The US Embassy website has useful information for US residents in Belgium about driving licences, marriage and death.

• Embassy of the United States of America
  American Citizens Unit
  At: Boulevard du Régent/Regentlaan 25, B-1000 Brussels
  Tel: 02 508 21 96 / 23 78 / 23 82
  Special Consular Services Tel: 02 508 23 83 / 28 78 / 23 85
  After hours Tel: 02 508 21 11 (ask to be connected to the duty officer)
  Fax: 02 513 04 09
  Open: Monday to Thursday 13:30-16:30 Friday 09:00-12:00
  e-mail
  Website
• For information from the Belgian Embassy in the United States: Click here
• US citizens resident in Belgium are eligible to vote in American elections. See AngloINFO INFOrmation page Voting in US elections

UK Citizens

The British Embassy of Belgium has up-to-date news on matters relating to Belgian-English relations, as well as much information on trade and investment between Belgium and the UK.

The British Embassy and Consulate offers many services to British citizens in Belgium. These include:

• Registering births and deaths and issuing certified copies of certificates
• Certifying documents
• Providing information about transferring funds
• Providing help for those who are victim of a crime or in hospital
• Providing contact details of lawyers, interpreters and translators
• The British Embassy website also provides Travel Advice: Click here

Passport services for British residents in Belgium are available from the Switzerland-Benelux-France Passport Service at the British Consulate-General in Paris.

• Passport Enquiries Tel: 070 271 269 between 09:00 and 12:30 
• Switzerland-Benelux-France Passport Service
  At: British Consulate General
  BP111-08
  75363 Paris CEDEX 08
  France
  Website

The website has a section on using mobile phones in Belgium, provides advice to lorry drivers and has information on overseas voting. The British Embassy is near the Schuman area and visitors are recommended to come by taxi or public transport (Metro Maalbeek Station). The Consular section is at a separate location. 

• British Embassy
  At: Rue d'Arlon 85/Aarlenstraat, 1040 Brussels
  Tel: 02 287 62 11
  Political Section Tel: 02 287 63 55
  Press and Public Diplomacy Section Tel: 02 287 63 60
  Trade and Investment Section Tel: 02 287 62 40
  Fax: 02 287 62 70
  Open: 09:00-17:30, Monday to Friday, excluding British Embassy holidays
  Outside normal working hours there is a 24-hour emergency consular service for British citizens. Call the standard Embassy number. The call will automatically be transferred
  e-mail
  Website
• British Consulate-General 
  At: 8th Floor, Avenue des Nerviens 9-31

Canadian Citizens

Of particular note is the fact that the Canadian Embassy in Brussels does not provide immigration and visa services.
All immigration matters for citizens and residents of Belgium and Luxembourg are dealt with exclusively by the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

• To access the Canadian Embassy in Paris website: Click here
• For information about the services that the Canadian Embassy in Belgium provides: Click here
• Canadian Embassy
  At: Avenue de Tervueren 2, 1040 Brussels
  Tel: 02 741 0611
  Fax: 02 741 0643
  Open: General office: Monday to Friday 09:00-12:30 and 13:30-17:00, consular services: Monday to Friday 09:00-12:00 (by appointment only)
  Website
• For information from the Belgian Embassy in Canada: Click here

Australian Citizens

Services provided for Australian citizens by the Australian Embassy in Belgium include:

• Issuing emergency passports
• Providing travel advice
• Witnessing and certifying signatures
• Providing a list of doctors and lawyers

The Consular section of the website has information on working in Belgium, drivers' licences, social security and more. See the section Services for Australians.

• Australian Embassy
  At: Rue Guimard/Guimardstraat, 6-8 1040 Brussels
  Open: Monday to Friday 08.30–17.00
  Tel: 02 286 05 00
  Fax: 02 231 07 88
  e-mail 
  Website
• For information from the Belgian Embassy in Australia: Click here

The Southern Cross Group is a global organisation that exists to "Promote mobility in the Global Community", and communicate with expatriated Australians throughout the world. Its work includes lobbying for changes in laws that improve or simplify the life of Australians abroad. The website has detailed information on the legal and practical aspects of: citizenship, voting, visas, health insurance, taxation and more.

• The Southern Cross Group
• The Southern Cross Group in Belgium

1208CR