This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Different rules apply for adoptions completed prior to 1988. To acquire Belgian nationality, you must be living with your Belgian spouse at the time of the application. That sounds great to me, too! One of the future spouses at the time of the solemnisation of the marriage has been domiciled in Belgium for over three months. Belgium is very affordable compared to its neighbouring countries, but still one of the richest nations in the world. Foreigners must meet the criteria for marriage in their home country, including age limits. London, United Kingdom Belgium is part of the SCHENGEN area. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. That person is definitely Belgian after one's majority if no change occurred. While in other countries similar terms are often used to describe couples living together or same-sex marriage (for example, ‘registered partnership’), in Belgium it indicates a shared residence and responsibilities, not necessarily a sexual relationship. Box 31037, College Square But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Because a large part of the country speaks Flemish and the other part French, most Belgians speak both of these languages as well as English. However, you cannot enter into a registered cohabitation if you are married or already in a registered cohabitation. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The one critical exception is parental rights, which apply automatically to a birth-mother’s spouse if he is male but not if she is female. If you are over 16 years of age and have been accepted into an approved educational institution you may be eligible for a Belgium Student visa. You must demonstrate to Belgian officials that they are not currently married to anyone else - either you have never been married or all divorces are finalized - that your identity is proven, and that you have never committed any crimes in Belgium. In some countries, in order to get married, the local authorities require a certificate of non-impediment. Foreigners cannot apply for Belgian citizenship through investments or marriage to a Belgian citizen. Space may be limited, but it is typically possible to bring 20 or so guests. Belgium citizenship or residency offers you access to a strong economy in a stable country at the heart of modern Europe. Search. You had to be registered as a citizen before the age of 5 OR your Belgian parent needs to have been born in Belgium or in Belgian Congo before 30th June 1960 or in Rwanda or Burundi before 1st July 1962. The QNI considers, in addition, to travel freedom on internal factors such as peace & stability, economic strength, and human development as well. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country. Further information can also be obtained by contacting: © 2016 FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [citation needed]. If you invest more than €350,000 in an existing Belgian business or incorporate a new Belgian company, you can apply for a residency visa that will allow you to live and work in Belgium. A person who voluntarily obtains another nationality after 28 April 2008 will no longer lose their Belgian nationality, regardless of the nationality acquired. The processes, ceremonies and rights for same-sex couples are nearly identical to those for heterosexual couples, so unless otherwise stated the information below applies to both. You can request this affidavit from the Federal Public Service Justice, Direction générale de la législation et des Libertés et Droits fondamentaux, Service Droit de la Famille, Boulevard de Waterloo 115, 1000 Brussels (tel: 02/542.65.11, email: secretariat.droitdelafamille@just.fgov.be). If neither spouse is domiciled in Belgium, or if the habitual residence of one of the spouses does not correspond to the place of residence, the marriage can be solemnised in the municipality of the habitual residence.