The publication of the Law of 18 July 2025 in Belgium marks the entry into force of a measure already well known to the general public.
Since 29 July 2025, a registration fee of EUR 1,000 (instead of EUR 150) must be paid for any application for Belgian nationality. This applies both to :
- applications submitted by way of a nationality declaration, and
- applications for Belgian naturalisation addressed to the Naturalisation Committee of the House of Representatives (possibly via a municipal administration).
In addition, in the future, the registration fee will be indexed annually as from 1 January 2026.
Some questions still arise due to the fact that the Law did not provide for any transitional provisions. The Ministry of Finance has therefore announced, in accordance with the general rules on transitional law, that the date of payment must be taken into account in order to assess whether an application is complete on this point.
Accordingly, anyone who made a payment of EUR 150 (for example via MyMinfin.be) before 29 July 2025 and obtained proof of payment (receipt) will not be required to make an additional payment, even if the application or declaration is submitted after that date, regardless of whether or not the file is complete.
It should nevertheless be recalled that applications for recovery of Belgian nationality, for former Belgians who lost their nationality, remain, fortunately, free of charge.
Céline Verbrouck
Founding Lawyer, Altea
Specialist in Immigration Law and Nationality Law
www.altea.be
+32(0)2/894.45.70