Travelling abroad? Here's what you need to know

Increasing numbers of Belgian citizens are choosing to live or travel abroad. Below is an overview of important points to consider when travelling as well as the services that our embassies and consulates can provide.
 

Belgians abroad in figures

Did you know that 546,896 Belgian citizens currently officially reside abroad? This is significantly more than three years ago, when this figure was 492,147. The increase is striking. What is more, Belgian citizens are travelling more and more, partly due to a renewed appetite for travel after the pandemic. Many people make several trips a year, both to distant destinations and to our neighbouring countries.
 

Always ready to help

This means that at any time of the year – but especially in the summer – many Belgians are staying abroad. Our embassies and consulates are on hand to provide assistance to them.

After all, problems can occur anywhere, even during a simple trip to a neighbouring country, such as the loss or theft of a passport. However, more serious situations, such as major accidents, missing persons, arrests, hospitalisations or deaths can also occur. In addition, crisis situations such as natural disasters (storms, floods, forest fires) or acts of terrorism are possible, even within Europe.
 

786 compatriots assisted

During the summer months from June to September 2024, our diplomatic missions provided assistance to 786 Belgian citizens. These were all complex cases that required a great deal of time and effort and did not include simple situations, such as the loss of a passport that was quickly resolved.
 

Who can assist you?

If you need assistance, you can contact the Belgian embassy or consulate in the country in which you are travelling or residing. In urgent cases, we can be reached outside of office hours via an emergency number. Contact information is available via our official channels.

If there is no Belgian post in the country, you can visit an embassy or consulate of another EU country. They can issue an Emergency Travel Document (ETD), for example. Note that not all countries and airlines accept this document.
 

What we can and cannot do

Although we will do our best to assist you, there are some limitations. For example, our diplomatic missions cannot intervene in financial issues, such as unpaid hotel bills, fines or medical expenses, nor can we arrange preferential treatment in hospitals or prisons.

In emergencies, however, we do offer assistance in returning to Belgium. In very exceptional cases and only when all other options have been exhausted, we can advance the cheapest airline ticket, provided the beneficiary signs an acknowledgement of debt and repays the amount later.
 

Limitations of consular assistance

Our embassies and consulates are ready to help Belgians abroad, but there are limits to what they can do. This applies, for example, to travellers to areas of armed conflict or other dangerous regions for which our FPS Foreign Affairs has issued negative travel advice. In such situations, consular assistance, despite all best efforts, unfortunately remains limited.
 

Help us help you more effectively

To facilitate our assistance, we ask that you have as much information and documents to hand as possible. Together, we will make sure that your journey can continue as smoothly as possible. Prepare well for your trip and know that we are here to support you in difficult situations!
 

Essential travel tips

Prepare well for your trip with these key tips:

1. Consult our travel advice
Our FPS Foreign Affairs provides detailed and up-to-date travel advice for each country. This information will help you prepare well for your trip. While the advice is not binding, it may affect your travel insurance. In areas with negative travel advice, you are often ineligible for consular assistance or insurance cover.

2. Register on Travellers Online
By registering on Travellers Online, you can inform our embassies and consulates of your whereabouts. This makes it easier to reach and support you in case of an emergency. You can fill in important details such as your travel insurance, contacts in Belgium, and passport information. All such information will be kept confidential. Our ability to get in touch with you more easily in turn makes it easier for us to reassure your family, if desired, on the home front.

3. Check your travel documents and requirements
Make sure your ID card, passport and any visas are in order. Note specific requirements, such as whether a passport must be valid for at least six months. Reliable information on this can be found on our website under the travel documents section. Avoid fraudulent websites by using only official sources.

4. Inform yourself about health regulations
Some countries require specific vaccinations or health measures. For details, consult our Health and Hygiene section and the travel advice for each country. That way, you can leave with peace of mind.

5. Be prepared for unexpected situations
Take copies of your travel documents with you and note important contact information, such as that of the nearest Belgian embassy or consulate. By following these tips, you can avoid many problems and be well prepared for a worry-free trip.

6. Take out adequate travel insurance
Choose comprehensive travel insurance that covers assistance, repatriation and hospitalisation. Keep in mind that many health insurance funds provide no or limited direct assistance in countries outside Europe, such as Thailand and the Philippines. See our Travel Insurance section for more information and make sure you leave well prepared.

7. Keep important phone numbers handy
Make sure you always have the contact details of family, friends, your tour operator, insurance company, health insurance fund, and bank with you. Note these not only in your smartphone, but also on a piece of paper you carry with you.

In the event of a serious situation in which you cannot arrange assistance yourself, you can contact the Belgian embassy or consulate in the country in which you are travelling or residing. Keep this phone number safe, too. An overview of all contact information can be found on our website.