Population figures
Total country population
11,715,774
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
172,442
Asylum-seekers:
49,519
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
0
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
0
Host community
0
Others of concern to UNHCR
628
Country context
Belgium is a Western European country bordered by France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the North Sea. Major population centres include Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Liège, with the highest densities in the Flemish and Brussels-Capital regions. Individuals seeking international protection predominantly from conflict-affected contexts. The principal countries of origin in mid-2024 included Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, reflecting both regional instability and secondary movements within Europe. Asylum-seekers reside in community-based reception centres and private accommodation in urban areas—notably Brussels, Antwerp and Liège—rather than in formal camps, with support mechanisms provided through integrated housing schemes. There are no designated refugee camps; accommodation is arranged via reception networks operating within the existing municipal infrastructure.
Belgium is party to the principal international instruments governing forced displacement and statelessness. It acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, thereby assuming obligations to protect refugees within its territory; it is likewise bound by the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Domestically, the Aliens Act of 15 December 1980, supplemented by a Royal Decree of 8 October 1981, establishes the framework for entry, residence and removal of foreign nationals, including provisions for asylum application and status determination. International protection claims are processed by an independent Refugee Status Determination body, which assesses entitlement to refugee or subsidiary protection status under Belgian, European and international law.
...Asylum procedure and reception arrangements have undergone recent legal refinements. In 2023, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved the structure for a comprehensive Migration Code, intended to consolidate and streamline migration and asylum legislation. Procedural innovations include the authorization of remote (videoconference) interviews and expedited appeal timelines, aimed at reducing backlogs and enhancing efficiency.
Statelessness is addressed through judicial determination and recent legislative reform. Under current practice, courts assess statelessness claims on a case-by-case basis, applying the definition set out in the 1954 Convention. On 8 February 2024, the Federal Parliament adopted a law establishing a procedure for stateless persons to obtain a dedicated residence permit; this measure entered into force on 1 September 2024, providing a specific legal pathway to regularize status and access rights for recognized stateless individuals. Safeguards in the nationality code prevent deprivation of Belgian nationality in ways that would create statelessness, while birth registration protocols aim to secure nationality for children born on Belgian territory irrespective of parental status.
Major legal developments in recent years reflect both consolidation and targeted reform. The forthcoming Migration Code promises to unify fragmented statutes, codify procedural standards and incorporate non-refoulement and non-penalization principles. The entry into force of the stateless-persons residence permit law represents a positive advancement in aligning domestic law with international obligations on statelessness. At the same time, pressures on the reception system and procedural backlogs underscore the need for continued legislative and administrative adjustments to uphold timely access to protection and ensure compliance with treaty standards.
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