Belgium’s long-trailed migration reform package has finally entered into force, and for aspiring Belgians the price tag is striking. As of 19 February 2026, applicants for naturalisation must pay a €1,000 administrative fee, up from €150—a 560 percent jump that will be automatically indexed each year. The Interior Ministry argues that the higher fee reflects the true cost of processing and will encourage applicants to prepare their files thoroughly. Critics counter that the measure risks putting citizenship out of reach for lower-income migrants, undermining integration goals.
The programme law adopted in the summer of 2025 also ushers in the strictest family-reunification rules Belgium has seen in two decades. Sponsors must now demonstrate “stable and sufficient” income at 120 percent of the minimum wage and provide evidence of suitable housing before dependants’ visas are issued. Spouses and partners have to pass a basic civic-integration test within one year of arrival, or face a possible withdrawal of their residence permit. Children over 15 must enroll in school within 60 days.
For applicants unsure how to navigate these tougher rules, VisaHQ offers step-by-step guidance and document-checking services for Belgian visas and residence applications; its platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can flag missing paperwork early and streamline submissions, helping both individuals and employers avoid costly delays.
![Belgium Hikes Citizenship Fee to €1,000 and Tightens Family-Reunification Rules]()
Corporate mobility managers will need to budget the higher fee into long-term localisation or permanent-transfer packages and advise employees of longer document-gathering lead-times: birth certificates may not be older than six months at the time of filing. Immigration counsel also warn that stricter documentary scrutiny is already causing processing times to edge past the 12-month statutory window in major cities such as Brussels and Antwerp.
For global companies with multicultural workforces, the reforms introduce both costs and compliance risks. HR teams should review payroll data to confirm that staff hoping to reunite with family meet the new income thresholds and, where necessary, adjust gross-up policies. Multinationals that use Belgium as an EU hub may need to reconsider whether to rely on local permanent hires or on shorter assignment models that keep key talent on home-country contracts—especially as the €1,000 citizenship fee erodes the appeal of naturalisation as a retention tool.
The Belgian government insists that tougher rules are needed to curb what it calls “chain migration” and to ease pressure on social services. Yet NGOs point out that family-reunification numbers have been falling since 2022 and say the hike risks creating a two-tier system that favours wealthier newcomers. With federal elections due in June 2027, migration looks set to remain a polarising—and highly regulated—field.
The programme law adopted in the summer of 2025 also ushers in the strictest family-reunification rules Belgium has seen in two decades. Sponsors must now demonstrate “stable and sufficient” income at 120 percent of the minimum wage and provide evidence of suitable housing before dependants’ visas are issued. Spouses and partners have to pass a basic civic-integration test within one year of arrival, or face a possible withdrawal of their residence permit. Children over 15 must enroll in school within 60 days.
For applicants unsure how to navigate these tougher rules, VisaHQ offers step-by-step guidance and document-checking services for Belgian visas and residence applications; its platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can flag missing paperwork early and streamline submissions, helping both individuals and employers avoid costly delays.
Corporate mobility managers will need to budget the higher fee into long-term localisation or permanent-transfer packages and advise employees of longer document-gathering lead-times: birth certificates may not be older than six months at the time of filing. Immigration counsel also warn that stricter documentary scrutiny is already causing processing times to edge past the 12-month statutory window in major cities such as Brussels and Antwerp.
For global companies with multicultural workforces, the reforms introduce both costs and compliance risks. HR teams should review payroll data to confirm that staff hoping to reunite with family meet the new income thresholds and, where necessary, adjust gross-up policies. Multinationals that use Belgium as an EU hub may need to reconsider whether to rely on local permanent hires or on shorter assignment models that keep key talent on home-country contracts—especially as the €1,000 citizenship fee erodes the appeal of naturalisation as a retention tool.
The Belgian government insists that tougher rules are needed to curb what it calls “chain migration” and to ease pressure on social services. Yet NGOs point out that family-reunification numbers have been falling since 2022 and say the hike risks creating a two-tier system that favours wealthier newcomers. With federal elections due in June 2027, migration looks set to remain a polarising—and highly regulated—field.
