Belgium’s Federal Public Service (FPS) Interior confirmed on 3 August 2026 that all legacy paper-format Belgian identity cards and older residence cards that lack a machine-readable zone (MRZ) are now invalid for travel or identification purposes. The announcement brings Belgium into line with Regulation (EU) 2019/1157, which set 3 August 2026 as the final date by which EU Member States had to withdraw documents that do not meet the bloc’s minimum security standards. Although Belgian municipalities stopped issuing paper cards in 2009, tens of thousands of long-term residents, frontier workers and retired expatriates were still using the ageing documents for intra-Schengen travel. From today, travellers presenting a non-compliant card at Brussels Airport or land borders will be refused boarding or fined and directed to request an electronic e-ID. Airlines and ferry operators received an updated ‘document alert’ overnight via the EU’s PRADO system, prompting several carriers to post last-minute reminders on their websites. Corporate mobility managers have been advised to run an urgent audit of employees’ identity documents. The FPS Interior said that employers sponsoring “single permit” holders or EU ICT transferees must ensure the workers hold either an e-ID, a residence card that follows the post-2021 EU uniform layout, or a valid passport. Foreign family members who hold the pre-2021 “F” or “F+” cards must also renew if their card expires after 3 August 2026. Replacement appointments can be booked online, but waiting times in Brussels and Antwerp communes already exceed six weeks. The change has practical knock-on effects for business travel. Because Belgian e-ID cards are recognised as secure travel documents inside the Schengen Area, travellers who relied on the older cards will now need a passport until they obtain the new biometric version. HR teams are therefore bracing for a short-term spike in urgent passport requests and possible trip postponements. Travel risk advisers also warn that neighbouring countries may run targeted spot checks in the coming days to catch out non-compliant travellers. Looking ahead, Belgium says it is on track to complete the next phase of document modernisation: integrating national e-ID cards with the EU Digital Identity Wallet by 2028. For now, however, the immediate priority is to replace the remaining stock of invalid documents and ensure a smooth transition for residents and cross-border workers.
