Belgium’s Interior Ministry has begun issuing a new high-security “Attestation d’Immatriculation” to foreign nationals who have applied for residence but have not yet received their formal permit. The reform, announced on 28 September, replaces the long-standing orange paper certificate with a polycarbonate card that incorporates the same anti-counterfeiting features found on Belgian ID cards and passports. Each card carries a unique serial number and is linked to a central database that immigration officials and police can access in real time. Until now, communes kept disparate paper registers, making it harder to verify authenticity and opening the door to document fraud. The digitised system will automatically record issuance, renewals, loss or theft, and changes in legal status, giving the Immigration Office an up-to-date national overview for the first time. For employers and universities that routinely host third-country nationals while their long-stay visa or single-permit applications are pending, the upgrade provides a faster, more reliable way to check work and residence entitlements. HR teams should update onboarding procedures: photocopies of the old orange form will no longer be accepted once stocks are exhausted. Police will also be able to scan the new card during identity checks, reducing the risk that legitimate applicants are detained over doubts about paperwork. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin called the change “a leap forward in both security and efficiency.” Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt added that centralisation would cut red tape for local administrations. The roll-out starts immediately for new applicants; existing holders will transition when they renew. While the reform targets fraud, it also signals Belgium’s broader push to digitise immigration workflows, following the May 2026 launch of the online ‘Working in Belgium’ single-permit portal.
Source: The Brussels Times
