Europe in Brussels part 25: The new Belgians

Fireworks will light up the night sky on 21 July as 9.97 million Belgian citizens celebrate their national day. While Belgian nationality is by chance of birth for some, for others it is a choice.

Among those celebrating this Friday will be 2,117 foreign citizens who have been naturalised Belgian in the past year - a figure that is four times lower than a decade ago, when more relaxed rules were in place. The highest number of successful applications for naturalisation came from citizens of Morocco, DR Congo, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.

According to a Europe-wide study by the Migration Policy Group, three out of four long-term migrants ultimately obtain their host country's nationality. Among foreigners living in Belgium for more than 20 years, 82% have acquired Belgian citizenship. So what is it that motivates expats to go native?

'I think I'm starting to like this country'

Barbaros Corekoglu is a Turk recently turned Belgian. He came to Brussels nine years ago to pursue a master's degree after working in his native country with an NGO promoting EU values in Turkey.

While jobs and other opportunities kept him in Belgium, Corekoglu says it took some time to really feel Belgian. "I think after the fifth year I was like: OK, I think I'm starting to like this country - because you get to know how things work, you get to have local friends and you start developing habits."

Last year, Corekoglu decided to take a leap and apply for citizenship. He says the process wasn’t exactly quick and easy. “I handed in my first set of documents in December. It took a while, you know what happens in Belgium,” he says. “Then they forgot to call me so I called on the first of February and that's when I signed the paper stating I would submit myself to the constitution of Belgium and human rights and five months later I was made Belgian.”

Now that his Belgian citizenship is official, Corekoglu said he finds plenty of reasons to be proud of his new identity. "What's great about Belgium is that it lets you live the life you want to, you're free to do whatever you want and to be whoever you want," he says proudly.

"Brussels is growing and developing ever day. I think the more people becoming Belgian, foreigners becoming Belgian, they bring their own uniqueness, their own tastes and I see the benefits of it."

'My heart is British. I'm administratively Belgian'

Briton Adam Barlow moved to Belgium as an 11-year-old boy in 1977 and has now been living here continually since 1996. For him, it was the UK's referendum to leave the European Union that triggered his application to become Belgian.

"The thought of becoming a Belgian national had never really crossed my mind until the day after the referendum," he says. "What would I do here as a non-European? Would I need a work permit, a visa to live here?

"I consider Belgium my home, but I am also very disappointed with the lack of voting power we expat UK citizens have overseas. I am now Belgian, European, and happy to be so, but what does it mean? My heart is still British. I'm administratively Belgian."

Tom Huddleston, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Group, is an American turned Belgian. "I came to Brussels because I personally believe a lot in the future of Europe," he says. "There's a lot of energy, a lot of ideas of social justice, a great history to carry on and I wanted to be part of that.

"I saw Brussels as my home, I settled down, I became a Belgian citizen myself, I voted in the elections. I personally believe that it's really important to become politically active in the place where you live."

Belgian not-for-profit association Objectif provides free advice and information sessions on the administrative procedure behind applying for Belgian nationality. To find out more, check the criteria at www.allrights.be - and read this recent Bulletin article on how it works.

Of course, it is not just Belgian passport-holders who will be taking part in this Friday's display of national pride. Expats feel proud to call this country their home - as is evidenced by two British musicians who have brought out an ode to Belgium just in time for the 21 July celebrations.

Mark Baxter and Martin Watson, two of the 18-strong amateur blues/rock band the Manneken Pistols, hope their catchy, jazzy tune will help inform people abroad about Belgium and Belgian accomplishments.

"Foreigners know about Justine Henin, Jacques Brel, Eddie Merckx and René Magritte, but probably think they are French, or else just vaguely European," says Baxter. "Part of the reason is that Belgians are very modest and don’t go around boasting about the accomplishments of their fellow countrymen and women. Sadly, we had to leave out some people worthy of inclusion - it was just too difficult to come up with good rhymes for their names."