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''Special" ID card to ''normal'' one.

Question

I'm curious to know how long people have had to wait to be allowed to get a normal Belgian ID when giving in their ''Special'' one.

I know one person who got theirs immediately, but I have to wait 5 months from first application before I can give the commune a photo for a card (assuming I'm not denied a Belgian ID card).

The only difference between our situations is that we live in different communes. We are both British, both working and paying taxes in Belgium, both been here for nearly 2 decades, both married to EU employees (hence the special ID card).

I'm hoping there are other people who have applied for Belgian ID cards in the last year, having had ''special'' ones previously, who can let me know whether they had to wait or not in their communes. I live in Tervuren.

And was anyone actually refused a normal ID card?

DS

Any idea on how much is the avg. wait time after the application of Belgian Nationality.? taking my case, 4 month wait time is over, still no news/update.

Feb 5, 2017 01:04
LLL

@DS
Both my husband and I have successfully applied for nationality in the last 7 months. For both of us the wait time was 4 months plus 1 week. 4 months for us to be accepted and then a few days/1 week for the commune to notify us by letter. I would suggest you go to your commune and ask. They will be able to advise you.

Feb 6, 2017 08:50
DS

@LLL Thanks. I just got the letter from commune to visit them for the application of Belgian ID card. Extra Question: After getting my Belgian ID, I can be able to request for Belgian Passport? or it comes automatically?

Feb 7, 2017 13:24
becasse

You go to the commune to request a Belgian passport, but if you only intend to travel in Europe (and to certain other countries) you have no need for one because your new Belgian eID card is the only identity document you need.

If in the future that card becomes insufficient for travel to the UK, you still wouldn't need a passport because a UK citizen always has the right of entry - a photocopy of the relevant page of your last UK passport would be sufficient to prove your entitlement (even if the UKBF official would have preferred you to have had a document with a chip). (The return journey could, of course, still be made using your Belgian card.)

Feb 7, 2017 21:32
LLL

@DS
Congratulations :)

Feb 9, 2017 10:34
katie

Changing from Special to Normal used to be straightforward, it no longer is for Brits. Unfortunately now if you have not paid taxes for 5 years in Belgium you are not automatically allowed to stay here. Obviously for other nationalities life goes on as before.

Feb 9, 2017 12:13
katie

Changing from Special to Normal used to be straightforward, it no longer is for Brits. Unfortunately now if you have not paid taxes for 5 years in Belgium you are not automatically allowed to stay here. Obviously for other nationalities life goes on as before.

Feb 9, 2017 12:14
DS

Thank you @LLL and @ BECASSE for the exact information. :)

Feb 12, 2017 17:05
Drifter

I waited for 6 months to get it in 2012. I do not know if it is different now.

Feb 13, 2017 17:35
Pb

Thank you for all your responses. I learnt a lot!

And I've found out that I will be allowed to have a foreigners (ie eID) Belgian ID card. I'm not sure what factors contributed to getting it .... but perhaps working for a Belgian company was enough. Rules change all the time and some years ago when I worked here I HAD to have an ID card in order to work. But this time I did not, hence there was no need to get one.

I'm curious to know whether this eID card is valid proof of identity throughout Schengen, or only in Belgium.

Feb 14, 2017 11:28

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