Applying for or renewing an electronic residence card

What is it about?

Non-Belgians (including children under 12) with temporary or permanent residence rights of more than 3 months must apply for an electronic residence card.

Depending on your residence status, you will receive a specific type of card. The type of card is indicated with a letter, displayed on the front or back of the card.

Overview of the different electronic residence cards (Dutch).

Are you new to Belgium? Then you must follow a different procedure.

What are the conditions?

• You are not a Belgian.
• You want to live in Belgium for more than 3 months.
• Your residence right is approved.
• For a child under 12, you must prove parental authority over the child.

How much does it cost?

If you apply for a residence card for more than one child under 12 at the same time via the urgent procedure, the cost from the second card onwards is 106 euro. Preferably pay contactless.

What do I need?

When applying for your residence card

• Your current residence card. If your residence card is stolen or lost, bring a loss certificate (you need to get this from the police).
• Passport or identity card.

We take passport photos at the counter and do not accept photos brought in.

However, you should bring a passport photo if:

• Your child is younger than 3 years old.
• Your child is older than 3 years old but cannot sit still independently.
   

When collecting the residence card

• Your old residence card or the replacement certificate.
• The pin and puk codes you received at home.

When applying for and collecting your residence card, you must provide fingerprints. Therefore, you cannot apply for or collect a card on behalf of someone else. Adults and children from 12 years old must collect their own residence card.

If you urgently need your residence card, you must use the urgent procedure.

What are the steps?

How to apply for your first electronic residence card?

First, complete the entire registration process. Sometimes you will first receive an orange card (certificate of registration) or a paper residence document (e.g., appendix 15). With a positive decision, you can apply for a residence card.

Make an appointment with Migration

How to do this?

• Online
• At the reception of Gentinfo in the Stadskantoor or in the service centres of Gentbrugge, Sint-Amandsberg, Nieuw-Gent or Wondelgem
• Call Migration at 09 266 71 50

How to renew your electronic residence card?

If you have a type A residence card, you must make an appointment with Migration or use the e-form on your own initiative.

If you already have an electronic residence card, you will receive a postal invitation to renew it.

Make an appointment with Migration

How to do this?

• Online
• At the reception of Gentinfo in the Stadskantoor or in the service centres of Gentbrugge, Sint-Amandsberg, Nieuw-Gent, or Wondelgem
• Call Migration at 09 266 71 50

When can you renew your electronic residence card?

• Apply for renewal between the 45th and 30th day before the expiry date of your current card.
• For a type A residence card, we can only renew your card after approval from the Immigration Office, which may take some time. If the Immigration Office has not made a decision before your card’s expiry date, you are entitled to a temporary paper residence document.

You must renew your residence card yourself. Someone else can only do this on your behalf for medical reasons. Contact Migration for assistance.

At the application and collection of your residence card, you must provide fingerprints.

Collecting your electronic residence card

A few weeks after applying for your residence card, you will receive a letter with your codes by post.

If you applied for your residence card at the Stadskantoor, you can collect it immediately. If you applied for it at a service centre, you will wait an additional week.

You collect your residence card at the location where you applied for it.

• At the collection counter of Civil Affairs in the City Office and in the service centres of Sint-Amandsberg, Gentbrugge, Nieuw-Gent, and Wondelgem, without an appointment.
• At the district office Rabot by appointment.

You have to collect your residence card within 3 months of your application. After that, it will be destroyed.

Collecting electronic residence cards applied for via urgent procedure

If you applied for your residence card via the urgent procedure, you must always collect it at the Civil Affairs collection counter in the City Office. You will be notified by phone and email when your residence card and codes are available.

Delivery time of residence cards in urgent procedure

Different rules apply on public holidays.

Are there exceptions?

Persons unable to provide fingerprints or sign

If you need to apply for a new residence card and cannot provide fingerprints or sign due to immobility or other reasons, contact Civil Affairs - Migration. You must provide a medical certificate no older than one month.

Exceptions to passport photo requirements

For medical reasons, such as chemotherapy, you may request an exception to passport photo requirements. You must provide a medical certificate. After your medical treatment, you can apply for a new residence card with a new photo at your own expense.