Advocates Call for Streamlined Family Reunification Process in Belgium

In its latest report, the Federal Migration Center Myria expressed its concerns about Belgium’s compliance with the family reunification procedure. For its director, Koen Dewulf, in a statement to Belga, states must facilitate access to family reunification but on the ground, the situations are extremely long and complex.

"There is sometimes a certain rigidity," explained the official, specifying that the documents and procedures required of applicants can prove insurmountable, especially when the application must be made at a diplomatic post abroad. Faced with these constraints, the center has called for urgent measures. "We are asking that the filing of files be allowed electronically," said Dewulf.

According to the figures contained in the report, 15,317 long-stay visas for family reunification were granted in 2021, or 43% of all long-stay visas issued. This rate represents a 29% increase compared to 2020, a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic. Of these more than 15,000 visas, two-thirds concerned family reunification with a third-country national and 33% with a Belgian or European citizen.