Reception and guidance
The CGRS is authorised to investigate applications for international protection.
The Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil) provides reception and guidance services for applicants. Fedasil manages the open reception centre and offers social, legal, medical and psychological guidance. After submitting the application, the applicant goes to the Fedasil's Dispatching Service in order to obtain reception and guidance.
Fedasil
Recognising stateless persons
The CGRS is responsible for granting refugee status or subsidiary protection status but does not recognise stateless persons.
From 1 September 2024, the law providing for a specific procedure for permission to stay on the grounds of statelessness came into force. An application for admission to stay on the grounds of statelessness is submitted directly to the Immigration Office (IO). If the IO decides to take the application into consideration, an opinion is then requested from the CGRS. On the basis of this opinion the IO will take a decision on the stay.
The procedure statelessness does not impinge on the jurisdiction of the family courts over applications for statelessness status. The two procedures exist side by side.
The CGRS supplies documents of civil status to recognised stateless persons.
Processing visa requests
The applicant applies personally to the Belgian embassy or consulate in the country where he resides. The Immigration Office (IO) processes the applications. The conditions depend on the type of visa that has been applied for.
FPS Foreign Affairs
The Immigration Office
Family reunification
The CGRS is not responsible for supplying a visa for family reunification for close family members or recognised refugees or persons with subsidiary protection status. They can apply for a visa for family reunification from the Belgian diplomatic post in the country where the family members live. The IO will further process the application.
FPS Foreign Affairs
The Immigration Office