Europe

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Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• Up to 1.8 million British tourists visit Belgium every year (Source: UK Statistics Authority). Most visits are trouble-free. See General - Consular Assistance Statistics. If you need to contact the emergency services in Belgium call 112.
  
  
• Theft and pick pocketing is a problem in crowded areas.  You should take extra care, particularly of your belongings and passports, at all train stations in Brussels, but in particular at the Gare du Midi (Eurostar terminal) and Gare Du Nord in Brussels.  Try to avoid walking around these latter areas at night time, particularly if you are on your own.  See Safety and Security - Crime.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism

There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. The area around Brussels in particular hosts a number of international institutions (EU, NATO) which are sensitive locations.

See our terrorism abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime

Most visits to Belgium are trouble-free. The incidence of crimes such as mugging, bag snatching and pick pocketing is comparable with the UK but on the increase. You should take normal, common sense precautions to avoid becoming a victim.

Take only the minimum amount of cash, credit cards and personal ID necessary when you go out. As far as possible leave jewellery, other valuables and documents in a secure place (e.g. hotel safe deposit). Avoid carrying money, bank/credit cards and your passport in the same bag or pocket. For safety, leave a photocopy of your passport and itinerary with a contact in the UK. Enter next-of-kin details into the back of your passport.

In the event of theft, contact the nearest police station and obtain a police report. This report is mandatory when applying for a replacement passport or insurance claim. If you have difficulty reporting the theft of your cards to your UK bank/credit card company, you can ask the Belgian group 'Card Stop' to send a fax to your UK card company to block your card. Alternatively, if you have Belgian issued bank/credit cards, Card Stop will be able to block them. Card Stop's telephone number is +32-(0)70/344 344.

Safety and Security - Lost or Stolen Passports

If your British passport has been lost or stolen in Belgium:

• You will need to report your lost or stolen passport to the Belgian police asap.
• Contact your carrier to explain what has happened.
• The British Embassy in Brussels is not able to replace a lost or stolen British passport. If you require a new passport while you are on holiday, you can only be issued with an Emergency Travel Document which will allow you to return home. If you require a full replacement passport you will need to apply for one back in the UK (please phone the UK passport service on 00448705210410 or access their website for more information).
• If you are semi or permanently resident in Belgium, you will need to apply for a full British passport at our British Embassy in Paris.

Be extra vigilant in Brussels and Antwerp at major railway stations, on the underground, buses and trams, particularly late at night. Thieves operate in the vicinity of the Brussels Gare du Midi/Zuidstation (Eurostar terminal), Gare du Nord and Schuman (the EU quarter). There have been a couple of serious muggings in the vicinity of the two stations at night time. Pickpockets also operate on international trains, mainly Paris-Brussels and Amsterdam-Brussels.

Never leave luggage unattended. There have been reports of luggage being stolen from the racks at the end of carriages in high-speed trains (e.g. TGV and Thalys), usually just before the doors close in readiness for the train to depart.

Do not leave valuables such as purses, bags or mobile phones visible in your car, even when you are in it. Keep car doors locked and windows secure at all times. It is increasingly common for thieves, usually on motorbikes, to break a window and snatch valuables from the front or back passenger seat when the vehicle is stationary at traffic lights. Car jacking, especially of up-market vehicles, remains a risk.

Safety and Security - Crime - Scams

Foreign visitors and residents can be targeted by scam artists. These scams can pose great financial loss to victims. If you receive an e-mail purporting to be from HMRC (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) offering a tax refund on provision of your bank details you should make absolutely sure that it is not part of a scam.

See our victims of crime abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local travel

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel

If you wish to drive in Belgium you must have a valid UK driving licence, insurance and vehicle documents. If you are driving a vehicle that does not belong to you then written permission from the registered owner may also be requested.

Belgian roads are generally in good condition and at night are well lit, including the motorway network. Traffic is fast and Belgium’s accident rate is high mainly due to speeding. In 2010 there were 840 road deaths in Belgium (source: DfT). This equates to 7.6 road deaths per 100,000 of population compared to the UK average of 3.1 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2010.

Speed traps, cameras and unmarked vehicles are operational throughout the country. Since February 2007 the following road regulations were brought into place:

• Vehicles of 7.5 tonnes or over are allowed to overtake on motorways, highways or roads with a minimum of four lanes unless indicated otherwise (in line with European legislation).
• Vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or over are not allowed to use the left lane on roads with more than three lanes. An exception is made when traffic approaches a fork in the motorway and vehicles have to move to the left or right hand lanes depending on their destination.
• The maximum speed for vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or over is now 90km/hr on motorways and highways of 2 x 2 lanes or more.
• If your vehicle breaks down and you are on the hard shoulder of the motorway, you must now wear a fluorescent jacket.

Take great care to obey the 'priority to the right' rule. Drivers must give absolute priority to vehicles joining a road from the right, even if they have stopped at a road junction or stopped for pedestrians or cyclists. Exemptions to this rule include motorways, roundabouts, roads sign-posted with an orange diamond within a white background, and drivers who are attempting to join a road after having driven down a street in the wrong direction.

Trams have priority over other traffic. If a tram or bus stops in the middle of the road to allow passengers on or off, you must stop.

There is a speed restriction of 30 kms/hr in school areas, which is valid 24 hours (even when schools are closed), unless indicated otherwise. The start and finish of these zones are not always clearly marked.

Fines have increased dramatically (eg up to € 2,750 for exceeding the speed limit by40 kms/hr, and a possible court appearance for exceeding the speed limit by more than 40kms/hr). If you are unable to pay an on the spot fine your vehicles may be impounded. More detailed information is available on the Embassy website.

Do not drink and drive, frequent alcohol checks are made, in daytime as well as at night. A maximum of 0.22 mg/l (0.5 promille) is allowed. A blood sample will be taken if you refuse to be breathalysed. Fines are heavy depending on the degree of intoxication and range from € 1,100 to € 11,000. In certain cases driving licences have been confiscated immediately.

Since 1 October 2010 the Belgian police have started using saliva and blood tests, in order to test for driving under the influence of drugs.

Using a mobile phone while driving is not allowed and will incur a heavy fine. The use of 'hands free' equipment is allowed.

Information on road travel (in French) can be found here.

See our driving abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Belgium. For more general information see airline security.

Political situation

Belgium Country Profile

Carry your valid passport at all times, as Belgian law requires everyone to carry some form of identification.

Possession of drugs and trafficking in drugs are serious offences. See our your trip page.

On 28 April 2011 Belgium's parliament passed a law that forbids the wearing in public places (such as parks, buildings, public transport and on the street) of clothing that hides a person's face largely or completely. People wearing this clothing (for example the burka and nikab) risk a fine of up to €137.50 and/or detention for up to seven days. The law does not provide an exemption for tourists.

Entry Requirements - Passport validity

You must hold a valid passport to enter Belguim. For stays of up to three months your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service. For stays of longer than three months, contact the Embassy of the country to which you are travelling.

Entry Requirements - Visas

You need a passport to enter Belgium.  Holders of British passports, describing them as "British", do not require visas to enter Belgium.  If you intend to work or remain in Belgium for more than three months you must apply to the local communal authorities for a residence permit.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with children

For information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Belgium Embassy in London.

The standard of health care in Belgium is high. Get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Belgian nationals. You will not be covered for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature.  For more general information see EHIC.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 14,000 adults aged 15 or over in Belgium were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 0.2% of the adult population, which equals the prevalence percentage in the UK. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

Seek medical advice before travelling to Belguim and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our travel health page.

General - Insurance

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See our Travel Insurance page. 

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Emergency numbers

Emergency numbers are 101 (for the police), 100 (for medical services), and 112 (from a mobile phone).

General - Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

General - Money

Legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU applies in all Member States. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics

Up to 1.8 million British tourists visit Belgium every year (Source: UK Statistics Authority). Most visits are trouble-free. 82 British nationals required consular assistance in Belgium in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident; 22 deaths; 12 hospitalisations; and  27 arrests, for a variety of offences.