Identity documents in Belgium (2026)

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

In short: Belgians from the age of 15 must carry their identity card at all times. EU citizens can enter on an identity card or passport. The rule for foreign visitors inside Belgium was not found.

RuleWhat applies
Duty to carry or show IDIdentity documentsMust carry at all times [1]
National ID card compulsory for citizensIdentity documentsYes [1]
ID duty for foreign visitorsIdentity documents⚠ Not yet verified
EU citizens may enter with a national ID cardIdentity documentsYes [2]
Document for British citizensIdentity documentsBritish citizens need a valid travel document that was issued within the previous 10 years and is valid for at least three months after the intended departure from the Schengen area. [3]

Notes

  • The duty is set by the Royal Decree of 25 March 2003 and applies to Belgian nationals from age 15, as stated by the FPS Home Affairs FAQ.
  • The FAQ addresses Belgian nationals. The municipality also issues the card to Belgian children aged 12 to 14.
  • No official page read sets out a duty for foreign visitors to carry or show a document inside Belgium, so this is left unverified.
  • Since 3 August 2026 identity cards of EU states must contain a machine-readable zone under Regulation (EU) 2025/1208; the Immigration Office describes what happens at the border with a card lacking one.
  • Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code applies to third-country nationals for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Visa exemption was not checked on this page.

Sources

  1. FPS Home Affairs (Rijksregister): Moet ik verplicht mijn identiteitskaart bij me hebben? (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  2. Immigration Office (FPS Home Affairs): Right of entry and residence (Citizens of the European Union) (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  3. European Union (Publications Office): Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources

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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.