Belgium
Last update 23 May 2023Diplomatic missions
Risk index
Level 2: Increased attention (please be informed in detail about the current situation in the country)
2
Select passport type
The Kingdom of Belgium
Diplomatic representations of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Kingdom of Belgium
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Kingdom of Belgium
Address: Avenue Мoscicki 7, 1180 Bruxelles
Royaume de Belgique
Telephone: +32 2 374 47 88
Fax: +32 2 375 84 94
Emergency number, after 18:00h: + 32 473 981 042
Office hours: Mon - Fri, 9.00 - 17.30 h
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/belgium
Consular Service
Address : Rue Copernic 4C, Bruxelles 1180,
Admission hours : Mon - Fri, 10.00 - 13.00 h (by appointment)
For appointments: +32 2 375 86 50 (14:30 - 17:00 h
Fax: + 32 2 375 53 82
Emergency number, after 18:00 h : +32 473 981 042
E-mail: [email protected]
Head of Trade and Economic Office
Bozhidar Patinov, Minister Plenipotentiary
Avenue Moscicki, 71180 Bruxelles
Моbile: +32 471 36 32 65
Phone/ fax: +32 2 280 34 63
[email protected]
Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria in Brussels, The Kingdom of Belgium
Address: 49, Square Marie-Louise, B-1000 Bruxelles
tel: +32 2 2358 300
Reception: +32 2 2358 301
fax: +32 2 374 91 88
Phones in case of emergency out of working hours:
+32 (0) 2 2358 300
+32 473 981 042
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/belgiumpp
Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Bulgaria to NATO in Brussels, The Kingdom of Belgium
Address: NATO HQ, NG building, Blvd. Leopold III, Brussels – 1110
Е-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.mfa.bg/embassies/belgiumnatodelegation
Willy Van Impe
Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Kingdom of Belgium
Seat of the consular post: Aalst, East Flanders, Belgium
Consular district: Flemish Region
Address: Bredeweg 13, 9320 Niewuwerkeren-Aalst, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)473 94 33 28; +32 (0)53 83 83 73
E-mail: [email protected]
Luc Sougné
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Kingdom of Belgium
Seat of the consular post: Liège, Liège, Belgium
Consular district: Walloon Region
Address: Avenue de l'Observatoire 215/83, 4000 Liège
Tel.: +32 4 278 71 52
Mobile: +32 475 23 74 58
E-mail: [email protected]
Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Sofia
Address: Blvd. James Bourchier 103, 1407 Sofia
Telephone: +359 2 988 72 90
Fax: +359 2 963 36 38
E-mail: [email protected]
General information
general information
Local currency
Euro (EUR)
Crimе and security
Crime levels in Belgium do not imply the need of taking special personal safety precautions. Certain caution has to be exercised during a visit to the so-called “Arabian market” in Brussels, at some hotels and railway stations in the capital city and larger cities, as well as in public transport vehicles, especially to avoid pick pocketing and documents snatching.
Healthcare
There are no contagious disease sites in Belgium. No specific vaccinations are required for Belgium.
Travel documents and visas
Since 1 Jan 2007 Belgium and Bulgaria apply Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the right of the citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States.
Citizens of the European Union have the right to reside on the territory of another member-state for a period of 90 days with no conditions or formalities attached, except for the requirement of holding a valid identity card or passport.
The above mentioned information applies to Luxembourg as well.
Practical advice
Competitive service
Certifications and legalisations
The Consular office would like to draw on the attention of citizens willing to certify documents translated in Belgium and Luxembourg that due to the existing controversial practice in Bulgaria, in some cases Bulgarian institutions may reject translations performed abroad when documents are submitted in a private manner regardless of the fact that the signature of the translator is certified by the diplomatic mission. It is advised to have documents issued in Belgium and Luxembourg and certified by an “Apostille” translated in Bulgaria.
On 30 April 2001 the Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation of foreign public documents, drawn up in The Hague on 5 Oct 1961 came into force in the Republic of Bulgaria. Both Belgium and Luxemburg are signatories to the Convention. In order to have legal effect on the territory of another state, official documents issued by these countries require an “Apostille” certification.
In that relation, civil status documents issued in Bulgaria are certified with an “Apostille’ by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Administrative Services to Citizens Dept
Address: 2, Alfred Nobel St., Sofia
Documents issued by the judiciary in Bulgaria are certified with an “Apostille” by the
Ministry of Justice
Address: 1, Slavyanska St., Sofia
Civil status documents issued in Belgium are certified with an “Apostille” by the
Federal Office of Foreign Relations, Legalization Office
Address: 27, Rue des Petits Carmes, 1000 BRUXELLES
Office hours: 09.00 - 12.30h, 13.30 - 15.30h
Civil status documents issued in Luxembourg are certified with an “Apostille” by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigration, Protocol Directorate
Address: 43, boulevard Roosevelt, L - 2450 Luxembourg
Telephone: + 352 478 8300; + 352 2478 8300
Civil status
Registration of a Belgium civil marriage in Bulgaria
An estreat of the civil marriage formal document /Copie integrale de l'acte de mariage/ confirming the matrimony and bearing an “Apostille”, and a certified translation of it in Bulgarian, is submitted to the Bulgarian municipality where the spouse of Bulgarian citizenship holds a permanent residence. If both spouses are Bulgarian citizens, documents are submitted to the municipality where the husband holds a permanent address.
Translations performed in Belgium are certified by the Consular Office at the Embassy in case the translation is done by a sworn translator (see a List of translators registered with the Embassy). Translations done in Bulgaria are certified by Administrative Services to Bulgarian and Foreign Citizens Dept, Consular Relations Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2, Alfred Nobel St., Sofia).
Registration of a Belgium/Luxembourg born child in Bulgaria
An estreat of the birth certificate (Copie integralе de l’acte de naissance), certified by the Federal Office of Foreign Relations of Belgium (Service Public Fédéral Affaires Etrangères, Ruedes Petits Carmes27, 1000 Bruxelles) or Luxembourg (43, boulevard Roosevelt L- 2450 Luxembourg) and a certified translation of it in Bulgarian, is submitted to the Bulgarian municipality where the parent of Bulgarian citizenship holds a permanent residence. If both parents are Bulgarian citizens, documents are submitted to the municipality where the mother holds a permanent address. On the grounds of this document the child is registered and a Bulgarian birth certificate is issued. Parents may request from the Consular Office to submit administratively such registration documents. In such a case the following documents are required:
- an application (free text), which indicates parents names, civil identity numbers or dates of birth, permanent addresses in Bulgaria and address in Belgium;
- identity documents (passport, identity documents) of parents;
- an estreat of the birth certificate (Copie integralе de l’acte de naissance) confirming birth and a certified translation in Bulgarian.
The Law on Civil Registration provides for a 6-month period for registration of a child born abroad to a Bulgarian citizen, such registration being with the municipality as per the residence address of the Bulgarian parent. Parents may request having a Bulgarian passport issued to their child only after receiving a Bulgarian birth certificate. (See the rules and procedure applicable to submitting an application for passport issuance, available at “Issuing a passport”.)
Registration of a Bulgarian citizen death that occurred in Belgium
Death of a Bulgarian citizen that occurred in Belgium is registered with the municipality as per deceased permanent address in Bulgaria.
Such registration requires to have an estreat of the death certificate (Copie intégrale de l'acte de décès) issued by the Belgium municipality, certified by an “Apostille”, and translated into Bulgarian, the translation being certified by the Consular Office. If done in Belgium, the translation has to be performed by an Embassy registered translator.
The death certificate may be translated in Bulgaria by a licensed company and certified by the Consular Services Directorate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2, Alfred Nobel St., Sofia).
The document translated is then submitted to the Civil Status Office at the Municipality as per the deceased residence address in order to register such death. The Consular Office may submit administratively the relevant documents, namely the death certificate estreat and its certified translation. For that purpose, the Consular Office requires to have the deceased residence address in Bulgaria and the name of the respective municipality.
For the transportation of the deceased body to Bulgaria, it is necessary to hire an undertaker’s agency. Such agency takes care of all documents required for the transportation, including coffin seal and relevant preparations, in compliance with international requirements.
The Embassy issues only a Laissez-passer mortuaire.