Over 8,711 people gained Belgian nationality in first two months of 2022: Statbel

Around 8,711 people have gained nationality in Belgium in the first two months of 2022, as per the data provided by the national office for statistics Statbel.

As per reports, most of the naturalisations concerned people from Morocco (843), Syria (630), Romania (547), Afghanistan (375), and Iraq (367).

In 2022, 35.8% of naturalisations were for Europeans, 25.2% from Asia, 28.8% from Africa, 3.6% from the Americas, and 6.4% from others.

Broken down by region, over half of naturalisations (55.8%) were in Flanders. 18.7% were in Wallonia and 25.4% in the Brussels-Capital Region.

In 2021, 38,342 people gained Belgian nationality – 35% higher than in 2010. Naturalisations dropped by 16% during the Covid-19 pandemic but, since 2014, have still shown a steady upwards trend.

The largest spike in Belgian naturalisation was recorded in 2001, when 62,994 people became Belgian nationals in just one year.

Compared to many countries, the path to naturalisation in Belgium is relatively fast and straightforward. Many UK nationals working in the country have favoured naturalisation in order to protect their EU work rights.

Belgian authorities have set up several guidelines for people who are seeking Belgium’s nationality:

• Live in Belgium for consecutive five years.
• Be aged over 18.
• Possess an unlimited residence permit.
• Have a fixed residence in Belgium.
• Be proficient in one of the three national languages.
• Show that they are socially integrated.
• Demonstrate a level of economic participation.