Belgium is bound by the Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework Regulation (URF)

There are no specific provisions on resettlement in Belgian legislation on immigration, reception and integration. Therefore, resettlement is managed within existing legislation. However, Belgium is considering to include resettlement in the Immigration or Aliens Act | Loi du 15 décembre 1980 sur l’accès au territoire, le séjour, l’établissement et l’éloignement des étrangers, respecting Regulation (EU) 2024/1350 establishing a Union Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission Framework.

• Resettlement programmes (Currently on hold)
• Humanitarian admission programmes (Humanitarian visas are granted on a case-by-case basis)
• Community Sponsorship Programme

Referral: UNHCR carries out the first identification of refugees fulfilling the requirements for resettlement and selects among them those for Belgium according to EU priorities. The phase is fully managed by UNHCR, no systematic information provision activities are organised by Belgium at this initial stage. For humanitarian admissions, Sant'Egidio is responsible for the identification, assisted by local partners and possibly by UNHCR.

Selection and Assessment of cases:

Selection Missions: The CGRS conducts selection interviews with the identified refugees in the first reception country. In general, interviews are conducted face-to-face.

Selection on dossier: In exceptional cases (emergency situations or risks connected with selection missions), selections can be based exclusively on dossiers. The procedure overall is the same, but without interview mission, and the decision is taken based on “dossier” submitted by UNHCR. The assessment is carried out by the CGRS, but the final decision on selection is made by the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration.

Emergency cases: For cases submitted under the Emergency Cases quota, a decision is usually made within 1 to 2 weeks. Fedasil strives to arrange pre-departure logistics and facilitate the transfer within seven days of receiving the selection decision. However, in certain situations, such as travel restrictions or delays in visa processing, the transfer may occur later while still being treated as a priority. Due to the limited timeframe, Fedasil cannot carry out the full range of pre-departure activities for these cases. Instead, a brief, remote Belgian Cultural Orientation (BELCO) session will be conducted individually for each case by a resettlement officer from Fedasil headquarters.

Before departure, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) carries out a Medical Health Assessment to confirm travel fitness. If necessary, based on the evaluation of the Resettlement Registration Form (RRF), Fedasil’s medical resettlement team may request a more detailed medical examination or additional tests. For Emergency Cases, visa processing and exit permits must be fast-tracked. Embassies, consulates, and local or national authorities are asked to issue travel documents within a few days. To facilitate this, the relevant agencies are contacted immediately after the RRF is received.

Assessment of cases:

There is no set timeline for processing cases. However, the time frame from the submission of a case to the communication of the decision to UNHCR amounts on average to around 90 days for the cases submitted

The time from the submission of a case to arrival in Belgium can vary greatly depending on various factors. For example, the fragile security situation in countries of first asylum or an interruption of the programme due to lack of reception places or a political decision to slow down the programme.

The formal decision and recognition of the status of refugee is taken shortly after arrival in Belgium, following the lodging of an application for international protection

Prior to departure, Fedasil personnel conducts medical screenings of all submitted persons in order to prepare transfer and arrival. These medical screenings are preferably held as early as possible in the process (during or linked to a selection mission for example). The same goes for the social screenings that are also conducted by Fedasil staff. The aim of these individual case assessments is to inform all submitted persons of what to expect from resettlement to Belgium and initiate the process of tailor-made support (creation of social file / launch of needs and skills assessment).

Furthermore, Fedasil organizes collective cultural orientation sessions, the so-called BELCO trainings, to inform and prepare the selected refugees for their transfer to and life in Belgium.

Based on a bilateral agreement, IOM provides logistic support for the missions in the country of first asylum and organises the travel arrangements assisted by the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Embassies in situ, and accompanies the refugees in the departure process. In the case of Türkiye, Fedasil organises transfers with the logistical support of EUAA.

Under normal circumstances Fedasil provides all info prior to the travel stage (during the social screening/needs assessment and the Belgian Cultural Orientation training).

Fedasil also has the overall lead when it comes to the planning of the pre-departure travel arrangements. Based on a bilateral agreement, IOM carries out the travel arrangements assisted by the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Embassies in situ, and accompanies the refugees in the departure process.

During the medical screenings carried out by Fedasil, an assessment is made of the medical needs during the journey. Besides, IOM has its own standard operating procedures which include thorough medical screening and Fit-to-Fly examination of each traveller. As Fedasil has already conducted medical screenings earlier in the process, only those persons for whom it showed to be necessary (decided in consultation with Fedasil) are seen again for additional pre-departure medical screenings by IOM in the weeks before travelling.

In some occasions, Fedasil can also assist in the pre-departure travel arrangements and departure. This is for example the case in Turkey where there is a collaboration with EUAA for the practical support in the field.

Upon arrival, refugees need to lodge an application for international protection. The formal decision and recognition of the status of refugee is taken shortly after arrival in Belgium.

Post-arrival procedures provide specific measures for assistance to resettled refugees, such as orientation programmes and tailored social support.

Generally, refugees stay in a reception center for a duration of approximately 6 weeks. During this initial period, the administrative procedures are exhausted, and refugees are provided with direct and fast access to specialised social and medical services. Furthermore, every centre prepares a basic integration programme for the resettled refugees.

After this period, resettled refugees are then assigned to a local reception initiative for a duration of 6 months, after which, they are supposed to find their own accommodation on the private market. During the stay in the LRI or later on integration support and social assistance is provided by the Public Social Welfare Service.

Next to the general reception model, a reception through the Community Sponsorship program or with one of Fedasil’s partners is also possible. These 2 models are envisaged for a duration of 1 year and can start immediately after arrival in Belgium or after a stay of 6 weeks in a collective reception center.

General integration programmes are available, as well as AMIF-funded initiatives by Fedasil.

Fedasil provides funding for local authorities via the Public Social Welfare Services that offer individual reception places for asylum seekers, persons who received a protection status and resettled refugees. Furthermore, Fedasil provides additional funding for local authorities or civil society organisations if they can offer housing to resettled refugees for at least one year, combined with intensive social support. There are, of course, conditions attached to this. The aim of this funding is to promote local embedding of resettled refugees.

Each resettled person, regardless in which reception structure they are accommodated, has access to a BELCO+ training program (a follow-up training to the pre-departure BELCO program. By using similar images, material and methodologies, continuity is ensured and the individuals gradually acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that are useful for gaining more autonomy and helping them in the integration process.

Fedasil also works together with Caritas International to provide group info sessions on topics that are relevant at that moment (housing, norms & values, participation in society, etc.). The concept is based on peer-to-peer support: role models are involved to share their experiences and knowledge, and an online platform creates a safe space where resettled refugees can exchange and where information can be dispersed.

In 2025 the new government decided to put the Belgian Resettlement program on hold as long as the asylum and reception crisis persists, the backlog has not been cleared and the reception network has not been reduced. However, the government did grant permission to transfer the refugees who were already selected and were waiting to be transferred.

There is no humanitarian visa programme with quota, although visas for humanitarian reasons can be (and are) granted occasionally on case-by-case basis.

In 2022, Belgium pledged for 500 places for humanitarian admission. 450 places were meant for the Red Kite evacuation from Afghanistan and 50 places for the humanitarian corridors program. In 2023, a pledge was made for 125 persons and in 2024 for 75 persons, all meant for the humanitarian corridors programme (See Section: 7.3).

No such programme is currently implemented.

The humanitarian corridors programme is based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the Belgian State Secretary for Migration and Asylum and the Sant’ Egidio community. The objective was to offer a safe pathway to Belgium for 250 vulnerable refugees residing in Lebanon, Libya Syria and Afghanistan (or neighbouring countries). The programme started in 2022 and was supposed to ran until March 2024. It had to be extended by a year, but Sant'Egidio ultimately succeeded in selecting the foreseen 250 people and bringing them to Belgium by mid-2025.

Belgium has initiated two pilot projects for other safe and legal pathways. The Displaced Talent for Europe (DT4E) is a project that facilitates the identification of displaced talents in Jordan and Lebanon and enables their recruitment by employers in Belgium. Another pilot project is the EU-Passworld project that has the objective to create additional education pathways for refugees through community sponsorship programmes. The DT4E is for people in need of international protection (can be any nationality), and targets Jordan and Lebanon, as countries of first asylum: Jordan and Lebanon. There is no concrete target set as a quota. The programme is employer-led, talent centred, focuses on family unity, protection safeguards and durable solution, equitable access and implements a whole-of-society approach. The EU-Passworld aims at widening complementary pathways linked to community sponsorship in Europe. The project officially ran until 2024, but will be continued with the partners in order to facilitate a student pathway in Belgium over the coming years. The project includes persons in need of international protection (different nationalities), and targets Egypt, Uganda, Burundi and Cameroon as first countries of asylum. Its quota: 10 students during initial project period, 5 in the year after (academic year of 2025). The project is organised around a multi-stakeholder consortium of CSOs, government agencies, universities and UNHCR. It creates a link with the labour pathway.