Brexit turned a short flight into a legal border. For a British person, moving to Belgium from the UK now depends on one date: 1 January 2021. If you lived in Belgium legally before it, your rights come from the Withdrawal Agreement. If you arrive now, you are treated like any non-EU national. The rest of this page keeps those two groups apart.
Did you live in Belgium before 2021?
Then you and your family have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. GOV.UK explains that an M card shows them, and that you need one to avoid being wrongly flagged for overstaying under the EU Entry/Exit System. If you hold an older P or S permit, you can register with your commune to get an M card. Without a residence document, you must apply for an M card and give evidence that you met the criteria. M cards are renewed every 5 or 10 years through your municipality.
Holders of an M or N card, or applicants for one, do not need a work permit or visa in Belgium.
Are you moving to Belgium from the UK now?
You follow the rules for third-country nationals. GOV.UK does not list specific rules for new arrivals and refers you to the Belgian Immigration Office for visas and residence permits. You must register your residence after arrival. After at least five years of legal, continuous residence you may be able to apply for long-term residency.
We could not read the Immigration Office pages for this article, so before booking anything, ask the Office or your commune to confirm the route for your case. The usual route is an authorisation obtained before departure.
How does working in Belgium work?
Arrivals after 2020 generally need a work permit or visa. In practice the employer applies for a single permit (residence and work for more than 90 days) at the Region of your main place of work. From 4 May 2026 the application goes through the federal "Single Window" portal. Exemptions exist, for example family reunification or cross-border workers.
The self-employed need in principle a professional card, applied for at an enterprise counter if you already live in Belgium or at the Belgian consular post if you are abroad. The fee quoted for Brussels is 140 euros in 2026. M and N card holders are exempt.
Because the route depends on your date of arrival, your family situation and your type of work, this is one of the topics where a wrong assumption costs weeks. Moovy can map the route for your case and prepare questions for the Immigration Office or your employer.
What about healthcare?
The UK GHIC replaces the EHIC for temporary stays only. Once you reside regularly in Belgium, you join a mutuality like any resident. If you receive a UK state pension, the UK may pay for your care: ask the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services for an S1 form and register it with your mutuality. GOV.UK says your residence card will show that you are covered as a Belgian. See health insurance in Belgium.
What about your driving licence?
GOV.UK states you can drive up to 185 days on a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence, and you cannot renew it while living in Belgium. After that, a UK, Gibraltar or Isle of Man licence must be exchanged. You can apply before the 185 days end; once the exchange starts you cannot drive until the Belgian licence arrives. Jersey and Guernsey licences cannot be exchanged, and neither can expired ones: in those cases you must take the theory and practical tests. Check the FPS Mobility and Transport page on foreign driving licences before you rely on the 185 days.
What about taxes, pensions and money?
You become a tax resident on your worldwide income when you establish your home in Belgium; there is a tax treaty between Belgium and the UK. Declare your UK bank accounts as explained in opening a bank account in Belgium, and ask FPS Finance how your UK income, including any pension, is taxed.
What mistakes should you avoid when moving to Belgium from the UK?
- Assuming EU free movement still applies. It does not for new arrivals.
- Arriving without the right to work. Employers must hold the permit before you start.
- Waiting 185 days to start the licence exchange. Start earlier, but do not drive during the exchange.
- Losing your M card. It is your proof of status.
For the general sequence of steps once your status is settled, see moving to Belgium.
What does moving to Belgium from the UK involve step by step?
Whichever group you are in, the sequence at arrival is similar. You find an address, register at the commune, pass the residence check, join a health fund and open a bank account. What differs is the document that lets you stay and work, and when you must obtain it.
- Check your date and status. Before 1 January 2021 and still resident: Withdrawal Agreement rights and the M card. After: third-country rules.
- Secure your right to stay and work before you leave, since many routes require an authorisation obtained in advance.
- Register at the commune after arrival, as everyone must.
- Join a mutuality with your S1 if you receive a UK state pension. See health insurance in Belgium.
- Plan the licence exchange within the 185 days.
What about family members?
Family members of a Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary have rights too, and GOV.UK says that you and your family are covered if you moved before 1 January 2021 and lived there legally since. For new arrivals, family reunification is one of the routes that can exempt from a separate work permit. Check each family member's situation with the Immigration Office or your commune before the move.
What documents do UK citizens need?
Beyond a valid passport, GOV.UK notes that you may need a UK police certificate and a Belgian criminal records certificate for some job applications, and that foreign qualifications may need to be recognised. Keep the originals of civil status documents. If your documents are in English, ask the authority whether a translation is required; official translations should be exact and complete.
Can you vote or access benefits?
This depends on your status and is outside the scope of this guide. Ask your commune. What is certain is that your UK status as a state pensioner or a taxpayer continues to matter: ask FPS Finance and the body that pays your pension.
Where should you check the latest rules?
The Belgian Immigration Office and your commune are the authorities; GOV.UK's "Living in Belgium" page, updated on 11 December 2025, is the UK government's summary. Rules for third-country nationals can change, so confirm them shortly before your departure. For the general order of steps in the first weeks, see moving to Belgium.
Which questions should you ask the Immigration Office?
Prepare precise questions: which authorisation applies to my purpose (work, self-employment, study, family, retirement), where do I apply (consulate or in Belgium), what proof is required, and how long does it take. Keep written replies. Because the route for arrivals after 2020 is the third-country one, there is no automatic right to settle.
How does the date of your first stay count?
For Withdrawal Agreement rights, what matters is that you lived in Belgium legally before 1 January 2021 and have lived there legally since. Keep proof of your years of residence: leases, pay slips, tax assessments, utility bills. If your residence document is missing or contested, GOV.UK says you must apply for an M card and submit evidence that you met the criteria; a refusal letter (annex 59) explains how to appeal.