Belgium Sets Minimum Age Requirements for 7-Year Passport
- Belgium's government issues passports with different validity periods depending on the age of the applicant at the time of application
- A Belgian passport can lose its validity before the expiration date under several specific conditions that travellers must be aware of
- Belgian nationals must meet certain registration requirements before they can apply for a passport, and where they apply depends on their location
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Belgium has set an age-based limit on how long its passports remain valid, with the rules varying significantly depending on whether the holder is a child or an adult.
According to the Belgian government, a passport issued to a minor is valid for five years, while one issued to an adult aged 18 years and above carries a seven-year validity period.
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The shorter window for minors reflects a practical concern: children's facial features change rapidly, and a photo taken several years earlier may no longer serve as a reliable means of identification.
When Belgian passport can lose its validity early
Beyond the standard expiry date, a Belgian passport can become unusable before it officially expires under a number of circumstances. If the holder's appearance has changed enough that the photo is no longer a close match, the document may no longer be accepted.
A damaged passport, one that has been reported lost or stolen, or a passport whose pages are fully stamped also loses its usability regardless of when it was issued.
For this reason, the Belgian government allows passport holders to apply for a replacement at any time, even well before the printed expiry date.
Belgian passport: Who can apply and where
A Belgian passport is a burgundy-covered booklet bearing the embossed words "European Union" and "Kingdom of Belgium" in gold. It is recognised internationally as a travel document issued by the Belgian government.
To be eligible to apply, a person must hold Belgian nationality and be registered in the population register of a Belgian municipality, embassy, or consulate. Where the application is submitted depends on the applicant's current place of registration.
Those registered in a Belgian municipality must apply through that municipality. An alternative exists for urgent cases: a very urgent procedure counter in Brussels, though this option is only available to applicants seeking to renew a passport through that specific process.
Legit.ng has also published residency years for foreigners who want to become Qatari citizens.
Citizenship: Australia mentions residency years for foreigners
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia's Department of Home Affairs outlined the residence requirement foreigners must meet before applying for citizenship.
Applicants must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for a number of years before the date they apply for citizenship.
The rules also specify how much time applicants are allowed to have spent outside Australia during that period.
Source: Legit.ng
