Going abroad: deregistration

For whom?

You meet all 3 conditions below:

• You do not have Belgian nationality.
• You are registered for a stay of more than 3 months in Belgium.
• You are moving abroad permanently.

Pay attention:

• Family members with Belgian nationality who are leaving with you, must report their move abroad.
• Are you leaving Belgium only temporarily? Then apply for your right to return.

Not intended for:

• You reported a stay of less than 3 months in Belgium.
• You were a border or mobility student with an annex 33.

In that case you were not registered in Belgium and, therefore, do not have to report your departure.

When to deregister?

• At the earliest 1 week before departure
  We deregister you on the date of your departure, and will only cancel your electronic residence card at that time. Subsequently, you will no longer be able to use your residence card to log in to online government services.
• After your departure
  Do you still need your valid residence card before your departure (e.g. for a certificate or criminal record)? In that case, you may also report your deregistration once you have arrived abroad. Your deregistration will take effect on the date of your report.

Did you forget to deregister?
Then deregister anyway. This way you will avoid an international alert, which can cause problems during checks at Schengen borders.

How to deregister?

1. Gather the documents
   You attach the following documents to your application, both for yourself and your family members:
   • National ID card or passport (biodata page)
   • Residence card, annex 8/8bis, annex 15 or annex 49 (not applicable for children younger than 12)
2. Submit your application
   If you are submitting an application for your family, you fill in the form once. Attach the required documents for all your family members.

Report your deregistration

Residence card and access to online government services

You must surrender your residence card.

• If you are still in Leuven, you can hand it in at the reception desk of the City Office, without appointment.
• If you are already abroad, you return it to the city of Leuven by post.

After deregistration, you will no longer have access to online government services such as Tax-on-Web, My Health, ..... If you still require access, request a digital key from the city. You must come in person before deregistering, by appointment.

What happens after your application?

• We process your application.
• No later than 2 weeks after your application you will receive a confirmation of your deregistration ('model 8') by email. Your residence permit will no longer be valid at this time.