Reporting your temporary absence
Will you be absent from your address for more than three months, but plan to return within a year? If so, you do not need to change your address. You do need to report your temporary absence and your return to the city.
For whom?
If you meet these three conditions:
- You will not be living at your official address for more than three months but less than one year.
- You have an official address to which you can return.
- Your home remains unoccupied or will be occupied by family members during your absence.
Examples
- Stay in a hospital or nursing home
- Stay at another address for a trip, studies or your job
AttentionYou are not a Belgian national and you are leaving Belgium for max. one year? Then apply for the right to return.
When to report?
At the earliest 2 weeks before departure. Do you report your temporary absence after your departure? Then we will register the date when you submit the form.
How do you report your temporary absence?
- Collect the documents
You must include them with your notification.- Copy of your identity card
- Proof of your temporary absence (proof of hospitalisation, proof of employer, plane ticket, etc.)
- Report your absence
What happens after your notification?
We do not change your address in the population register, but we do record the fact that you are temporarily absent from your official address.
How do you extend your temporary absence?
You can extend your temporary absence once by one year.
What happens after your extension?
- We do not change your address in the city’s population register, but do register the fact that you will be temporarily absent from your official address for another year.
- What if you do not let us know anything after this period? We can remove you from the population register.
How do you report your return?
What happens after you report your return?
- We register the fact that you are living at your official address again.
- A district police officer visits you to check.
- If the district police officer confirms you are back, we will update our information.
Why report your departure and return?
- Emergency services will know if you are present.
- If the district police officer visits to check during your absence, we know that you are temporarily absent. If you do not report your absence, we can remove you from the population register after six months.
Do you have a question?
Contact us. We are happy to help you.