Myria, the Federal Migration Centre, has published a new thematic report on the right to family life as part of its annual report "Migration in Figures and Rights 2025". The report provides updated data on first residence permits and visas for family reasons. It also examines recent legislative reforms, which Myria stresses will need close monitoring due to their potential impact on access to family reunification, integration outcomes, and the risk of poverty.

The Federal Ombudsman has highlighted persistent challenges for individuals required to submit visa applications in person at Belgian diplomatic or consular posts. These requirements can create significant financial, administrative, and security burdens, particularly for applicants living far from a competent post or in conflict-affected regions. The Ombudsman recommends reviewing visa submission procedures to improve accessibility and consistency.

On Monday, Belgium repatriated 75 people from the Gaza Strip. They arrived at Ostend airport in the afternoon. Belgian authorities report that around 850 eligible individuals have already been evacuated from Gaza. About 150 people remain on the list awaiting evacuation.

Belgian Ministers of Justice and Asylum and Migration, Annelies Verlinden and Anneleen Van Bossuyt, visited Albania and Kosovo on 6–8 October 2025. Their discussions addressed migration management, prison overcrowding, and bilateral cooperation in justice and security. Meetings involved national authorities and highlighted ongoing collaboration between Belgium and the two countries.

The event will bring together experts from Germany and across Europe to discuss recent developments in family reunification. Debates will address the tension between safeguarding fundamental rights and meeting the requirements of migration management. Participants will explore how these priorities can be reconciled in practice through national and European approaches.

The Fedasil Info Point in Brussels has been supporting asylum seekers and other migrants for two years, providing accessible and centralised information in one location. Since reopening on 27 September 2023 at the former Bordet Hospital site, it has welcomed over 22.000 visitors, mostly single men with ongoing asylum procedures. Visitors most frequently ask about accommodation, medical care, legal support, and other practical matters. Partners such as Caritas International and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) assist in providing guidance and support.

Belgium introduced targeted internal checks in July 2025 to address irregular and secondary migration. The measures are applied at airports, international bus and rail stations, and motorway rest areas. Over 11.000 individuals have been checked, with some ordered to leave the territory or placed in closed centres. The government plans to continue the checks and to conduct a six‑month evaluation.

Red Cross Flanders has opened 156 new cases this year concerning families who lost contact due to war, violence or migration, involving 337 individuals. The organisation works to reconnect families separated under these circumstances. Currently, 671 cases remain open in Flanders, while the international Red Cross network manages over 250.000 cases worldwide. Efforts cover more than twenty countries, including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Congo.

Did you know that the UNHCR Operational Data Portal provides detailed, up-to-date information on sea arrivals in Europe? As of 24 August 2025, a total of 89.189 people have reached European shores by sea. The majority of these arrivals have been recorded in Italy and Greece, while Spain also received significant numbers. In 2024, a total of 187.337 sea arrivals were reported, illustrating the continued importance of Mediterranean and North-West African routes.

In the first half of 2025, West Flanders saw 72 transit migrants intercepted, a significant decrease compared with previous years. Most were from Ethiopia, while earlier periods involved people from Sudan, Iraq and Vietnam. Authorities cite preventive policing and cross-border controls as key factors.

From 18 August 2025, new rules for family reunification enter into force in Belgium. They do not apply to all applicants. Some cases continue under the old rules, others transition to the new rules in 2027, while certain applications are immediately subject to the new framework. This article explains who is affected and how the rules will change.

The Belgian Chamber of Representatives has adopted new legislation modifying the conditions for family reunification under the law of 15 December 1980. The changes introduce stricter income requirements and modify waiting periods for certain categories of foreign nationals, particularly those benefiting from international or subsidiary protection. The legislation was approved with a majority vote during a plenary session and aims to regulate access to family reunification, a principal legal pathway for foreign nationals to join family members in Belgium.

On 24 June 2025, EMN Belgium participated in the Polish Presidency Conference on countering irregular migration. The discussions examined this phenomenon from three perspectives: strengthening the EU’s external borders to prevent irregular entries, combating migrant smuggling to dismantle criminal networks, and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and providing safe and legal alternatives.

This high-level conference will provide panel discussions among EU Member States’ ministries, the European Commission, EU agencies, national stakeholders, international organisations, and third-country officials to exchange views on tackling irregular migration, border management, countering migrant smuggling, and addressing root causes of migration.

On 19 June 2025, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt announced that, starting from summer 2025, federal police, local police, and the Immigration Office will collaborate to conduct targeted checks within Belgium. These measures aim to combat irregular migration and secondary movements towards Belgium. Reactions have emerged regarding the capacity required to implement such checks, their actual effectiveness in reducing irregular migration, and whether they can deliver a real deterrent effect or remain largely symbolic.

On 3 June 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a judgment clarifying the scope of the offence of facilitation of unauthorised entry into the EU. The Court ruled that a third-country national cannot be criminally penalised for bringing minors under their care into an EU Member State, even if this entry breaches border rules. This decision emphasises the protection of family responsibilities and fundamental rights within EU law.

According to preliminary data published by Frontex, the number of irregular border crossings into the European Union decreased by 27% between January and April 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Nearly 47.000 crossings were detected during the first four months of 2025.

On 11-12 May 2025, Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt visited Chisinau to emphasise that asylum applications from Moldovan nationals—coming from a country considered safe—are processed through an accelerated procedure in Belgium. She also announced the immediate discontinuation of the return incentive, which is seen as encouraging misuse of the asylum system. 

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre, warns that the measures announced by the federal government in its "Easter Agreement" violate the right to family life. The institution announced in a press release published on Tuesday that it had shared its observations with the government and expressed hope for a constructive dialogue.