The Belgian Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) announces a series of changes that will apply from 12 June 2026. These changes are part of the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, adopted in 2024. They will affect asylum procedures, operational practices and new institutional responsibilities.

The second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF 2026) provides a global platform for Member States and relevant stakeholders to discuss progress on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The event will include interactive roundtables, a policy debate, plenary meetings, and opportunities for side events showcasing initiatives and good practices.

In 2025, minors accounted for 23.7% of all first-time asylum applicants in the European Union, according to recent Eurostat data. A total of 158.400 children applied for asylum for the first time, including a significant proportion of unaccompanied minors. While the overall number of minor applicants declined compared to previous years, children continue to represent a substantial share of asylum seekers in the EU.

The Council for Alien Law Litigation (CALL) has made the use of its child-friendly courtroom (“Salle M”) a structural arrangement as of March 2026. The measure applies to asylum appeal cases involving unaccompanied minors and is accompanied by adapted summonses, age-appropriate information materials, and strengthened judicial training on children’s rights. The initiative builds on a pilot phase and forms part of broader European efforts to enhance child-friendly justice.

On 23 April 2026, the Belgian Chamber of Representatives adopted a bill introducing the possibility of imposing a lifetime entry ban on certain foreign nationals. The measure concerns individuals registered in the national database on terrorism, extremism and radicalisation and amends the Law of 15 December 1980 on access to the territory, residence, establishment and removal of foreign nationals.

Coastal rescue services along the Belgian North Sea are being briefed on how to respond to increased small boat activity linked to attempted irregular crossings towards the United Kingdom. The sessions aim to strengthen awareness and improve coordination with relevant authorities ahead of the start of the beach surveillance season.

On 22 April 2026, the Belgian Federal Ombudsman published its annual report for 2025. The institution recorded a further increase in the number of cases handled, with migration-related issues remaining the main source of complaints. The report highlights recurring concerns linked to administrative procedures, in particular in the field of visas and residence-related decisions.

Based on data released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 7.900 deaths or disappearances were recorded on migration routes worldwide in 2025. This compares with approximately 9.200 recorded in 2024. The figures bring the cumulative total to more than 80.000 deaths or disappearances recorded since 2014, when the Missing Migrants Project began collecting data.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has clarified that detention centres holding applicants for international protection under the border procedure do not need to be located at the external border of a Member State. It also confirmed that continued detention after the expiry of the border procedure time limit may be permissible under certain conditions. The judgment further addresses the validity of procedural steps taken during the border procedure and reiterates key safeguards under EU law.

Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt is carrying out a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The visit takes place in the context of a marked increase in asylum applications from Congolese nationals in Belgium in recent years. The mission aims to discourage unfounded asylum applications, address the misuse of visa procedures, counter document fraud and misleading messages from smugglers, and strengthen cooperation on return and the fight against irregular migration. 

On 9 April 2026, the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in M.V. and Others v. Belgium and held that Belgium had violated several provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to the reception conditions of four applicants for international protection.

The Fedasil Pondrôme reception centre will host a photo exhibition featuring the work of unaccompanied and accompanied minors. The images were created over an eighteen-month project led by CIDJ Rochefort–Beauraing. The exhibition provides insight into the daily lives, experiences, and identities of the young participants. The event is free, open to all, and offers an opportunity to meet the creators.

The Belgian Council of Ministers has approved a draft law aimed at bringing Belgian legislation on the guardianship of unaccompanied minors into line with the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and introducing additional safeguards for minors. The text has been submitted to the Council of State for its opinion.

The Belgian Constitutional Court has clarified how the means of subsistence requirement applies in family reunification applications. The ruling establishes that the means of subsistence of both the Belgian sponsor and their partner must be taken into account when assessing compliance with this requirement. Previously, some applications were refused because only the sponsor’s means were considered. The decision aims to ensure compliance with principles of equality, non-discrimination, and respect for family life.

On 31 March 2026, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) announced that it would temporarily suspend the notification of certain decisions in cases concerning applicants from Lebanon, in view of the current situation in the country.

Belgium and Algeria have signed two linked agreements, one on the readmission of irregularly staying Algerians and another providing a visa exemption for holders of Algerian diplomatic and service passports. The readmission agreement introduces measures to speed up identification, extend the validity of travel documents, allow the return of multiple individuals on the same flight, and permit the use of Algerian escorts during enforced returns.