On this page, you will find:
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Belgium LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Belgium country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Belgium COI page.
Refugee protection
Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by Belgium.
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which Belgium is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
Since 1953 Belgium has been a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and to its 1967 Protocol since 1969. Moreover, Belgium accepted the UN Statelessness Conventions in 2014.
The main legislative acts relevant to asylum procedures, reception conditions, detention and content of protection are the Law passed in 1980 regarding the entry, residence, settlement and removal of aliens. More recently, in 2007, the Law regarding the reception of asylum seekers and other categories of aliens.
Legal aid organisations
Website
Address: Aide aux Personnes Déplacées asbl, 93/1 rue Jean d’Outremeuse, 4020 Liège
Tel : +32 04 342 06 02
Email: administration@apdasbl.be
Aid to Displaced Persons is a non-profit and non-governmental organization in Wallonia that provides administrative, legal and psycho-social assistance to all migrants (through phone helpdesk and on appointment) and organizes civic integration and French language classes.
Help for Displaced Persons is located in Liège, Namur and Braine-le-Comte.
Website
Email: servicejuridique@adde.be (general questions) / dip@adde.be (international family law)
Tel: + 32 02 227 42 41
ADDE is a non-governmental research center based in Brussels which studies issues related to migration and cultural diversity and promotes the rights of foreigners. The center also answers legal questions (through a phone helpdesk and on appointment) and has a social service (on appointment only). ADDE does not intervene in job search or housing.
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Address: Rue du Viviers, 80/82, 1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 6297 734 / +32 2 629 77 10
Fax: +32 2 629 77 33
Email: cire@cire.be
Email for reception of asylum seekers: accuiel@cire.be (other email addresses for specific services available on their website)
CIRE coordinates a network of NGOs providing services to refugees and asylum seekers including over 600 beds, assistance in finding and affording more permanent accommodation, visits to detention centres, French language classes and assistance integrating into Belgian culture, interpretation and aid in voluntary repatriation. Also works on advocacy for refugee and migrant policy.
Tel.: +32 (0)2 539 02 04, +32(0) 497 55 04 56 (Dutch), +32(0) 479 67 19 46 (French)
Email: contact@intact-association.org
The non-profit organisation Intact aims at becoming a ‘place of reference’ for legal issues related to FGM/C. It takes legal action to combat the practice of FGM/C and specially with the purpose of supporting individuals and professionals in legal or judicial proceedings (legal, judicial consultations, follow-up of applications for asylum, support for professionals confronted with child victims or children at risk, organisation of training/symposium on FGM).
Website
Address: Maurice Liétart 31/9 – B-1150 Bruxelles
Tel: +32-2 738 0818 / 32 (0)800 14 912
Fax: +32-2 738 0816
Email: belgium@jrs.net
Opening hours: Monday: from 9h30 until 12h30 / Thursday: from 9h30 until 12h30
The core of JRS Belgium’s activities is visiting and offering services to foreigners – asylum seekers and irregular migrants – detained in administrative detention centres. JRS Belgium is the only Belgian organisation visiting all five detention centres on a weekly basis.
Website
Address: Rue de la Charité 43, 1210 Bruxelles
Tel +32 2 229 36 11
Fax +32 2 229 36 36
Email: infofr@caritasint.be
Caritas International is an international non-governmental organization. In Belgium, Caritas International is based in Brussels and it organizes the reception of applicants of international protection, assists refugees with integration issues, provides support to migrants in Belgium with regards to family reunification and voluntary return . Caritas International also visits migrants in detention centers and has established a team of professional guardians for unaccompanied minors.
Website
Tel: +32 080013500
The Centrum Algemeen Welzijnswerk is a Flemish network-organization made up of 11 centers spread across Flanders and Brussels.
The CAW provides advice and counseling on a diverse range of topics (mental health, administration issues and others), including on migration issues.
In addition, CAW may provide (temporary) shelter to those in need.
Website
Address: Rue du Charroi 33/35 – 1190 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 02 503 43 46 / +32 02 315 39 00
Email: info@convivial.be / info.bapa@convivial.be
Convivial is a non-profit organization and since 2020 recognized as an official integration agency for newcomers with legal stay (including refugees) in Brussels. Convivial provides support through social assistance (administrative, legal, psychological, family reunification), French language and civic integration classes .
Friendly also provides psycho-social help and guidance in job search, housing assistance and material assistance to refugees.
Website
Address: Myria, Place Victor Horta 40, box 40, 1060 Saint-Gilles (Brussels)
Tel: +32 (0) 800 14 912 or +32 (0)2 212 30 00
Email: myria@myria.be
Myria, the Belgian Federal Migration Centre, is an independent public institution based in Brussels, that analyzes migration and offers legal advice and information on migration issues (through phone helpdesk and on-site – on appointment only).
Myria is the implementing partner of UNHCR in Belgium regarding family reunification.
Website
Address: Rue Émile Féron/Émile Féronstraat 153 – Brussel 1060 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 487 84 65 40 / + 32 0472/040907
Email: info@nansenrefugee.be
NANSEN is an independent centre of expertise on international protection, based in Brussels. NANSEN specialises in helping asylum seekers, applying an interdisciplinary approach to their legal work on asylum. NANSEN offers personalized advice in individual cases, visits closed centres and offers support and gives training sessions to lawyers. They have expertise on statelessness and victims of torture in the asylum procedure, and offer them support in cases of administrative detention.
Since 2018, NANSEN has been the implementing partner of UNHCR in Belgium providing quality legal support to international protection applicants.
Website
Address: 26, rue du Boulet 1000 Bruxelles
Tel: + 32 02 649 99 58
Email: sireas@sireas.be
Groupe Sireas is a non-profit organization located in Brussels, Namur and Liège (Wallonia), which supports migrants in accessing their rights in Belgium, including applying for residence and work permit, social security, housing, health, schooling, etc. (social and legal services) . Groupe Sireas also provides different trainings to enhance socio-professional integration.
Website
Address: Rue de la Colline 18, 4800 Verviers
Tel: +32 087341053
Located in Verviers (Wallonia), Espace 28 is a non-profit organization providing local services and support to migrants, especially applicants of international protection and refugees, including through legal and psychological support (social service). Espace28 also offers French language and civic integration courses for migrants with legal stay and activities in community.
Website
Tel: +32 015 34 07 88
Email: info@vluchtelingendienst.be
Steunpunt Asiel & Migratie vzw is a non-profit organization active in Mechelen (Flanders) committed to help all migrants. Steunpunt Asiel & Migratie gives judicial advice and administrative support (incl. finding a home) and psychosocial support and provides food support to people dealing with precarious residence permits.
Website
Rue Maghin, 33, 4000 Liège, Belgique
Tel: +32 04 227 69 51
Fax: +32 04 227 42 64
Mail: info@pointdappui.be
Located in Liège (Wallonia), Point d’Appui ASBL is a non-profit organization providing legal support to migrants, especially to persons staying in Belgium irregularly and persons in precarious stay (including applicants of international protection).
Website
Facebook
Address: Kruidtuinstraat 75, 1210 Brussels
Tel : +32 02 225 44 00
Fax : +32 02 201 03 76
Email: info@vluchtelingenwerk.be
Legal helpdesk: Telephone on 02-205 00 55, Monday and Friday 9:00-12:30, Wednesday 13:30-17:00 or via e-mail
Flemish Refugee Action offers expert information, training, publications and extensive helpdesks to everyone who, professionally and voluntarily, works with, assists or counsels asylum seekers and refugees. Through our projects we develop innovative working methods for social assistants and governments.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
Tel.: +32 (0)2 219 43 40
Email: info@gams.be
GAMS Belguim organises activities to raise awareness among communities, briefings and training for professionals, as well as advocacy at national and international level for the abolition of FGM/C. GAMS supports mutilation by guiding them to health and legal aid services. Moreover, it offers individual psychological counselling and group workshops.
Website
Address: Quai du Commerce 9, 1000 Brussels
Contact form
With a view to promoting a just and sustainable world, the National Center for Development Cooperation (CNCD-11.11.11) coordinates the voice of more than 70 Belgian international solidarity NGOs and thousands of volunteers around three missions :
- organize Operation 11.11.11 each year to fund some fifty development programs in poor countries in the South;
- coordinate campaigns to raise awareness among the Belgian population of the challenges of global citizenship and solidarity;
- challenge political leaders through advocacy work.
The OCMW/CPAS is a governmental agency which provides several social services to people who have insufficient means of subsistence or do not have a permanent place of residence. Social services include financial assistance, emergency medical aid, social emergency, etc.
Every municipality or city has its own OCMW/CPAS office. If you want to apply for social assistance from the OCMW/CPAS, you are encouraged to visit their office in your municipality.
Website
Address: Boulevard Poincaré 68-70, 1070 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (0)800 99 340 / +32 025511220
Email: info@samusocial.be
Samusocial is an association active in Brussels, providing free emergency support (shelter, medical, psychosocial support) to homeless people. Samusocial also runs a reception center for applicants of international protection in Brussels (Neder-Over-Hembeek).
Website
Email: contact@w2eu.info / w2eu_info@yahoo.com
This hyperlink –w2eu.info – leads to an independent source of information for refugees coming to Europe. w2eu.info might be useful on their journey to and through Europe by giving access to counseling and useful contacts in different European countries.
Belgium LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in Belgium.
Belgium COI
Find Belgium Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated February 2024