Belgium Expands Rules for Revoking Citizenship
Belgium has expanded the legal grounds for revoking Belgian citizenship from people convicted of certain serious crimes. The reform covers offenses including homicide, serious sexual crimes and organized crime involving a leading or decisive role.
The law was adopted by the Belgian Parliament in January 2026 and broadens the circumstances under which a court can order someone to lose Belgian nationality. However, the measure does not apply automatically to everyone convicted of a serious offense. Specific legal conditions must be met.
Which Crimes Can Lead to Loss of Belgian Citizenship
Under the revised rules, a person may face revocation of Belgian nationality following a conviction for certain serious offenses, including:
- Homicide and other qualifying offenses against life.
- Serious sexual offenses.
- Organized crime, when the person played a leading or decisive role.
- Terrorism-related offenses under the applicable legal provisions.
For the main categories of serious crime covered by the reform, the sentence must generally be at least five years in prison without suspension. The rules also include a time limit linked to when the person acquired Belgian nationality. In relevant cases, the offense must have been committed within 15 years of acquiring citizenship.
These requirements mean that the law does not give courts unrestricted power to revoke citizenship whenever someone receives a prison sentence.
What Changes in Terrorism Cases
The reform introduces a specific requirement for judges handling terrorism convictions.
When a person is convicted of a qualifying terrorism offense and receives a prison sentence of at least five years without suspension, the judge must consider the question of revoking Belgian nationality, even if the public prosecutor has not specifically requested it.
However, this does not mean that citizenship must be withdrawn in every case. A judge can decide against revocation if its consequences would be manifestly unreasonable and disproportionate, but the decision must be specifically explained.
Can Someone Become Stateless Under the New Law
Revocation of nationality is subject to legal safeguards. Belgian law does not permit this measure to be used in a way that leaves a person stateless.
The distinction is important because losing citizenship is a legal penalty, not simply another term for deportation. Whether a person can lose Belgian nationality depends on the applicable legal conditions and the court’s decision.
The reform therefore does not mean that every Belgian citizen convicted of a serious crime can be stripped of nationality. Eligibility, the type of offense, the sentence and other legal requirements remain relevant.
Why Belgium Changed Its Citizenship Rules
The reform forms part of Belgium’s broader effort to strengthen its response to serious crime and terrorism. By expanding the list of qualifying offenses and changing how courts address nationality revocation in terrorism cases, lawmakers have widened the legal framework available to judges.
The changes also raise important questions about proportionality, citizenship rights and how the law should be applied in individual cases.
For people living in Belgium, the key point is that a criminal conviction does not automatically result in the loss of Belgian nationality. The law establishes specific circumstances in which a court may impose that penalty, subject to the relevant safeguards.
