Belgium to Introduce New Registration Certificate Format in September 2026

• Belgium will replace its current Registration Certificate (“orange card”) with a more secure passport-style booklet beginning Sept. 28, 2026, though the change will not affect residence rights or eligibility requirements. 

Registration Certificate Format 

Belgium’s Immigration Office announced that the Registration Certificate (RC), commonly known as the “orange card,” will be modernized beginning Sept. 28, 2026. Belgium will issue Registration Certificates as secure passport-style booklets to enhance document security and reduce the risk of forgery. Existing certificates will remain valid until their expiration dates and there is no requirement to apply for the new format immediately. 

What Is Changing?

Belgium will gradually replace Registration Certificates issued as orange cards or temporary A4 documents with secure passport-style booklets to enhance security, modernize the document and improve administrative management.

Will Residence Rights Change? 

No. The Immigration Office emphasized that the update only affects the document’s physical format. The change does not modify: 

• Eligibility requirements for obtaining a Registration Certificate; 
• Residence rights evidenced by the certificate; or 
• Any rights associated with the holder’s immigration status.  

According to the Immigration Office, the document is changing, not the residence status it represents.  

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