Belgian Parliament Passes Law Tightening Family Reunification Rules

(MENAFN) On Friday, the Belgian Parliament passed new legislation aimed at tightening migration policies, particularly targeting family reunification, according to a news agency.

The bill, put forward by Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, raises the income requirements for those applying for family reunification.

This move seeks to curb the growing number of foreigners entering Belgium through family reunification, which remains one of the country’s largest migration pathways. Visa applications on this basis surged to 13,102 in 2024, up from 9,358 in the previous year.

Under the new rules, applicants must earn at least 110% of the guaranteed minimum income (€2,323 or $2,704), plus an additional 10% per family member.

The law also reduces or removes unconditional residence periods for refugees’ family members and extends the waiting time before new arrivals can bring family members to Belgium. The minimum age for reunification has been raised to 21 years.

In a separate unanimous vote, Parliament approved a resolution urging the European Union to label Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

The resolution further demands stricter economic sanctions on Tehran and an expanded EU sanctions list, including Iranian judges, prison officials, and others involved in executions and trials.

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