25 organisations challenge new family reunification law before Constitutional Court
Twenty-five organisations have submitted a petition to the Belgian Constitutional Court challenging the new family reunification law, which entered into force in August 2025. The petition highlights concerns that the law creates barriers that may prevent families from reuniting, potentially separating children from their parents indefinitely.
The family reunification law, approved by the Belgian federal parliament in July 2025, implements stricter conditions for family reunification. Key changes include stricter income thresholds for sponsors, short deadlines for recognised refugees to submit their applications, a two-year waiting period for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and a raised minimum age for sponsorship. According to the organisations, these requirements significantly limit access to family reunification and could have lasting implications for both minors and adults.
Twenty-five civil society organisations have lodged the petition with the Constitutional Court. The signatories include ABVV-FGTB, ACV-CSC, ADDE, Aide aux Personnes Déplacées, BelRefugees, Brussels Platform Armoede, CAW (Centra Algemeen Welzijnswerk), Caritas International, CIRÉ, Coordination des ONG pour les droits de l’enfant, FAIRWORK Belgium, Fondation Joseph Denamur, Netwerk Kinderrechten van STEKR, La Ligue des Familles, Ligue des Droits Humains, Medimmigrant, Maison Babel, Mentor Escale, Netwerk tegen Armoede, OBFG, Orbit vzw, Pax Christi Vlaanderen, Service droits des jeunes de Bruxelles, Sireas, and Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen. The petition challenges the law on the grounds that its provisions risk undermining fundamental rights and disproportionately restrict access to family reunification.
Alongside the legal petition, the organisations are running a public campaign called "Recht op Gezin" (Droit à la famille) to raise awareness about the practical impact of the new family reunification law. The campaign seeks to illustrate the challenges families face under the revised rules and encourages public engagement, for instance by sharing messages or images in support of family unity. The legal procedure before the Constitutional Court and the public campaign are complementary, with the petition addressing the law’s compliance with fundamental rights and the campaign highlighting the broader societal context.
For further information, please read (in Dutch) this press release.