The first change concerns the Royal Decree of 11 July 2003, which sets out the procedure before the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons. The standard period for providing a valid reason for missing a personal interview has been reduced from 15 to 8 days. This adjustment applies only to interviews for which the invitation letter is sent after the entry into force of the modification, that is, after 4 August 2025. Applicants can find the relevant deadline in a highlighted section at the bottom of their invitation letter.

The second change follows an amendment to the law of 15 December 1980 on the access to the territory, stay, settlement, and removal of foreigners. Under the new rule, any international protection request submitted after a final decision has been taken on a previous application in another EU Member State will now be treated and recorded as a subsequent application.

Both measures apply to applications submitted from Monday, 4 August 2025, ten days after their publication in the Belgian Official Gazette. They are part of broader legislative adjustments intended to relieve pressure on the asylum system and improve procedural clarity for applicants.

For further details, please read this press release from the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons.