BELGIUM RESIDENCY CARDS
Many of you will be receiving letters informing you of the need to register for an ‘M’ card due to the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. As MOD Sponsored Military/Civilian personnel we are entitled to Protocol IDs which give us a special right of residency, this will continue but some action may be required to change our Protocol IDs for an equivalent M Card with the same rights and restrictions. The HNLO has been in touch with the Commune POC and they are suggesting that no action is needed before Feb for protocol changes.
The letter already received is informing those British personnel of the actions they must undertake if they currently live and work on in the HN labour market in Belgium (not those in Dependant jobs within EJSU).
The specific information for those with special residency status through the Protocol Directorate can be found at the link:
https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/Protocol/brexit/informative_memo
Further information will follow once EJSU and the NSE have liaised with the Protocol Directorate on the process. If you hold a Protocol ID, or have registered for one, please do not do any other form of action for the moment. Those of you who have a Belgium Work Permit, not a Protocol ID, should follow the direction in the letters that are being sent out.
All eligible dependants should have registered for a Belgium Protocol ID on arrival, if you haven’t done so, you should book an appointment on shape2day.com to do it as soon as possible. Previously the advice has been that Service Personnel and Civil Servants did not need a Protocol ID, the NSE is now strongly advising ALL eligible personnel to apply for a Protocol ID, this also applies to any boarding school children and those dependants in University who are eligible for SCV travel.