Belgium Introduces New Regulations for Cross-Border Workers, Effective August 2026
Current rules
Cross-border workers residing in Germany, France, Luxembourg, or the Netherlands who hold an Annex 15 permit will receive a 12-month grace period to comply. Cross-border workers residing in the United Kingdom will no longer be able to enter Belgium with an Annex 15 as cross-border workers and are advised to apply for a long-term visa (D visa) at the Belgian Embassy in London.
Overview
Belgium is implementing new regulations for cross-border workers, replacing those from 1981. The updated framework will apply to individuals working across Belgian borders, with specific transitional arrangements for those from Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and new D visa requirements for UK residents. These changes are expected to take effect in August 2026, following publication in the Belgian Official Gazette.
Who is affected by the latest change
- Cross-border workers living in France
- Cross-border workers living in Germany
- Cross-border workers living in Luxembourg
- Cross-border workers living in the Netherlands
- Cross-border workers living in the UK
- Non-EU citizens working in Belgium while living in a neighbouring country
- Employers hiring cross-border workers in Belgium
What changed in the latest version
Before
Rules for cross-border workers were from 1981. These rules allowed entry with an Annex 15 permit. This applied to cross-border workers who lived in Germany, France, Luxembourg, or the Netherlands. It also implicitly applied to cross-border workers who lived in the United Kingdom.
After
Cross-border workers who live in Germany, France, Luxembourg, or the Netherlands and have an Annex 15 permit will have a 12-month grace period to meet the new rules. Cross-border workers who live in the United Kingdom cannot enter Belgium with an Annex 15 permit as cross-border workers anymore. They should apply for a long-term visa, called a D visa. They must do this at the Belgian Embassy in London.
This rule change is important. It updates the system for cross-border work. It replaces old rules from 1981. For people from the United Kingdom who work across the border, this means a big change in what they need to enter. They now need a long-term visa, a D visa. They cannot use the old Annex 15 permit. This directly affects their ability to travel and work in Belgium. Some people from the EU or Luxembourg get a 12-month grace period. This helps them adjust without immediate problems. This update affects businesses that employ cross-border staff. It also affects individual workers' visa applications and how they must meet rules.
Explained simply
Imagine the old rulebook for people working across the border in Belgium was written a long, long time ago, back in 1981. It's like trying to use a map from the 80s to navigate a modern city – it just doesn't work anymore. So, Belgium is getting a brand new rulebook starting in August 2026. If you're a worker from Germany, France, Luxembourg, or the Netherlands with a special permit (called an Annex 15), you'll have a year to get used to the new rules. But if you're a worker from the UK, you can't just use your old permit anymore; you'll need to apply for a completely different, long-term visa to continue working in Belgium.
Frequently asked
Version history
- v1Effective 17 Aug 2026EffectiveHigh impactBelgium Introduces New Regulations for Cross-Border Workers, Effective August 2026
Belgium is introducing new rules for cross-border workers. These new rules start in August 2026. The old rules were from 1981. They are now being updated. Cross-border workers who live in Germany, France, Luxembourg, or the Netherlands and have an Annex 15 permit will have 12 months to meet the new rules. This is a grace period. Cross-border workers from the United Kingdom cannot use an Annex 15 permit to enter Belgium anymore. They must apply for a long-term (D) visa at the Belgian Embassy in London.