legal and social conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in ...

Access to the adult educational system
The only difference vis-à-vis asylum seekers is that, insofar as university education is concerned,
the additional registration fee for foreigners (“Minerval”) will not be required of students who are
recognised refugees resident in Belgium.
Adult education system
Refugees have access to the adult education system, including universities, on the same terms
as nationals.
Unaccompanied minors
There are no special provisions for unaccompanied minor refugees. Depending on the age, the
minor will be treated as an adult, placed with family members or friends, or in very special cases
and by a court decision, placed in a foster family.
Health/sickness
As regards health and invalidity insurance, refugees are treated in the same way as Belgian
nationals.
Health insurance covers the reimbursement of costs incurred for medical, paramedical,
pharmaceutical and hospital services. This insurance is family-based: reimbursement is granted
for costs incurred both by the insurance holder and by his dependants, i.e. persons who form part
of the insurance holder's household and live at the same address.
Compensatory insurance is intended to cover any loss of professional income resulting from
disablement.
Freedom of movement
In Belgium, all aliens, including refugees, are free to choose where to settle. Social assistance will
be granted by the CPAS of the place where the refugee lives.
Like any other alien, a refugee may be placed under forced residence restrictions, whereby the
Minister of Justice can require an individual alien who has breached public order or national
security to leave a specific location, to remain away from that location or to reside in a specified
place. However, this in practice almost never used.
Citizenship
In addition to acquiring Belgian citizenship after three years of marriage, refugees can also
acquire it through naturalisation. For ordinary naturalisation, the person must be aged over 18
and have resided in Belgium for three years if a refugee, as opposed to five years for other aliens.
Repatriation
Repatriation costs are met by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Travel costs and
an allowance of BEF 10,000 [EUR 248] for an adult and BEF 5,000 [EUR 124] for a minor may be
granted to refugees who repatriate. There is no right to return to Belgium once the refugee has
repatriated, nor are there any provisions for “exploratory trips”.
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Belgium