Brussels, Belgium – Belgium is set to implement its strictest migration policy yet in a bid to curb asylum applications, a move that has sparked widespread criticism from civil society groups and migration experts.
The measures, part of a broader effort to control migration, include tighter rules on family reunification, increased detention capacity, and reduced social benefits for asylum seekers.
Critics warn the changes will not only exacerbate human suffering but could also lead to greater instability and higher costs for the country in the long run.
Asylum Seekers Speak Out: “A System Designed to Deter, Not Help”
Zana, a Kurdish woman from Kobani, Syria, knows firsthand the challenges of seeking asylum in Belgium. She and her family arrived in July 2018 after fleeing conflict in their home country. Their initial experience in Belgium was far from welcoming.
“When we arrived here, we received very little information from authorities about the process of applying for asylum. They leave you in the dark, hoping you make a mistake in your application so they can reject it,” she told The Brussels Times.
Zana described the nerve-wracking experience of waiting a year for the crucial “personal interview,” in which asylum seekers must justify their request for protection.
“I prepared extensively, gathering 150 pages of evidence for every question they could ask. During the interview, I was so stressed. I didn’t want to get anything wrong because I knew it was our only chance to stay in this country. I cried because the pressure was immense.”
Her concerns were echoed by Mesbah, an Afghan refugee who arrived in Belgium in 2017 at the age of 15 after suffering severe trauma during his journey.
“They asked me all the expected questions, but also tried to trip me up on exact timings and dates. That whole period of my life was one big blur. It felt like they wanted to find a reason to reject me,” he said.
Both Zana and Mesbah acknowledge that some verification is necessary to ensure protection is granted to those who truly need it. However, they believe Belgium’s asylum system is increasingly geared towards deterrence rather than assistance.
Government Justifies Strict Measures Amid Rising Asylum Applications
The Belgian government argues that the stricter policy is necessary to bring down the number of asylum seekers.
“We are making our policy stricter because, in the rest of Europe, asylum applications have fallen by 12%, while in Belgium, they are up by 12%,” said Charlotte Vandecruys, spokesperson for Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA).
In 2024, Belgium received 39,615 requests for international protection. Of these, around 15,000 applicants had already applied for asylum elsewhere in the EU or had even been granted protection in another country.
“Yet they travel on to Belgium because it is easier to get a living allowance and the conditions for family reunification are much more flexible,” Vandecruys added.
The government claims the reforms will create a clearer, more efficient asylum process while also reducing pressure on Belgian society.
“Sometimes it is more humane to have a controlled asylum-migration policy, rather than allowing people to come here without being able to take them in,” Vandecruys argued.
A Policy That Will ‘Jeopardize Rights’
The new policy, however, has been met with strong opposition from NGOs and migration experts, who warn that it could lead to more irregular migration and prolonged hardship for asylum seekers.
Pascal Debruyne, a migration expert at Odisee University, pointed out that research shows stricter migration laws rarely deter people from seeking asylum.
“People leave because they have aspirations or are fleeing danger. These measures won’t stop them; they will just force them into more dangerous and irregular migration routes.”
Marie Doutrepont, a lawyer specializing in asylum cases, called the policy a “dismantling of democratic foundations.” She warned that by curtailing asylum seekers’ rights, Belgium was setting a precedent that could later be used to limit the rights of other groups.
“What is happening now with immigrants and foreign nationals is exactly what will happen to the rest of society tomorrow.”
New Measures: Stricter Rules, Less Support
Under the proposed changes, Belgium will:
- Deny asylum seekers who have received protection elsewhere in the EU.
- Tighten family reunification rules by raising income requirements and increasing waiting periods.
- Double the capacity of detention centers to house those awaiting deportation.
- Limit social welfare benefits and tie them to a strict integration program.
- Reorganize migration services, moving asylum affairs to a new federal service, FPS Migration.
Additionally, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS), which processes asylum requests, will receive more political oversight. Critics fear this could compromise the agency’s independence. “The minister will not intervene in individual decisions, but she will issue general guidelines on who qualifies for protection,” Vandecruys explained.
Belgium’s Asylum Crisis: A History of Failures
Since 2021, Belgium has faced an ongoing asylum reception crisis, with thousands of asylum seekers left sleeping on the streets due to the government’s failure to provide adequate shelter. Despite multiple court rulings ordering the state to house these individuals, the crisis persists.
“The cost of asylum reception is almost €1 billion per year. With Belgium’s budgetary situation, this is no sinecure,” Vandecruys stated.
However, critics argue that the failure to provide adequate housing has already resulted in legal fees, compensation payments, and emergency support that could have been avoided with a more structured approach.
A Humane Approach Ignored?
While the government defends its stricter policies as necessary for societal balance, asylum seekers like Zana and Mesbah believe a more humane approach is needed.
“What I don’t understand is why they never consider ways to make the system more humane,” Zana said. “People don’t come here to take advantage of the system.
They come because they have no choice. If they were given support to integrate properly, they would contribute back to society instead of being left in limbo.”
Belgium has already launched “dissuasion” campaigns abroad, using social media platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp to warn potential migrants of the new restrictions. However, migration experts have pointed out that such campaigns rarely work as intended.
“These campaigns are often a waste of public money,” Debruyne said. “Research has shown that they sometimes have the opposite effect, making people more determined to leave their home country.”
For asylum seekers already in Belgium, the tightening of rules adds yet another layer of uncertainty to an already difficult process. As the country moves toward what it calls a “controlled asylum-migration policy,” the debate over its human cost is far from over.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
