Travelling abroad (from 27/01/2021 to 18/04/2021)
Travel for recreational/tourist purposes to and from Belgium is prohibited from Wednesday January 27th to Monday March 1st, 2021. The travel ban will be monitored in terms of road, air, maritime and rail traffic.
People travelling to and from Belgium must have a sworn declaration. A model form will be provided by the Minister of the Interior.
The sworn declaration must be linked to the passengers' Passenger Location Form and supported by the necessary documents.
Essential travel (from 27/01/2021 to 18/04/2021)
Pendant la durée de l'interdiction, seuls les déplacements essentiels sont autorisés. Concrètement, il s’agit des motifs suivants :
1. Compelling family reasons
- Family reunion
- Visits to a spouse or partner who does not live under the same roof, to the extent that plausible evidence of a stable and lasting relationship can be provided
- Travel related to co-parenting, civil and religious marriages, funerals or cremations (of friends or loved ones)
2. Humanitarian reasons
- Travel for medical reasons and continuation of medical treatment
- Assistance to an older, minor, disabled or vulnerable person
- Visit to loved ones in palliative care
3. Educational reasons
- Travel for pupils, students and interns who participate in an exchange as part of their studies
- Researchers with a hosting contract.
4. Border worker
- Travel related to daily life for activities which are also authorised in Belgium;
5. Professional reasons for exercising professional activity
6. Miscellaneous
- Animal care, travel for legal obligations (if these cannot be accomplished online), urgent repairs for vehicle safety and moving house are also considered essential.
What must the member be able to provide to prove that the reason for their trip is considered “essential” ? (from 27/01/2021 to 18/04/2021)
You must always be able to prove travel for a function or an essential need with plausible proof such as, for example, an extract from the marital status register or a birth certificate to prove a family relationship, an employment contract, a medical certificate issued by an official health authority or a healthcare provider, a death certificate, a binding legal document…
Example :
Visiting a partner who does not live under the same roof is considered an essential trip, from September 1st, but it is subject to a certain number of conditions:
You must have been legally co-habiting for at least one year without interruption (in Belgium or in another country)
OR
Being able to prove that you have had a sentimental relationship for at least two years before the request (this means that the partners know each other and can prove that they have met at least three times during the two years preceding the request and that these meetings cover a total duration of 45 days or more).
OR
Having a child in common is also proof of a lasting relationship. The partner abroad must ask the Belgian diplomatic representation for a visa or proof of essential travel (if they are not subject to the visa requirement). The diplomatic post will issue, as far as possible, these visas or this proof. If this is not possible, the file will be transferred to the immigration department.
Important !!!
- If it is a temporary stay of an essential nature, a copy of the supporting documents must always be attached to the SUE file.
- Taking into account the art. 34 of the UNMN articles of association
Example :
- Travelling for a professional reason is one of the so-called “essential” reasons for travel. However, it is mentioned in art. 34 of the UNMN article of associations, that travelling as part of a professional secondment is a reason for exclusion. In this specific case, there will be no additional insurance intervention.
Travelling abroad (from 19/04/2021)
There is no longer a travel ban from Belgium, whatever the destination. The ban was replaced by negative travel advice: travel is strongly discouraged. This advice applies to all destinations, both inside and outside the European Union.
Anyone choosing to travel despite negative travel advice will need to check the measures applicable in the destination country. It is possible that a destination country does not allow Belgians or does not allow tourist travel. You will find these measures country by country in our travel advice: Travel advice - Federal Public Foreign Affairs Department (belgium.be). If the health measures imposed by the country of destination are not respected, Mutas will not be able to intervene.
Members who travel from 19/04/2021 and wish to benefit from the Mutas service can do so as long as the articles of association are respected.
Vaccination
Members who are staying abroad and wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are not entitled to an intervention from Mutas.