Belgium is denying temporary protection to Ukrainian children born after 2022: what is the reason?

In many cases, children of Ukrainians born after 2022 are unable to obtain temporary protection in Belgium. Belgian authorities have attributed this to changes in the program’s rules and criteria. Learn more about the requirements, alternatives, and the real challenges families face

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In many cases, children of Ukrainians born after the start of the full-scale war are unable to obtain temporary protection in Belgium. This decision has raised questions among families already in the country who are awaiting the processing of documents for their newborns.

The Migration Service explained that the reason lies in a change in the approach to granting status and the program’s clear criteria. At the same time, alternative paths to legalization are available for such children, although they may be more complicated.

In our previous article, we explained how to obtain temporary protection and what rights Ukrainians will have in Belgium under this status.

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Why aren’t children of Ukrainians born after 2022 receiving protection?

Following legislative changes that took effect in August 2025, Belgium clarified the conditions for granting temporary protection to Ukrainian citizens.

The program’s key requirement—residence in Ukraine prior to the start of the full-scale invasion—has become decisive. This is precisely why children born after 2022 cannot meet this requirement.

In effect, this means that even if parents have temporary protection status, newborn children do not automatically qualify for this program. As a result, families must seek other legal mechanisms to formalize the child’s stay in the country.

What are the alternatives for obtaining a child’s status?

Despite the lack of access to temporary protection, other legalization options are available for children of Ukrainians in Belgium. The specific procedure depends on where exactly the child was born.

If the child was born in Belgium

In this case, a simplified approach applies—a separate family reunification procedure is not required. Municipalities can automatically grant the child a residence permit provided that the basic requirements are met:

- One of the parents has temporary protection status

- Paternity has been established

- A Belgian birth certificate is available

This approach avoids complex procedures and speeds up the processing of documents for newborns.

If the child was born outside Belgium

In this situation, the standard family reunification procedure applies, which is more formalized and requires additional conditions. Parents must submit an application to the municipality and confirm:

- Availability of housing

- Health insurance

- Sufficient financial resources

At the same time, there is an important exception: if only the child is moving to Belgium (without a partner of one of the parents), proof of income may not be required. This partially simplifies the procedure, but it remains more complicated than in the case of a child born in the country.

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What challenges do families face in practice?

Despite the availability of alternative procedures, in practice, Ukrainian families face a number of difficulties when applying for residency status for their children.

Most complaints concern the financial requirements within the family reunification procedure. In particular, parents may be required to provide proof of sufficient income, which is not always possible for families under temporary protection.

Another serious problem is delays in processing documents. While waiting for a decision, children effectively remain without full legal status.

This creates additional risks, including:

- Lack of access to health insurance

- Limited access to basic social services

- Uncertainty regarding continued stay in the country

As a result, even formally accessible procedures do not always work quickly and smoothly, which complicates the situation for families with young children.

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We remind you! With the arrival of spring, Ukrainians are increasingly planning trips abroad in their own cars, but this also brings a greater risk of encountering fraudsters. Find out how scams involving fake ‘Green Cards’ work, what risks this poses to drivers, and how to check the authenticity of an insurance policy before your trip.

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