Belgium – End of Life Issues

What end of life care options are available in Belgium, and how does the system work?

Belgium has developed a high-quality palliative care infrastructure, with dedicated networks operating throughout every province to coordinate services, deliver training, and foster a wider culture of palliative practice. The system is built to serve patients in multiple settings — including acute hospital wards, private residences, and care homes — and is supported by a combination of federal financing and regional governance structures across Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels.

For individuals who prefer to spend their final days at home, specialist palliative home care teams are available, and these teams also extend support to the patient’s close family members. In certain regions, daytime palliative care facilities have been established to offer respite to both patients and their caregivers.

Within hospitals, two distinct types of palliative provision have been created: dedicated palliative units offering roughly 400 beds nationally, and mobile interdisciplinary teams who support terminally ill patients in other wards throughout the hospital. Residential care homes have also grown considerably in importance: recent population-level data reveal a clear trend of more deaths occurring in care homes and fewer in hospitals over the past decade, making care homes the predominant setting for end-of-life care in Belgium today.

The Belgian approach to end-of-life care rests on two pillars: universal access to palliative care and a legally regulated framework for euthanasia. Rather than being seen as contradictory, these two elements are regarded as complementary, together forming what is sometimes described as an “integral” model of care at the end of life.

What is palliative care in Belgium, and who is eligible for it?

When a person’s illness has progressed beyond the point of cure, and death has become a foreseeable outcome, the emphasis of medical care moves away from treating or halting the disease and turns instead toward maximising the person’s comfort and dignity. Known as palliative care, this approach takes a holistic and multidisciplinary view, aiming to prevent and ease physical pain, psychological distress, and spiritual suffering.

Any patient facing a terminal diagnosis — a serious condition that can no longer be reversed and that will predictably lead to death — is entitled to receive this form of care, alongside their loved ones. Over the years, Belgium has developed an extensive range of palliative services and structures to meet this need.

For the purposes of funding and reimbursement, a patient is formally classified as palliative when their life expectancy falls between 24 hours and three months (as of 2024). This threshold is primarily an administrative designation; care teams may in practice adopt a palliative approach well in advance of this point when the clinical picture warrants it. Palliative care in Belgium extends far beyond medical treatment — it encompasses a comprehensive support network addressing the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of the patient’s experience.

Belgian employment law also recognises the importance of informal caregiving: employees in the private sector are entitled to take sabbatical leave or reduce their working hours in order to provide palliative care to a person with an incurable illness. This provision acknowledges the vital contribution that family members make alongside professional care teams.

Are there hospices in Belgium, and how do you access them?

Belgium does not operate an extensive network of standalone hospice facilities of the kind found in, for instance, the UK’s charity-funded hospice model. Dedicated end-of-life care is instead delivered primarily through hospital-based palliative units, residential care homes equipped with palliative support, and specialist home care teams. Each of Belgium’s three regions — Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels — maintains its own network of centres and services, each subject to regional quality standards and oversight.

In the Brussels-Capital Region, a dedicated online platform provides a comprehensive directory of palliative care providers and services. Comparable regional directories exist in Flanders and Wallonia. The usual entry point for any form of palliative or hospice-type care is a referral from your general practitioner or a hospital consultant.

State-funded programmes in Belgium make palliative care available either free of charge or at low cost to patients; all that is generally required is for the patient or a family member to approach their attending physician or a social worker. Voluntary and non-profit organisations also play an active role, including the Federatie Palliatieve Zorg Vlaanderen (Flanders), the Fédération Wallonne des Soins Palliatifs (Wallonia), and the Federation of Palliative Care Brussels — all of which serve as regional hubs capable of directing patients and families to the right services.

Is palliative or hospice care covered by public health insurance, or does it need to be funded privately?

In Belgium, the bulk of palliative care costs are borne by the public health system. The principal mechanism for this is Belgium’s mandatory health insurance scheme, administered by the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance — known by its French acronym INAMI, or its Dutch equivalent RIZIV — which underpins coverage across the country.

All persons living in Belgium, including foreign nationals, are required to take out compulsory health insurance as soon as they take up residence or begin employment. This insurance covers a substantial proportion of healthcare costs, encompassing GP visits, hospitalisation, and a range of other medical services. Residents enrol through a mutual insurance fund (mutualité/ziekenfonds). The specific fund chosen does not alter the reimbursement rates received, since these are set uniformly by INAMI/RIZIV and apply equally to all members.

The majority of residents enrolled in the compulsory scheme will find that a significant portion of palliative care costs is covered. Mutual funds may also offer supplementary packages that further enhance the quality of care available. In certain situations — particularly for foreign nationals — palliative care may be funded through private health insurance or settled directly out of pocket if a private facility is selected.

If your health coverage is provided by another EEA member state or Switzerland and you relocate to Belgium, you retain entitlement to medical care in Belgium charged to the country where you hold insurance. You will need to register with a Belgian health insurance fund of your choosing and present document S1, issued by your home country’s health authority. Individuals arriving from outside the EEA should clarify their coverage arrangements with their private insurer before seeking treatment.

What legal documents should expats have in place before the end of life in Belgium — such as a living will, advance directive, power of attorney, or healthcare proxy — and how do these work?

Belgian law provides for a range of documents that enable individuals to record their wishes regarding medical treatment before they lose the capacity to communicate them. For expats with family abroad, whose preferences might not otherwise be known to Belgian healthcare providers, having these documents in order is especially important.

Advance directive (négatieve wilsverklaring / déclaration anticipée négative): This document enables you to decline specific medical interventions — such as resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, or artificial nutrition — should you become unable to express your wishes in person. It must be written, signed, dated, and witnessed. It can be lodged with your GP or at your local commune, where it will be entered into the national register. Belgian law obliges doctors to honour a validly registered advance directive.

Advance directive for euthanasia: The law permits advance declarations relating to euthanasia in cases of irreversible coma. Such a declaration must satisfy the formal requirements set out in the 2002 euthanasia legislation and should be periodically revisited — the Belgian government recommends renewal every five years.

Power of attorney (volmacht / procuration): A general or specific power of attorney designates a trusted individual to manage your financial and legal affairs should you lose mental capacity. For matters involving property or finances, this is executed before a Belgian notary. A separate healthcare representative or proxy can be appointed to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to do so yourself.

Will (testament): A will is essential for ensuring your assets are distributed in accordance with your intentions. In Belgium, a holographic will — written entirely by hand, signed, and dated by the testator — is legally valid without a notary, though a notarial will offers greater protection and is automatically entered in the Central Register of Wills (Centraal Register van Testamenten / Registre Central des Testaments).

Are documents such as advance directives or powers of attorney made in another country legally recognised in Belgium?

As a member of the European Union and a party to various international conventions, Belgium operates within a framework that generally allows for the recognition of foreign legal documents — though with important limitations. EU succession rules (EU Regulation 650/2012) have streamlined the mutual recognition of certain instruments across EU member states, but advance healthcare directives fall under national medical law and are treated accordingly.

A foreign advance directive or living will may be regarded by Belgian medical professionals as an expression of the patient’s wishes, but it is unlikely to carry the same legal standing as a document that has been formally registered in Belgium’s national register. To ensure your preferences are fully honoured, it is strongly recommended that any existing advance directive be reviewed and, where necessary, re-executed to comply with Belgian legal requirements, then registered with your GP or local commune.

Powers of attorney granted in another country may be recognised in Belgium, particularly within the EU, but foreign instruments will generally need to be apostilled under the Hague Convention and may require a certified translation into French, Dutch, or German, depending on the region in which they are to be used. A Belgian notary can assess whether a foreign power of attorney satisfies local requirements. Belgian banks and property registries may insist on a document executed under Belgian law. Anyone intending to rely on a foreign document in Belgium should obtain professional legal advice beforehand.

What are the laws around euthanasia or assisted dying in Belgium?

Following extensive public and parliamentary debate, Belgium enacted its euthanasia legislation in 2002, decriminalising assisted dying for adults and establishing that physicians are not criminally liable provided they comply with the law’s due care requirements. Under Belgian law, assisted dying is treated as a medical act that is lawfully permitted when carried out by a doctor in circumstances of genuine, incurable suffering.

To be eligible for euthanasia in Belgium, a patient must submit a voluntary, repeated, and carefully considered written request; must be experiencing a medically futile situation involving persistent and unbearable physical or psychological suffering; and must be affected by a serious and irreversible condition resulting from illness or accident. Two doctors must be consulted throughout the process, and where the patient’s natural death is not anticipated in the near future, a third opinion from a specialist is also mandatory.

In a landmark development in 2014, Belgium became the first country in the world to remove the minimum age threshold for assisted dying entirely. The amendment permits minors who are terminally ill, suffering unrelenting physical pain, and judged by a psychologist to possess the capacity for discernment to request euthanasia — subject to the mandatory consent of their parents. Since this provision came into force, only six minors have made use of it (as of 2024).

The Belgian Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia recorded 3,991 euthanasia registrations in 2024, representing a 16.6% increase compared to the previous year. Belgian doctors are now entitled to an official fee of €180.24 for performing euthanasia, meaning that patients and their families are no longer required to bear the cost of the procedure themselves (as of 2025).

Every person in Belgium retains the right to decline medical treatment. Palliative care and palliative sedation are recognised as legitimate and appropriate medical practice. No physician is compelled to carry out euthanasia; conscientious objection is permitted by law, but a doctor who declines on those grounds must refer the patient to a colleague willing to assist.

What are the local customs, traditions, and religious practices around death and dying in Belgium?

Belgium is a multilingual, pluralist country with distinct cultural identities across its three principal regions: Flanders in the north (Dutch-speaking), Wallonia in the south (French-speaking), and bilingual Brussels. Roman Catholicism has historically shaped the country’s relationship with death and continues to influence many funeral practices, though observance differs considerably between regions and generations, and non-religious ceremonies are becoming progressively more common.

In more traditionally Catholic communities, it remains customary for the deceased to lie in state at the family home or a funeral chapel, allowing relatives and friends to pay their respects before the burial takes place. Funeral Masses continue to be widely held, particularly in Flanders and the more rural parts of Wallonia. Black remains the conventional colour of mourning, and it is considered important in Belgian culture to acknowledge a death in person — typically at the service itself.

Death notices (overlijdensbericht / avis de décès) are routinely published in local newspapers or circulated by post, and there is a strong cultural expectation that the death will be acknowledged formally. After the funeral, it is common for the family to host a gathering — typically referred to as a condoléances reception — where mourners come together to share refreshments and offer comfort to those who are grieving.

Belgium’s diverse immigrant population brings a wide range of religious and cultural practices, and funeral directors in larger urban centres are well accustomed to accommodating different faith traditions, including Islamic rites, Jewish customs, and others. Anyone wishing to arrange a burial in accordance with specific religious requirements — such as particular positioning of the body, ritual washing, or rapid interment — should discuss this at an early stage with both the clinical team and the funeral director of their choice.

What must you do when someone dies in Belgium? Who do you notify, how quickly, and in what order?

A death must be reported and registered at the earliest opportunity. While Belgian law does not specify a fixed deadline, registration typically occurs within one to two working days in practice. The steps below outline the standard sequence of actions:

1. Contact a doctor without delay. If a death occurs at home, the family doctor must be called immediately. The doctor will confirm the date and time of death and provide the necessary paperwork to enable formal registration, including a medical death certificate (certificat de décès / overlijdensattest) recording the identity of the deceased and the circumstances of death. If death occurs in a hospital or care home, staff will set this process in motion.
2. Involve the police only where warranted. The police need only be contacted if the circumstances of the death appear suspicious. The attending doctor will alert the police if they judge it necessary.
3. Engage a funeral director. The next of kin may choose to register the death and organise the funeral personally, or appoint a funeral director to manage the administrative and logistical arrangements on their behalf. A funeral director can guide the family through each step and act as their representative.
4. Register the death at the local commune. The death must be formally reported to the registry office (burgerlijke stand / état civil) of the municipality in which it occurred. The civil registrar will prepare an official death certificate, which constitutes legal proof of the death.
5. Declare intentions regarding the body. The person reporting the death must indicate whether the body is to be repatriated, so that the relevant documentation can be initiated. The authorities will also check whether the deceased left recorded instructions regarding burial or cremation.
6. Inform the deceased’s bank. Financial institutions should be notified promptly. Funds may be released to cover funeral expenses, the costs of the final illness, and the last place of residence. In certain circumstances, the bank may advance funds to the surviving spouse or legally cohabiting partner.
7. Notify all other relevant parties. A number of organisations and bodies will need to be informed, including the deceased’s employer if they were still working, pension funds, insurance companies, and utility providers.
8. Inform the home country embassy or consulate if the deceased was a foreign national (see the section below for further details).

How is a death officially registered in Belgium, and what documents are needed?

Registration generally takes place in person, with two adults attending the commune’s registry office, though some municipalities accept details by fax in the first instance, followed by a subsequent visit in person. The adults attending the registration are not required to be relatives of the deceased — a funeral director may perform this function — but the presence of at least one family member is advisable to reduce the risk of errors.

The following documents are typically required when registering a death at the local commune:

• The medical death certificate issued by the treating physician (certificat de décès / overlijdensattest)
• The deceased’s identity document (national identity card or passport)
• The deceased’s residence permit or registration document (if a foreign national)
• The deceased’s Belgian eID card or foreign identity card
• Any documents reflecting the deceased’s recorded wishes (will, advance directive, or funeral instructions held on file at the commune)

The civil registrar will then issue an official death certificate (acte de décès / overlijdensakte). This Belgian document is accepted by many foreign authorities, and an international version of the certificate is also widely recognised, though it is not treated as the definitive official death certificate. It is advisable to request several certified copies, as these will be required by the estate, the embassy, banks, insurers, and various other bodies.

What happens if a foreign national dies in Belgium — what are the specific steps for notifying their home country’s embassy or consulate, and what role does the consulate play?

When a foreign national dies in Belgium, the family or next of kin should contact the deceased’s home country embassy or consulate in Belgium as soon as possible following registration of the death with the local commune. Most embassies maintain a consular emergency line outside standard office hours for precisely these situations.

The typical functions performed by the consulate in such circumstances include:

• Guiding the family through local procedures and the documentation required
• Issuing a consular death certificate or official notification of the death to the relevant authorities in the home country
• Providing advice on, or facilitating the practicalities of, repatriating the remains, including the paperwork involved
• Assisting in tracing next of kin where they cannot be identified or reached
• Cancelling or annotating the deceased’s passport
• Referring the family to local legal advisers, translators, or other support services as required

Foreign nationals should contact their embassy in Belgium as a priority, since the embassy will ordinarily assist with repatriation and guide the family through the formalities that must be completed. While embassies can issue death certificates for their own nationals where needed, Belgian death certificates are accepted by most countries.

It is important to understand that neither the embassy nor the consulate has the financial means to fund repatriation or funeral costs. Where no insurance is in place, the expenses of repatriation or local burial or cremation must be met by the family themselves. This underscores the importance of holding adequate travel or life insurance that includes repatriation cover before any such situation arises.

How are funerals typically arranged in Belgium, and what are the usual options for burial or cremation?

A relative or formally authorised representative must engage a funeral director in Belgium. Licensed funeral directors (pompes funèbres / begrafenisondernemers) are qualified to oversee the entire process, from collecting the body and completing the required paperwork to organising the ceremony and managing interment or cremation.

The principal options for the disposal of remains in Belgium are as follows:

• Burial: A plot in a municipal cemetery is provided at no charge for the first five years. Families may pay to reserve a plot for up to 50 years, with the possibility of renewal. Most large cemeteries include confessional sections catering to specific faith communities.
• Cremation: Cremation is growing in popularity across Belgium. The resulting ashes may be kept in an urn, interred in a cemetery, placed in a columbarium, or scattered in designated areas. Many local authorities permit scattering in certain publicly owned locations, subject to relevant restrictions that should be verified in advance.
• Natural burial: Environmentally friendly or natural burial options exist in some parts of Belgium, though they are less prevalent than in certain other European countries.

Embalming is not routinely permitted in Belgium and requires specific authorisation, which is typically granted only where the body must be transported internationally for repatriation. Funeral ceremonies may be religious or secular in character — humanist officiants are widely available — and arrangements can be tailored to reflect the cultural and religious background of the deceased.

What are the approximate costs of a funeral in Belgium, and are there any state or insurance-based funds that can help cover them?

Funeral costs in Belgium differ considerably depending on the region, the nature of the service chosen, and whether cremation or burial is selected. As a broad indication (as of 2024–2025), a straightforward cremation with a modest ceremony typically begins at around €1,500–€2,500, while a more elaborate burial with a full religious or civil service can amount to €5,000–€10,000 or more. Cemetery fees, headstones, floral tributes, and death notices represent additional expenditure.

When calculating inheritance tax, the net value of the estate is determined after deducting both the deceased’s outstanding debts and reasonable funeral costs. This means that funeral expenses are effectively deductible from the taxable estate — a practical consideration that executors and beneficiaries should keep in mind.

There is no universal state funeral grant in Belgium comparable to, for example, the UK’s Funeral Expenses Payment. However, some mutual insurance funds (mutualités/ziekenfondsen) pay a death benefit (overlijdensuitkering / allocation de décès) to their members upon the death of a covered individual. Some regions in Belgium also operate their own financial support schemes for families of patients who received palliative care, which can ease the burden on those left behind. It is worth contacting the deceased’s mutual fund to find out whether any lump-sum payment is due.

Travel insurance and life insurance policies sometimes include provision for funeral costs. If the deceased was employed, the employer’s group insurance policy may provide a death-in-service benefit. Where meeting the full cost upfront is not immediately possible, funeral directors may be willing to arrange staged payments — this is a practical option worth exploring at the outset.

What is the process for repatriating the remains of a foreign national from Belgium to another country?

Repatriating human remains from Belgium is a regulated legal process that involves both Belgian authorities and the government of the receiving country. The process should be managed by a licensed Belgian funeral director with experience in international transfers, working in close coordination with the deceased’s home country embassy.

The key documents required for repatriation from Belgium include:

• In addition to the death certificate and embalming certificate, documentation covering the sealing of the coffin is required. The coffin is sealed and verified by the police or a municipal officer. A transfer licence, issued by the Ministry of Public Health, along with a medical certificate confirming that the body carries no infectious disease, are also necessary.
• Acceptance documentation from the authorities of the receiving country
• Consular paperwork, which may include a consular death certificate or an official communication from the receiving country’s government

Certain destination countries require the body to be embalmed before transport. The funeral director appointed in the receiving country can provide specific guidance on this requirement. As noted, embalming in Belgium requires authorisation but is routinely approved for international repatriation cases.

The complete process — from the time of death to the body’s departure from Belgium — typically takes between one and three weeks, depending on the complexity of the situation, the requirements of the destination country, and whether a post-mortem examination is necessary. All documentation will travel with the coffin. Repatriation costs can be considerable, often amounting to €2,000–€5,000 or more, excluding air freight and specialist handling fees. This makes it one of the most compelling reasons for expats to hold travel or expatriate insurance with dedicated repatriation cover.

What happens to the estate of someone who dies in Belgium — how does probate or estate administration work, and are there inheritance taxes?

In contrast to countries such as the UK or Ireland, where formal probate proceedings are routinely required before an estate can be distributed, Belgium has no equivalent court-supervised probate procedure as a matter of course. A rule introduced in 2018 provides that the children of the deceased are entitled to receive at least half of the estate collectively — a protection that takes effect automatically, without the need for any court order.

Where real estate forms part of the estate, a notary (notaire / notaris) is central to the administration process. The notary is responsible for identifying the assets and liabilities of the estate, settling any outstanding debts, and overseeing the distribution of what remains to the rightful heirs. A declaration of estate (déclaration de succession / aangifte van nalatenschap) must be submitted to the relevant tax authority within four months of the death where the deceased was resident in Belgium.

Inheritance tax (droits de succession / erfbelasting) is levied on the net value of what each heir receives after the deduction of debts. The amount payable depends on the region where the deceased was living at the time of death, as rates differ across Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. Each region, however, provides an exemption in respect of the family home: the surviving spouse or legally cohabiting partner is fully exempt from inheritance tax on the net share of immovable property that constituted the family home at the date of death.

Rates are progressive and tiered according to the relationship between the heir and the deceased: direct-line heirs such as children and parents generally benefit from lower rates than more distant relatives or unrelated beneficiaries. Where the deceased was not resident in Belgium but owned property here, a special inheritance tax applies, calculated on the gross value of the Belgian property rather than the net inherited amount. Expats owning property in Belgium are strongly encouraged to take specific advice from a Belgian notary or tax lawyer, given the complexity that cross-border estates can present.

If an expat dies without a will in Belgium, what happens to their assets under local intestacy laws?

Where no will or marriage contract exists, Belgian law designates who is entitled to inherit. The legislature has established a hierarchy of heirs arranged into four categories based on blood relationship. A higher category of heir will always take precedence over a lower one, and within each category, the closeness of the kinship determines the entitlement to inherit.

In broad outline, Belgian intestacy law follows this order of succession: (1) descendants (children, grandchildren); (2) parents and siblings; (3) more remote relatives on both the maternal and paternal sides; (4) all other relatives up to the fourth degree. The surviving spouse occupies a particular position under Belgian law: regardless of which other heirs are present, they are entitled to the usufruct — that is, the right of use — of the family home and all its contents.

Where a valid will exists, the testator’s recorded wishes take precedence in distributing the estate. In the absence of a will, the estate passes in accordance with the statutory rules of succession described above. Beyond the framework set by law, individuals retain a degree of freedom to shape the distribution of their estate through a will, a marriage contract, a legal cohabitation agreement, or lifetime gifts.

For expats, EU Succession Regulation 650/2012 carries significant practical weight: it permits EU residents to elect for the law of their nationality — rather than the law of their country of habitual residence (Belgium) — to govern the succession to their estate. This election must be expressly stated in a will. Without such a declaration, Belgian intestacy rules will generally govern assets located in Belgium, potentially producing outcomes that diverge substantially from what would apply under the laws of the expat’s home country. Seeking advice from a Belgian notary while still in good health is a strongly recommended step.

Frequently asked questions

Will my private international health insurance cover palliative care in Belgium?

A great many international health insurance policies include provision for palliative and end-of-life care, but the extent of coverage varies considerably from one policy to the next. Some plans provide for inpatient palliative units but exclude home-based palliative teams; others impose limits on the duration or cost of long-term care. Reviewing your policy documentation carefully and contacting your insurer directly is essential. If you are registered with a Belgian mutual insurance fund (ziekenfonds / mutualité), palliative care is largely met through the compulsory system regardless of your nationality, provided you are properly enrolled. Expats from outside the EEA who have not registered with a Belgian mutual fund should obtain written confirmation of their coverage from their insurer before care commences.

Are advance directives or living wills written in another language valid in Belgium?

Under Belgian law, advance directives must be in written form, signed, dated, and — ideally — registered in the national register maintained by your GP or commune. A document drafted in a foreign language may be taken into account by Belgian healthcare professionals as an indication of your wishes, but it is unlikely to carry the same legal authority as a document properly registered within Belgium’s official system. It is strongly advisable to have any existing advance directive translated into French, Dutch, or German (according to the region) and re-executed in the format required by Belgian law. Your Belgian GP can assist you in registering it officially.

How long does it typically take to repatriate remains from Belgium to another country?

From the date of death, the process ordinarily takes between one and three weeks, depending on the requirements of the destination country, whether a judicial inquiry or post-mortem examination is needed, and how swiftly the required documentation can be assembled. The documents needed include the death certificate, embalming certificate, transfer licence, and a medical certificate confirming the absence of any infectious disease. Working with a funeral director experienced in international transfers — ideally in coordination with the relevant embassy — will help keep delays to a minimum.

Is foreign insurance accepted by Belgian hospitals and palliative care providers?

Belgian healthcare providers generally operate on a pay-and-reclaim model: you settle the bill at the point of service and subsequently seek reimbursement from your mutual fund or insurer. Holders of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) may be able to claim reimbursement for urgent medical treatment. Some private international health insurers offer direct billing agreements with certain hospitals, but these arrangements must be confirmed and put in place before treatment begins. Carrying your insurance documents and the emergency contact number for your insurer at all times is strongly advisable.

What support is available to bereaved family members in Belgium?

A wide range of support services exists for bereaved individuals in Belgium. Palliative care teams typically include social workers and psychologists who can offer assistance to family members both during the dying process and in the period following the death. Non-profit organisations such as Omega in the Brussels region and Palliatieve Hulpverlening Antwerpen provide bereavement counselling. GPs are also able to refer patients to psychological support services. Some mutual insurance funds extend access to counselling as part of their supplementary benefits. Under Belgian employment law, employees may also be entitled to paid bereavement leave, the duration of which varies depending on the nature of their relationship to the person who died.

Does Belgium recognise wills made in another country?

Belgium generally accepts foreign wills as valid, provided they were properly executed under the law of the country in which they were made — consistent with the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Succession (1989) and EU Regulation 650/2012. That said, a foreign will may need to be translated into one of Belgium’s official languages and certified before Belgian authorities will give effect to it. Where the will concerns Belgian property, a Belgian notary must be involved in the estate administration. Expats with assets in more than one country are strongly advised to take legal advice in each relevant jurisdiction to ensure their will is effective wherever it is needed.

Can a foreign national choose to be cremated in Belgium, and can ashes be taken out of the country?

Cremation is available in Belgium to all individuals regardless of nationality. The family or a funeral director can make arrangements with a licensed crematorium. Transporting ashes out of Belgium is possible but requires appropriate documentation: typically a cremation certificate and, depending on the destination, additional permits or declarations may be needed. Some countries impose restrictions on the importation of human remains even in ash form — it is essential to check the regulations of the destination country before attempting to transport ashes across a border. A funeral director experienced in international transfers can advise on the precise requirements for any given destination.

What is the deadline for filing a Belgian inheritance tax declaration after someone dies?

Where the deceased was resident in Belgium at the time of death, the declaration of estate (déclaration de succession / aangifte van nalatenschap) must generally be submitted within four months of the date of death. If the death occurred abroad, this period is extended to five months for deaths in other EU countries and six months for deaths outside the EU. Any inheritance tax due must be paid within two months of the filing deadline. Late submissions attract penalties and interest charges, although it is possible to apply to the relevant tax authority for an extension. Beneficiaries are advised to instruct a Belgian notary promptly to ensure all deadlines are observed.