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Moving to Belgium from the UK

Your Moving Guide for the Flat Country

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Moving to Belgium, the land of chocolate, waffles, beer, and the capital of Europe? Sounds like an interesting place already, but there’s more! You’ll find 3 different cultures, French, Flemish, and German, along with plenty of interesting places and festivals. You’ll never have a boring day again! But first, you’ll need to successfully complete an international removal from the UK to Belgium. So, read on for moving costs, a checklist, and even free removal quotes!

How Much Does It Cost to Move to Belgium?

Let’s jump into the cost of removals to Belgium from the UK, which will depend on various factors, but for an average 3-bed house, you can expect to pay between £1,300 – £1,800, not too exorbitant!

Of course, there are various factors that affect the costs of removals to Belgium, and if you’d like to know more, you can check out our international moving costs page.

For a bit more of a breakdown, here you can see the cost of moving from London to Belgium for different household sizes:

Size of HouseholdTimeCost
1 bed flat8-10 days£800 – £1,300
3 bed house1-3 days£1,300 – £1,800
5 bed house1-3 days£1,800 – £2,900

Above, you might have noticed that 1-bed flat removals to Belgium take the longest. This is due to the fact that a small move won’t fill a lorry and your belongings will be shipped alongside other small removals to Belgium.

International Removals UK to Belgium

Ensure a smooth relocation with reliable removal to Belgium. Trust the expertise of trusted professionals specialized in international removals from the UK to Belgium to handle every aspect of your move with care.

1. Legend Removals

2. Mercia Movers & Storers

3. Kanguro European Man & Van

4. Moving Home Company

Request Removal Quotes with Ease!

When it comes to international removals from the UK to Belgium, having some professional help will go a long way to making the process less stressful and easier, you don’t want to drive a moving van through customs checks honestly!

However, finding a removal company can be time-consuming, calling several dozen companies and asking if they offer removals to Belgium is a bore. If you want to better spend that time planning your removal to Belgium, then request up to 5 removal quotes from Sirelo. Just click below and you can be comparing companies before the day ends!

Want to calculate the cost of your move to Belgium?
Request up to five free moving quotes from trusted movers!

Moving to Belgium after Brexit

There’s some good news and some slightly inconvenient news. The good news is that if you are the holder of a passport from an EU or EEA country, you won’t need a visa as you’re an EU citizen!

For the inconvenient news, if you happen to only hold a UK or non-EU or EEA passport, then you will need to apply for a long-stay visa to be able to move to Belgium. Furthermore, if you intend to work during your time in Belgium, you’ll need a work permit.

Checklist for Removals to Belgium

Moving to Belgium is a big step to take and some people can find the experience stressful. We’re here to tell you – relax and breathe! We have all the information you need to be ready for your upcoming move. Check out our general moving abroad checklist to help take the stress out of moving!

Of course, as every country is different, we have a tailor-made moving to Belgium checklist for you:

✔️ Important Documents

The last thing you’ll want when moving to Belgium is to have out-of-date papers or worse missing an important file. Thus, here is a list of documents to prepare:

  • Passport
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Medical Documentation (including dental and immunizations)
  • University Degree(s) and qualification(s)
  • Police Background Check
  • Visa

Furthermore, after locating all these documents, we would recommend that you make duplicates and, of course, keep them in a safe and accessible location.

✔️ Choosing a Removal Company

It may only be across the English Channel, but it’s important to remember that this is an international removal to Belgium. Therefore, you should check out the top UK international removal companies to help ship your belongings to Belgium safely!

✔️ Packing

Packing is a major and stressful component of any home removal to Belgium, so heed our advice and start early and label, label, label! If you want more advice on packing, we have an expert packing guide. You can thank us later after you’ve had a less stressful move. 😊

✔️ Register at the Local Town Hall

One of the first things you’ll need to do after moving to Belgium, regardless of which passport you hold, is register with your local municipality. As a non-EU or EEA citizen, you will need to register within 8 days of arrival, while EU and EEA citizens have up to 3 months to do so. However, the sooner the better, so don’t dilly-dally!

✔️ Healthcare

Similar to the UK, the healthcare system is publicly funded. However, you need to be a resident in Belgium or at least working and paying pay contributions towards healthcare and social security to be applicable.

You will have to register with a state insurance scheme after you arrive in order to access Belgian healthcare. Until then, be sure to get your UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) so you’re covered when you first arrive.

Alternatively, you take out a private health insurance policy which will cover you for the public options as well as private healthcare, should you decide to avail of it.

✔️ Banking

If you’re moving to Belgium, it would be important to open a Belgian bank account for receiving your wages and your day-to-day spending. It’s also required to set up your rental guarantee and insurance for your new home.

To open an account, all you need is your ID or passport and proof of address – this can be your old UK address! Some popular banks in Belgium are:

✔️ Taking a Pet?

If you’re moving to Belgium with a dog, cat, or other pet, you’ll be glad to know it’s possible to bring your furry friend with you! All you need is for your pet to be:

  • Microchipped
  • Vaccinated against rabies
  • Tested for rabies antibodies through serological tests
  • Holder of health certificate issued less than ten days before departure
  • Older than 15 weeks

For more information, please visit the Belgian government’s page on travelling with pets.

✔️ Learning the Language

Bonjour, Hoi, and Guten Tag! Depending on where you decide to live in Belgium, you might want to prepare yourself by learning either French, Flemish, or even German in advance. While you’ll find that French is most commonly spoken by all, you’ll want to learn the language of the region in which you wish to integrate. Bonne chance or succes!

We know how crazy a move can get so we just want to help you have a stress-free experience! Here are some of our top tips you should know before your move to Belgium.

Living in Belgium

With three official languages, you can look forward to multicultural life in this small and wonderful country. And as the crossroads of Europe, and the seat of the EU, Belgium is home to plenty of opportunities and interesting events.

What’s the Cost of Living?

On average, the cost of living in Belgium is considered to be on the high side compared to other European countries, nevertheless, it’s still an affordable place to live due to higher salaries! Below you can find the average cost of living in Belgium:

MetricUKBelgium
3-bed appartement City Centre£1,200£1,000
Price/m2 in the city centre£4,200£2,795
Monthly utilities for 85m2 apartment£150£120
Milk 1 litre£0.92£0.77
Cappuccino£2.76£2.47
0.5L of draught beer£3.75£3.40
12 eggs£1.95£2.21

Jobs in Belgium

Every region in Belgium has its own public employment office where you can browse job vacancies, upload your CV, and get advice on your job search from a consultant online or at a local office:

For English-speaking vacancies, you can also check out:

Ready to Move to Belgium?

By Jove, you’ve made it all the way to the end! You must be quite the whizz on the topic of moving to Belgium from the UK, and we couldn’t be prouder. Well, now is a great time to put that knowledge to good use and plan your removal to Belgium!

Just before you part, we’d like to invite you to continue reading, as you can never be over-prepared! So, click on one of the links below to find a riveting removal read!

Finally, good luck with your move! We hope that you’ll be moving with a smile. 😊