New to Belgium?
Get financial support
for your child(ren).
Welcome to Brussels! Refugee, asylum seeker, expat, migrant, new citizen… Regardless of your status, your child(ren) deserve(s) to grow up in the best conditions possible. That’s why you and your family are entitled to financial support.
On this page, you will find the necessary information to apply for child benefits with Brussels Family. Our advisors are ready to guide you at every step so you can quickly benefit from your rights.
Get your child benefits now – and experience the big difference of a little push.
What are Child Benefits?
Monthly financial support for your child(ren)
- A monthly amount to help you as parents raise your child(ren) in Brussels
- The amount starts at € 174,08 per child per month
- It’s also called: family allowances of child allowance
Living in Flanders? You’ll receive a Groeipakket >
Are you entitled to child benefits?
Are you entitled to child benefits?
Your child lives in Brussels
Your child has Belgian nationality
Your child has a valid residence permit
How to apply for Child Benefits with Brussels Family
If you’re new to Brussels, you need a few documents to apply for your family allowances. Follow these 3 steps to finish your application.
Step 1: Register at the municipality
- When you move to Belgium, you must register your residence at your local municipal office (the town hall / maison communale / gemeentehuis). When you register, you will receive the residence documents or Belgian ID card needed to apply for Child Benefits.
- This registration is official and allows you to access public services like healthcare, social benefits, and schooling for children.
- If you are fleeing war or conflict (e.g., Ukraine or other crises), you can request temporary protection. It allows you to stay legally in Belgium, access healthcare, social services, and sometimes financial support. Request it at the town hall during registration if you qualify.
Step 2: Open a Belgian bank account
Open a Belgian bank account at the bank of your choice. You’ll need these details to apply for Child Benefits.
Step 3: Choose Brussels Family and submit your application
Select Brussels Family as your child benefits fund and complete the application form. You can sign digitally online or on paper if submitting a printed form (parent, guardian, or educator).
How many Child Benefits will you get in Brussels?
The monthly amount you receive depends on:
- The child’s position in the family (eldest or youngest)
- Your children’s ages
- Your income
Why choose Brussels Family?
Small scale
Feel like a valued family member, not one number of many.
Listening ear
Reachable by phone until 5:00 PM, Monday to Thursday, and until 4:00 PM on Friday.
Fast email support
Our consultants are available to quickly respond to your questions via email.
Personal contact
Make an appointment and visit our offices for a personal consultation.
What do our families say about Brussels Family?
“Very satisfied with the service. I automatically receive child benefits for each child every month! Easy application and fast payments.”
Gabriella, 31
“My family benefits fund for years. I’m very satisfied. They respond very quickly and you can ask any questions.”
Mitch, 29
“Excellent service, regular payments every month.”
Fatima, 34
“Great team, fantastic consultants, attentive, quick, and very pleasant.”
Sarine, 27Specific family situations
Frequently asked questions
You are entitled to this unconditional right until your child turns 18. From September of the year in which your child reaches this age, certain conditions must be met to continue receiving it. You can keep benefitting from this until your child is 25, if he/she is taking sufficient hours of lessons, enrolling for enough study credits or is registered as a job seeker after leaving school.
We are happy to help you understand how to modify your household composition. We know that changes in family life can be complicated, but we will explain everything you need to know.
New birth: You simply need to register your child with the civil registry office of your municipality. This will automatically update your household composition and Brussels Family will be informed of this change.
Divorce: Anyone who has left the household (your ex-spouse or yourself) must register their new address with the civil registry office of their municipality. From that moment on, they will no longer be considered part of your household composition and your file will be updated by Brussels Family.
If an additional person comes to live with you, the local police officer will need to verify their presence before your household composition can be updated. Brussels Family will then automatically be informed of this change.
Finally, if a person leaves your household, you simply need to inform the civil registry office again. If this person provides their new address to the civil registry office, no further formalities are required and your household composition will be automatically updated.
If you have any questions about how to modify your household composition, feel free to contact the civil registry office of your municipality. And if you want to know more about social supplements in the context of family allowances, you can find all the information you need on our website.
Students in higher education (university, college) are entitled to child benefit until the age of 25, provided they are enrolled for at least 27 credits or attend at least 13 hours of classes per week.
To continue receiving child benefit after the age of 18, your child must be enrolled in non-higher education:
- Attend at least 17 hours of classes per week in non-higher education
- OR be enrolled in a recognised apprenticeship programme
- For special situations (specialised education, specific training programmes, etc.), the conditions may vary. We recommend that you contact us to verify eligibility in your specific case.
You can submit your application for the adoption allowance once the adoption request has been filed with the court and the child is living with the adoptive parent. If you meet these conditions, follow these steps:
- Send us a copy of the adoption request that you filed with the court. For adopted children from abroad, also send us a copy of the adoption certificate from the respective country.
- Generally, we automatically verify your eligibility for an adoption allowance. However, submitting an application can speed up this process. Feel free to call us or send us an email regarding this matter.
Your eligibility for monthly family allowances is automatically assessed at the same time as your eligibility for the adoption allowance. Therefore, you do not need to send a separate application.