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Belgians older than 11 years and 9 months and registered at the Belgian Embassy in Beijing or at the Consulate General in Shanghai or in Guangzhou can request an Identity Card.
All identity cards issued by the EU member states must, according to European regulations, contain the fingerprints of 2 (index) fingers since mid-2021. Since 21 June 2021, you have to come to your consulate in person to apply for an electronic identity card (e-ID) and/or Kids-ID (if your child is 6 years or older).
1. Validity of an eID
The validity depends on your age at the date of the application:
|
Age at the date of the application |
Validity of the eID |
|---|---|
| Between 12 and 18 | 6 years |
| Between 18 and 75 | 10 years |
| Older than 75 | 30 years |
The eID remains valid:
- in case you move (to another country, from or to Belgium)
- if it was issued by a Belgian municipality and provided that the holder has reported his move to the municipal administration.
The eID is no longer valid:
- if it is reported to have been lost or stolen
- if the holder does not look like the picture on the ID
- if it was issued after August 2008 by a Belgian municipality and if the holder has not reported his move abroad to the municipal administration.
2. Price
Please refer to the current consular tariffs.
3. Digital authentication and signature
Electronic identity cards with certificates enable the holders to identify themselves and give their consent securely over the Internet in an internationally accepted manner (digital signature). Electronic Identity Cards delivered by the Embassy of Belgium in Beijing and by the Consulate Generals of Belgium in Shanghai and in Guangzhou can be activated at the Embassy/Consulate General, or in a Belgian municipality. To do so, you have to go there in person and bring along the PUK code of your eID card, which you received at about the same time as your eID. Once activated, you can use your card for online government services. For this you need a card reader. You can easily buy this card reader online worldwide. More information about which types of card reader are suitable can be found here
For more information on the electronic identity card, please visit www.eid.belgium.be
4. Is your address mentioned on your eID?
The eIDs delivered by the Embassy in Beijing and by the Consulate Generals in Shanghai and in Guangzhou do not mention the address on the eID itself, neither do they register your address on the chip of your eID (not even if you have had the certificates activated). Only the name of the Embassy or the Consulate where you are registered will appear in the section “address”.
In case you need an official Belgian document in order to confirm your address (e.g. for a bank ), you can request the Embassy in Beijing or Consulate General in Shanghai or in Guangzhou where you are registered to issue a proof of residence (Attest van woonst/Attestation de domicile).
5. How to obtain an eID?
The delivery for a new identity card might take from 6 to 8 weeks on average.
Application
You must apply in person.
To apply for an eID the following documents are needed:
- The application form for an appointment. Send the fully and correctly completed form to the Embassy or Consulate General in Shanghai or Guangzhou. This can be done by email. Ask for an appointment to apply for a new eID.
- 1 recent passport picture (45x35 mm format, white background), mentioning your name on the backside (please do not stick them to the form) and strictly complying with the instructions from the FPS Home Affairs (Dutch - French). A photo will be taken during your appointment. The passport photo only serves as a backup if there are technical problems with the camera at the counter.
- Application fee for the eID.
- Your current Identity Card or a copy (the old Identity Card will be withdrawn upon delivery of the new one)
During your appointment at the counter a photo will be taken, you must submit your fingerprints and your digital signature will be requested.
Pick-up
The pick-up can be done either in person (or with a procuration) or by post. Attention: when sending by post, the digital certificates are not activated and you cannot use the card for online services.
If you choose to pick-up your eID in person (or with a procuration) at the Embassy/Consulate General, you will receive your eID and its PUK code at the same time. Your eID will remain at your disposal at the Embassy/Consulate-general for 3 months. Once this period has elapsed, your eID will be destroyed. The certificates can be activated on site.
If you choose to have your eID sent by post and under your responsibility, the Embassy/Consulate General will have to mail them separately: a first shipment will be containing the PUK code while the second one will contain your eID itself (a simultaneous shipment is not allowed). Those two shipments will be made by Express Courrier and you will have to bear their costs yourself. The certificates on the card will not be activated. This is only possible with a personal appearance. You can activate the certificates at a later time if need be.
6. How to reprint the letter containing your PIN/PUK codes?
In case you lost the letter containing the intial PIN/PUK codes, it is possible to print again this letter. In order to reprint your codes you can:
- Lodge yourself your application (in French, Dutch or German) on the website of the Directorate-General Institutions and People at the Home Office (section identity documents/PIN-PUK codes)
- Request the Embassy/Consulate General to lodge a request on your behalf
- In case your eID has been delivered by an Embassy or a Consulate, request the Belgian municipality of your choice to lodge a request on your behalf.
7. Loss/theft of your eID
In case of loss or theft of your eID, please refer to the section “What to do in case of loss or theft of your passport/identity card” of this website.
