Is Belgium safe for women travellers?

Same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since the Act of 13 February 2003 (in force 1 June 2003), making Belgium the second country in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples.

The Gender Recognition Act of 25 June 2017 (in force 1 January 2018) lets adults change their legal gender by self-declaration at the civil registry without medical, diagnostic or sterilisation requirements, subject to a three-month reflection period.

Belgium ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol on 2 July 2009, backed by the 2007 anti-discrimination framework and regional accessibility laws, though the CRPD Committee has flagged implementation gaps.

LGBTQ+ people hold broadly equal legal rights — Equaldex scores 94/100 (2026) across areas like marriage, adoption, gender recognition and anti-discrimination.

Cannabis is illegal but decriminalised for adults: since 2003 (2005 ministerial directive) possession of up to 3 g or one plant for personal use is the lowest enforcement priority and draws an administrative fine (about 120-330 EUR) rather than prosecution absent aggravating factors.

Pew’s Government Restrictions Index places Belgium in the low-to-moderate band, reflecting measures such as face-covering bans and restrictions on non-stunned ritual slaughter alongside otherwise robust religious freedom.

Belgium has no dedicated blasphemy offence; older Criminal Code provisions (Articles 144-146) penalising insults to religious objects or ministers in places of worship remain on the books but are effectively unused.

Rated Free, 95/100, by Freedom House (2025).

Non-EU students must report to their commune (municipality) within 8 working days of arrival to be entered in the aliens register and obtain a residence permit (A card), followed by a police check of the declared address.

Students holding a valid residence permit may work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year, and full-time during official holiday periods, without a separate work permit; exceeding this can jeopardise permit renewal.

Health insurance is compulsory; non-EU students must show proof of cover (at least 30,000 EUR) for the long-stay (D) visa, and all students must affiliate with a Belgian health insurance fund (mutuelle/ziekenfonds) after registering.

Travellers may bring a personal prescription supply of up to three months and should carry the prescription; narcotic or psychotropic medicines require a Schengen certificate validated by the home country’s authorities, per the FAMHP rules.