The Protocol Directorate of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued two new Circular Notes with information on the procedure to follow in case of loss or theft of a special identity card or a special residence permit held by diplomatic agents, staff members of an international organization and their family members.

On 1 July 2017, the Protocol Directorate of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued two new Circular Notes with instructions on what to do in case of loss or theft of a special identity card issued to diplomatic agents and their family members or a special residence permit issued to staff members of an international organization and their family members.

In case a special identity card or special residence permit is lost or destroyed, this must be communicated to the Protocol Directorate by verbal note, along with a completed declaration form which can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For a special residence permit, a photocopy of the permit holder’s passport or national ID card should be added. The Protocol Directorate then informs the police authorities who will blacklist the card number internationally.

In case a special identity card or special residence permit is stolen, the theft should be reported to the police authorities in order for the card number to be blacklisted internationally. In Belgium, the theft should be reported on the basis of the declaration form which can be found on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while abroad the police report should at least mention the number of the stolen card. Subsequently, the theft should be reported to the Protocol Directorate by verbal note with the declaration form and/or a copy of the police report.

The diplomatic mission, consular post or international organization can then request the Protocol Directorate by verbal note to issue a duplicate of the special identity card or special residence permit.