Moving to Belgium from Dubai

Ocean freight runs from Jebel Ali to Antwerp; typical sea transit times are on our destinations overview. Add 3–5 days for UAE packing and export, and 1–2 days for Belgian ADDA/AGD&A customs clearance and onward road freight. Air freight via Brussels Airport or Liege Airport is available for urgent shipments. We confirm exact timelines at survey based on available vessel departures.

The Verhuisgoederen exemption (Dutch) or biens de déménagement exemption (French) is Belgium’s implementation of EU Regulation 1186/2009, allowing qualifying individuals transferring their normal residence from outside the EU to Belgium to import used household goods free of Belgian BTW/TVA (21%) and customs duty. To qualify: you must have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months, your goods must have been owned and used by you for at least 6 months, and goods must not be sold or transferred for 12 months after import. Fusion prepares all documentation in the correct language for your destination region.

Belgium has three official languages. Customs declarations and inventories are prepared in Dutch for Flemish destinations (Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven, Hasselt), in French for Walloon destinations (Liège, Namur, Charleroi, Mons) and Brussels Capital Region, and in German for Eastern Belgium (Eupen, Malmedy). Fusion produces all documentation in the correct language in-house — you do not need a separate translation service for any Belgian destination.

Belgian law requires all new residents to register with their local gemeente (Dutch) or commune (French) within 8 working days of establishing residence. Unlike most European countries, Belgium sends a local police officer to your address to verify that you actually live there before issuing your registration certificate. The registration provides your Belgian National Register Number (Rijksregisternummer / numéro de registre national), which is required for healthcare registration, banking, tax registration, and vehicle registration. Fusion briefs every client on the timeline and required documentation before they depart Dubai.

Yes. Staff of EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the EU, and other bodies) benefit from customs and tax privileges under the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the European Union, including potential exemption from Belgian income tax on EU salaries and specific provisions for household goods imports. NATO personnel posted to NATO HQ (Brussels-Evere) or SHAPE (Mons) have separate Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) provisions. Both categories have different documentation requirements from standard civilian moves. Fusion advises on the specific provisions applicable to your institutional status at survey stage.

Fusion can ship a car from Dubai to Belgium by RoRo where the route offers it, or in a container, and handles the UAE side — export clearance, RTA deregistration and the export certificate. Whether your particular car can be imported and registered in Belgium, and at what cost, depends on the vehicle and your circumstances — we check Belgium’s current rules for it at survey, before you commit to shipping it. See our Automobile Relocation page.

Yes. Belgium is an EU member state and does not require quarantine for pets meeting EU import requirements. Dogs and cats from the UAE need: ISO-standard microchip, valid anti-rabies vaccination, and an EU-format health certificate issued by an officially authorised UAE government veterinarian within 10 days of travel. Some dog breeds may be subject to Belgian breed-specific legislation. Fusion advises at survey stage — see our Pet Relocation page.

Belgium and the EU prohibit: controlled drugs, certain firearms (Belgian weapons permit required for eligible categories), CITES-regulated items, counterfeit goods, and hate material. Restricted items include: certain food products from outside the EU, live plants and soil without phytosanitary certificate, and some chemicals. Fusion provides a complete prohibited and restricted items list at survey stage. Moving to Belgium? You May Also Need