SITE CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION. Some information on this website may be outdated and no longer accurate. We’re currently updating our content to better reflect the current situation. Thank you for your understanding.
Applicants for international protection have the right to access a lawyer at all stages of the international protection procedure, with the exception of the registration of the application at the Immigration Office. Having a lawyer is not compulsory, but it can be very helpful because the procedures for obtaining a residence permit in Belgium can be complex.
Legal assistance from a lawyer can be free of charge for people with limited financial resources. You can also choose to pay your lawyer yourself. If you experience difficulties with your lawyer, you can request to change lawyers.
You can find a lawyer through one of the following options:
If you are staying in a reception centre, your social worker can also direct you to a specialised organisation or a lawyer.
In Brussels, the Legal Aid Office is located at Rue de la Régence 63, 1st floor, 1000 Brussels. You can find its current contact details and opening hours through : https://www.bajbruxelles.be/rendez-vous.
A lawyer can, in particular:
You may have several meetings with your lawyer. If you are staying in a reception centre, your social worker can provide you with information about transport and communication arrangements for meeting or contacting your lawyer.
The lawyer and/or another trusted person chosen by the applicant for international protection can attend the personal interview at the CGRS.
A trusted person can support and assist the applicant during their international protection procedure. They must be professionally qualified to assist people or specialised in immigration and asylum law. This may be, for example, a social worker, a representative of an NGO with knowledge of international protection matters, a psychologist or a therapist.
The trusted person, like the lawyer, cannot intervene during the personal interview. At the end of the interview, they may make comments concerning its content or the way it was conducted. The trusted person should be identified to the CGRS, preferably before the interview, using the appropriate form.
Since 12 June 2026, personal interviews at the CGRS have been audio-recorded. The protection officer also continues to take notes during the interview. The audio recording provides an additional safeguard for the applicant and can be used to ensure that the interview is accurately recorded.
The applicant and their lawyer can request a copy of the notes of the personal interview. If the request is made in time, before the decision is taken, the copy of the notes will be sent as soon as possible and, in any event, before the decision. Since June 2026, applicants can still submit comments on these notes, but the CGRS is no longer required to wait for these comments before taking its decision.
Under the conditions provided by the CGRS, the applicant or their lawyer can also request access to the audio recording. If a negative decision has already been issued, the request must be made within the applicable appeal period. If an appeal has already been lodged, the request can be addressed to the Council for Alien Law Litigation (CALL).