Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Belgium, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own, and criminal penalties will vary from country to country. Persons violating Belgian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Belgium are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws. If you break local laws in Belgium, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Belgium, you have the right to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the Embassy.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: We are not aware of any special circumstances for this country.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a women traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals enjoy full rights in Belgium. The LGBT community is protected by anti-discrimination laws, and there are no legal or governmental impediments to the organization of LGBT events. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Belgium you may review Section 6 of the State Department’s annual Human Rights Report. For further information on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Belgium, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from in the United States. Although Beligan law requires that any new building with public or community space has to be accessible for persons with disabilities, many existing buildings as well as public transportation systems are less adapted to individuals with disabilities. General information on the accessibility of tourist accommodations, public transportation, museums, and other tourist facilities can be found on the Belgian Tourist Office's website.