Change in gender registration

Since 1 January 2018, transgender persons no longer need to satisfy certain medical conditions in order to have their gender and first name(s) officially changed on the certificates at the register office and in the population register.

From the age of sixteen, minors can also have the gender stated on their birth certificate changed, provided they are assisted by their parents or legal representative. They must also be able to provide a statement by a child and adolescent psychiatrist confirming that they are making a free and conscious choice.

The procedure consists of two steps: the declaration and the preparation of the certificate.

Declaration

You submit a declaration to the Civil Affairs Office of your municipality saying that you have been convinced for some time that the gender stated on your birth certificate does not match your true gender identity. In this declaration, you confirm your desire to have this changed on an administrative and legal level.

The municipality provides you with an acknowledgement of receipt and more information about the further course of the procedure and the administrative and legal consequences of this change.

Preparation of the certificate

You appear a second time before the Civil Affairs Office and confirm your initial declaration, no earlier than three and no later than six months after the declaration.

After that, the Civil Affairs Office prepares the certificate for changing the gender registration.

• Your identity document
• and your signed declaration. You can find the documents on the FPS Justice website.

Act of 25 June 2017 reforming regulations concerning transgender persons with regard to the indication of a change in gender registration in register office certificates and the consequences thereof (Belgian Official Gazette of 10/07/2017)