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Mandatory Health Insurance Enrollment in Belgium (Mutualité / Ziekenfonds)
Document Checklist
Carte de séjour / Verblijfskaart
Belgian residence document
Accepted: Residence card A, B, C, K, D, L, E/EU, E+/EU+, F, F+, H, M; or annex 8ter or 8quater (EU citizens awaiting card); or annex 15 / BIS document (with carve-outs for boxes 3, 7, 8)
Where to get: Foreign Nationals Office (Office des Étrangers / Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken) via your commune / gemeente
Cost: Issued under the residence-permit procedure; no fee at the health-fund step
Without one of these documents proving registration in the foreigners register or National Register, the mutualité or ziekenfonds will return the file unprocessed.
Numéro de Registre national / Rijksregisternummer
National Register number
Where to get: Issued automatically when you register your address with your commune / gemeente
Required: Quoted as the policyholder identifier on every health-fund form
Cost: Free
Commune registration must complete before affiliation. The annex 15 / BIS interim path is available with the carve-outs noted above.
eID / Carte d'identité / Identiteitskaart
Identity document
Accepted: Belgian electronic identity card (eID) once issued; passport for foreign applicants pre-eID
Required: Photo identification at the commune visit and at any in-person fund appointment
Cost: Free at the health-fund step (eID issuance follows the commune procedure separately)
Proof of social-security status
Employees: Dimona registration is automatic — the employer files it before you start work; no separate document needed at the health-fund step
Self-employed: Certificate of affiliation with a social insurance fund recognised by NISSE / INASTI / RSVZ — this is a strict prerequisite
Students 18-25 (dependant): Annual school certificate (attestation scolaire / schoolattest)
Dependant spouse: Marriage or legal-cohabitation certificate, authenticated by Belgian authorities if issued abroad
The route determines the document set. Self-employed applicants cannot skip the social-insurance-fund step and join a health fund directly.
Numéro de compte / Rekeningnummer
Bank account number (IBAN)
Accepted: Belgian IBAN or any SEPA-zone IBAN
Required: For SEPA direct debit of any supplementary contribution and for receipt of reimbursements
Cost: Account fees vary by bank; not charged at the health-fund step
Transfer form (existing affiliates only)
When required: If you are already affiliated with a Belgian mutual insurance fund and want to switch — CAAMI/HZIV instructs that 'if you are already affiliated with a Belgian mutual insurance fund, you need both the membership form and the transfer form. If not, you only need the membership form.'
Where to get: From the receiving fund or from CAAMI/HZIV at caami-hziv.fgov.be
Cost: Free
Transfers between funds require a minimum 12-month tenure with the current fund and follow quarterly effective dates (1 January / 1 April / 1 July / 1 October).
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