Anneleen Van Bossuyt on lifetime entry bans: “The door is permanently closed”

The bill introducing lifetime entry bans for terrorists and radicalised individuals has been approved by the Chamber. With this legislation, Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt aims to firmly embed a powerful security tool in the Aliens Act: “Those who radicalise or support terrorism have no place in our society. This bill shuts the door on them for good.”

Until now, entry bans could only be imposed for a limited period. The new legislation will make it possible, in the most serious cases, to impose lifetime bans on convicted terrorists, hate preachers, and potentially violent extremists who are staying illegally in Belgium or within the Schengen area.

Each decision is preceded by a thorough assessment by OCAD, the body responsible for threat analysis in Belgium. This ensures an objective and well-founded evaluation of the security risk. Individuals subject to an entry ban are flagged in the Schengen Information System and national police databases, and are barred from entering Belgium and the Schengen area. Any visa or residence applications they submit are rejected by the Immigration Office.

First entry bans exceeding 20 years

The new law builds on a clear policy shift already initiated by this government. Whereas entry bans were previously capped at twenty years, the Immigration Office was instructed to systematically impose longer bans in cases involving serious threats to public order or national security.

This approach is delivering tangible results: in 2025, 42 entry bans of 20 years or more were issued—more than double the figure for 2023 (15) and an increase compared to 2024 (33). In those earlier years, bans were still limited to a maximum of 20 years. In 2025, a 30-year ban was imposed for the first time. In total, 5,998 entry bans of varying durations were issued in 2025, marking an increase compared to the previous year.

“We protect our society by being clear: anyone who poses a threat to the safety of our citizens will not be given a second chance to return to Belgium,” said Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt.

The bill is part of a broader package of measures aimed at strengthening return policies and security. These include expanding capacity in closed detention centres, recruiting additional staff and return escorts, and pursuing more readmission agreements with countries of origin.