I know an unaccompanied minor

What is an unaccompanied foreign minor (UAM)?

A person who is under 18 years old and is in Belgium without someone who has parental authority or guardianship is an unaccompanied minor.

Minors who have family in Belgium but not their parents are also unaccompanied minors. A minor is not an unaccompanied minor if there are official documents recognised by Belgium that show that someone in Belgium has legal representation for the minor. The Guardianship Service will first analyse these documents after the notification.

How can I register a Ukrainian unaccompanied minor in Belgium?

Unaccompanied minors from Ukraine who want to apply for temporary protection have to report to the Registration Centre of the registration centre Immigration Office in Brussels, just like adults. The Immigration Department then notifies the Guardianship Department about the unaccompanied minor.

You can also report an unaccompanied minor directly to the Guardianship Service. You can make the report using an alert card. You can find these on the website of the Guardianship Service via this link. You can e-mail the description sheet to the Guardianship Service at the following e-mail address: voogdij@just.fgov.be. You can also contact the Guardianship Service by telephone on the emergency number 078/15 43 24. Please note that in order to obtain temporary protection, the unaccompanied Ukrainian minor must in any case report to the registration centre office of the Immigration Department in Brussels.

What if I am hosting an unaccompanied minor myself?

• Register the unaccompanied minor at the registration centre of the Immigration Office. The minor can indicate there that he or she does not need care. The Immigration Department will notify the Guardianship Service about the unaccompanied minor.
• Contact the Guardianship Service if the minor is particularly vulnerable (e.g. serious medical or psychological problems, pregnancy, possible victim of abuse or trafficking). You can do this by email (voogdij@just.fgov.be) or by phone (078/15 43 24).
• See if you can get extra support:
  • If you live in Flanders or Brussels, you can contact a foster care service. There is such a service in every province. You will find the contact details at About Foster Care in Flanders | Foster Care Flanders.
  • If you live in the Walloon Region or in Brussels and are a candidate to become a host family, you can contact the non-profit organisation Mentor jeunes which selects host families and accompanies the fostering of unaccompanied minors.

Will every unaccompanied minor be allocated a guardian?

Yes, the Guardianship Service appoints a guardian to each unaccompanied minor to legally represent them. Even if you are a relative of the minor, the minor will be allocated a guardian. The Guardianship Service will not appoint a guardian only if there are official documents recognised by Belgium that prove that someone has legal representation for the minor. The Guardianship Service analyses this document after notification.

Currently, there is a waiting list for appointing guardians. It is important to contact the Guardianship Service when an unaccompanied minor has an additional vulnerability (e.g. serious medical or psychological problems, pregnancy, possible victim of abuse or trafficking). You can do this by email (voogdij@just.fgov.be) or by phone (078/15 43 24). In this case, the Guardianship Service tries to give priority to appointing a guardian.

What does a guardian do?

The guardian is the legal representative of the unaccompanied minor. He or she ensures the safety and general well-being of the minor, helps to find appropriate care and education for the minor and monitors the psychological and medical condition of the minor. The guardian is not allowed to receive the minor in his or her home.

The Guardianship Service appoints the guardian. Only someone who is officially recognised as a guardian by the Guardianship Service can be appointed as a guardian. To this end, the guardian has first gone through a selection procedure and received specific training on guardianship. The guardian carries out his or her duties under the supervision of the Guardianship Service and the Justice of the Peace.