Belgium’s lower house passed bill 56K1591; it was not yet in force November 7.
Why it matters: The bill would expand immigration-enforcement powers into private residences, subject to authorization by an investigating judge. It had not yet been sanctioned, published or brought into force as of November 7.
- The Chamber of Representatives passed bill 56K1591 on November 6, 2026, by 84 votes to 52.
- The bill would allow entry between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. with authorization from an investigating judge.
- It targets foreign nationals with enforceable removal orders who have not cooperated and pose a public-order or national-security risk.
- The bill was submitted for royal sanction but was not yet sanctioned, published or in force as of November 7.
Belgium’s Chamber of Representatives passed bill 56K1591 on November 6, 2026, by 84 votes to 52. The Chamber’s legislative dossier says the adopted text was submitted to the King for royal sanction.
As of November 7, the bill had not yet been sanctioned, published or brought into force. It would create a framework for entering private residences to enforce the removal of certain foreign nationals.
The bill requires prior authorization from an investigating judge. It covers a foreign national subject to an enforceable removal order who has not cooperated with removal and represents a risk to public order or national security, according to the government’s official statement.
Under the adopted text, police could force entry between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and search for identity documents. The provision concerns entry into the residence and a search for those documents; the materials provided do not establish a broader general search power.
The bill also covers cases in which the person is staying in someone else’s home, including with a host, and sets conditions for cases involving minors. Amendments extended the judge’s decision period from five to seven working days and allowed requests for additional information.
The bill calls for an evaluation 18 months after it enters into force. Before the vote, Amnesty International argued that the public-order and national-security threshold was vague and that affected occupants or hosts lacked a clear challenge mechanism. Those are criticisms of the measure, not a finding that the bill is already in force.
By the numbers
- 84-52 - Chamber vote on November 6, 2026
- 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. - proposed hours for forced entry
- 7 working days - amended period for the investigating judge’s decision
Yes, but: The Chamber passed the bill, but royal sanction, publication and entry into force had not yet occurred as of November 7.
What's next: The bill must proceed through royal sanction and publication before it can enter into force; the text calls for an evaluation 18 months after entry into force.