A new passport with a unique design featuring comic book heroines and heroes

Foreign Affairs presented the new Belgian passport. A document that is even more secure thanks to new security and personalisation techniques. The new Belgian passport will also be recognisable thanks to its original design, which honours one of the jewels of our culture: the heroines and heroes of comic strips.

The passport is issued by the FPS Foreign Affairs and was produced by the Zetes-Thales consortium in close collaboration with the Central Office for the Suppression of Forgeries of the Belgian Federal Police and the publishing houses, authors and/or rights holders of the characters used. © Dupuis, - 2023 © - 2023 – www.atomium.be – SOFAM. © Hergé / Tintinimaginatio - 2023. © Dupuis/Dargaud-Lombard, - 2023. © - 2023 Standaard Uitgeverij. © Studio Boule & Bill, - 2023. © Erven Bob Mau. © Editions Blake & Mortimer / Studio Jacobs, - 2023. © Lucky Comics, - 2023. © Peyo. © Dupuis, - 2023. © Stichting Marc Sleen.

Why a new passport?

The passport is a particularly important travel document. Therefore, it is necessary to have the most secure and high quality product possible.

Thanks to new security and personalization techniques, the security of the Belgian passport has been reinforced. It has been developed in close cooperation with anti-fraud specialists of the Federal Police and will be manufactured by the consortium of companies Zetes and Thales.

A new design

The design of the current document features the official buildings of our country. As this theme has not changed since 2008, this means that there are many such passports in circulation, which also encourages counterfeiting.

The Foreign Affairs then turned to the publishing houses and right holders to develop this new passport based on the heroines and heroes of Belgian comic strips whose main theme is travel. The work of Hergé cannot fail to be represented, then Tintin will accompany you on your next adventures!

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès: "The Belgian passport is one of the best in the world, it is a source of pride for us, but also an object of desire for counterfeiters. This is why we are constantly working to improve its security. The introduction of this new passport is also an opportunity for us to highlight the 9th art, the comic strip, which is a central element of our culture and our influence abroad. I would like to thank the publishers, authors and rights holders who have agreed to participate in the project. Finally, a very important point for me: the quality and security of the passport have been reinforced, but the price charged by the Foreign Affairs will not increase. In a context of general price increases, this is a strong gesture that will be cost-beneficial for our citizens."

On the occasion of the launch of the new passport, a temporary exhibition on the history of the Belgian passport will be accessible at the Musée de la bande dessinéeComics Art Museum from 28 January to 6 March 2022.

Details

This new passport will be available from 7 February 2022 at your local municipality or consular post, if you live abroad and are registered at the Belgian consular post responsible for your place of residence. The old passport remains valid until its expiry date.
The price charged by Foreign Affairs remains the same: 65 euros (for adults) and 35 euros (for minors). This is the price for an ordinary 34-page passport requested under the standard procedure, excluding municipal taxes, which each municipality is free to set. The validity period will always be 7 years for adults and 5 years for minors. The delivery options will be the same as before: standard procedure (5 working days), urgent procedure (next working day, at extra cost), super urgent procedure: in 4h30, at extra cost.