Electronic ID cards to be given to non-Belgian children

From 15 January, all children living in Belgium, not just those with Belgian nationality, will be given an electronic identity card.

Issuing the Kids-ID to all children under 12 will make identity fraud more difficult, according to Belgium's secretary of state for asylum and migration, Nicole de Moor.

Up until now, non-Belgian children living in the country received paper identity cards, which were easy to forge.

“With the electronic Kids-ID we are combating identify fraud,” said de Moor, from the Flemish Christian Democrat centrist CD&V party.

“In addition, the digital card allows us to determine quickly who has parental authority, providing better child protection.”

This card, issued to Belgian children for several years, gives access to relevant information, such as local authority registration, police residential checks and school enrolment.

It contains all the child’s identity details as well as their photo. It also states the name of the parents. The data is visible on the ID and also stored on an electronic chip.

De Moor added that this ID card for under-12s is more than just an identity and travel document. It offers a ‘Hello Parents’ service which makes it possible to contact the parents (or family, friends or neighbours) by telephone when a child is in an emergency.

Photo: Jonas Roossens/Belga