2023 Voice Referendum

On 14 October 2023, Australians will be asked to vote in a referendum to alter the Constitution.

The Australian Embassy in Belgium will be offering in-person voting and accepting mailed-in and dropped off postal votes. All eligible Australians living in or visiting Belgium will be able to vote.

To be eligible to vote, you must be enrolled to vote by Monday 18 September 12pm CEST. Please ensure that your enrolment details are up to date at the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website.

In-person voting will be held at the Embassy from 2 October to 13 October, weekdays (Mon – Fri), between 9:30am – 4pm.
Please note on 4 October in-person voting will only be available after 12pm. An appointment is NOT required for in person voting.

The Embassy will be closed on the day of the Referendum.

When visiting the Embassy please ensure you bring a valid identification document, such as a passport or driving licence, for security screening on arrival.

If you are overseas and are unable to vote in-person, you can apply for a postal vote. Postal vote packs will be sent to you from Australia, so you are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

You can mail your postal vote to the Embassy (Avenue des Arts 56, 1000 Brussels) or you can drop it off yourself. Postal votes should arrive at the Embassy no later than 4pm, Friday 13 October. Alternatively, you can return your postal vote directly to the AEC in Australia. Postal votes must be received by the AEC no later than Friday 27 October 2023.

It is not compulsory to vote if you are not in Australia at the time of the referendum. If you will be overseas at the time and unable to vote, you can advise the AEC by completing and returning the Overseas Notification Form. Additional information on the referendum and voting is available from the AEC website and Smartraveller.

For 24-hour emergency assistance for Australian citizens outside normal business hours, call the Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) in Canberra on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas)
• 1300 555 135 (within Australia)

Contacts for Australian Embassy, Brussels

Telephone:  +32 (0)2 286 0500

Visa, Migration and Citizenship Enquiries
Please note the Australian Embassy in Brussels, Belgium does NOT process visa or citizenship applications. If you have a visa or citizenship enquiry please visit the website of the Department of Home Affairs and/or the Global Service Centre.

Please note visa and immigration enquiries will NOT be answered by the contacts below.

Consular Enquiries (assistance for Australians in Belgium and Luxembourg)
Email: [email protected] 

Passport and Notarial Enquiries (an overview of notarial services is available here: https://belgium.embassy.gov.au/bsls/consular.html)
Email: [email protected] 

General Enquiries (NOT including visas)
Email: [email protected]

Media, events, cultural matters, external relations and related enquiries
Email: [email protected] 

Customs and border policy
If you have a customs enquiry please visit the website of the Australian Border Force (ABF) https://www.abf.gov.au/ or contact ABF at https://www.abf.gov.au/help-and-support/contact-us

Trade issues (please note that Brussels does not have an Austrade office)
Email: [email protected]

Veterinary and quarantine
Email: [email protected] 

Electronic Travel Authority (ETA)

If you are a Belgium or Luxembourg passport holder, you can apply for an Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) using the AustralianETA app. An ETA allows you to visit Australia as often as you would like within a 12-month period, and stay up to 3 months each time.

To apply for an Australian ETA, use the AustralianETA app available from the Apple Store or Google Play.

For help using the app, the Australian Department of Home Affairs’ website has a step-by-step guide as well as instructional videos (listed under Step 1).

Further information is available on the Department of Home Affairs’ ETA webpage.

If you are unable to use the AustralianETA app, you can explore other visa options using the Visa Finder webpage.

European passport holders may be eligible for an eVisitor (subclass 651).

Whether you are visiting Australia for a short period of time or planning to migrate, you must have a valid Australian visa.