Skip to content
BELtogether
EN
TRTürkçeNLNederlandsFRFrançaisENEnglish
DEPENDS All of Belgium

Can I go abroad while I am on sick leave (receiving sickness benefit)?

In short

Yes, but before you leave the EU, you must get permission from your health insurance fund's doctor. For travel within the EU, it is enough to let them know in good time.

Share on WhatsApp
This rule in 53 seconds
Video transcript

You receive sickness benefit. You want to go to your family outside the EU to recover. It depends: Yes, but outside the EU you need permission in advance: from your health insurance fund's doctor. The right way: Get permission before you leave and keep the document. For trips within the EU, reporting on time is enough. Without permission: Benefit: Can be stopped; Days abroad: May have to be paid back; Knowingly false statement: Social fraud.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • Before you travel outside the EU, ask your health insurance fund's doctor (ziekenfonds / mutualité) for permission. For travel within the EU, it is enough to let them know in good time.
  • Get permission before you leave. Ask for a document showing that you have permission, and keep it.
  • Ask your fund about the conditions and how long the permission lasts; the rules can vary depending on your situation.
  • If you go without permission, you put your benefit at risk, even if you have recovered.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICE
Fine / payment
Your benefit is stopped and you must pay it back

Legal basis:RIZIV – Arbeidsongeschiktheid: België verlaten

Court / prison
Usually no prison sentence; if you knowingly make a false statement, you can be prosecuted for social fraud

Legal basis:Sociaal Strafwetboek, art. 233 §1-§2

What really matters: the indirect consequences

Why does this rule exist?

Sickness benefit is there for the time you need to recover. The fund's doctor checks that the trip will not hold back your recovery and that medical check-ups can still take place.

Where can you go?

  • The organisation that pays your benefitPension: Federal Pension Service (FPD / SFP) · Unemployment: RVA / ONEM or your payment organisation (trade union / HVW-CAPAC) · Sickness: ziekenfonds / mutualité
  • OCMW / CPASQuestions about social assistance and social housing
  • Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.

This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses

Source and reliability

Official source
Source check
8 / 8 statements in an official source
Checked: 22.10.2026
Last checked
22.10.2026
Rules can change
Show the 8 checked statementsopen

The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.

General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?

Related rules

Social rightsDepends

How long can I stay abroad while I receive the income guarantee for older people (IGO/GRAPA)?

At most 29 days a year. You must report every trip abroad longer than 5 days (6 nights) to the Federal Pensions Service before you leave. The days of departure and return do not count.Open the rule Social rightsDepends

Can I go on holiday abroad while I receive unemployment benefit?

Yes. You have the right to 24 days (4 weeks) of holiday a year, and you can spend this holiday abroad. For a longer stay, ask your payment organisation in advance.Open the rule Social rightsDepends

Can I live in social housing if I own a house abroad?

As a rule, no. In Flanders, you can only get social housing if you do not fully own a house or a building plot anywhere, including abroad. You declare this in writing. For Wallonia and Brussels, ask your own social housing company about the conditions.Open the rule