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

In short

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.

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This rule in 52 seconds
Video transcript

You receive IGO / GRAPA. You want to spend the summer abroad. It depends: You may stay abroad for at most 29 days a year. Every trip longer than 5 days must be reported in advance. The right way: Inform the Federal Pension Service in writing before you leave. The rule may change; ask for the latest. Outcome: Not reporting: 1 month's pay reclaimed; Over 29 days: No pay for those months; Over 6 months: Right is lost.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • A person who receives IGO / GRAPA may stay abroad for at most 29 days a year.
  • Every trip abroad longer than 5 days (6 nights) must be reported in advance to the Federal Pensions Service (Federale Pensioendienst / Service fédéral des Pensions). The days of departure and return do not count.
  • Staying abroad for more than 6 months without a break means you lose the right completely.
  • Note: the government plans to shorten the permitted stay abroad and to require every stay abroad to be reported. Before you travel, ask the Federal Pensions Service for the current rule and report your stay in writing.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICE
Fine / payment
Not reporting: you must repay 1 month of IGO. Going over 29 days: payment is stopped for each calendar month spent abroad. Staying more than 6 months without a break: you lose the right.

Legal basis:Federale Pensioendienst – IGO

Court / prison
No prison sentence; for knowingly false statements, a case for social fraud can be started

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

What really matters: the indirect consequences

Why does this rule exist?

IGO / GRAPA is for older people who live in Belgium and do not have enough income. The time limit makes sure the limited resources go to people in need who really live in Belgium.

Check your own situationWill my benefit be stopped?Enter your days away and see how long you can stay abroad while receiving IGO or unemployment benefit.

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
11 / 11 statements in an official source
Checked: 12.10.2026
Last checked
11.10.2026
Rules can change
Show the 11 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?

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