The United States has broadened its travel advisory for Belgium to warn citizens about crime and civil unrest, adding to a long-standing caution over terrorism.
The State Department reissued the advisory on July 23 and kept Belgium at Level 2, “exercise increased caution”, the second rung on a four-step scale. There was no change to the level, though crime and unrest were added as risk indicators and the summary was rewritten.
The department said petty crime was common in popular tourist locations and told visitors to stay aware of their surroundings. Most offences against foreigners were “crimes of opportunity, like purse snatching and pickpocketing”, it added.
Accompanying travel guidance, updated July 30, went further. It listed robberies, smash and grab car theft and pickpocketing as common in major cities, in restaurants, on the Brussels metro at night and at all train stations.
Thieves often worked in teams and bumped or shoved their targets in crowds, the guidance said. Theft of bags on trains had increased, particularly on the Brussels-Amsterdam route.
The Belgian capital has struggled with gun violence tied to the drugs trade. Brussels Signal reported 22 shootings in the Brussels-Capital Region in the first three months of 2026, at least eight of them linked to trafficking or turf wars between criminal groups.
On unrest, the advisory said large-scale and generally peaceful demonstrations connected to the local political situation might occur. Such protests could disrupt transport and other essential services, it said.
Belgium has been hit by repeated national strikes since Prime Minister Bart De Wever took office in February 2025. Unions opposed to his coalition’s pension and unemployment reforms brought about 80,000 people on to the streets of Brussels on March 12, according to police estimates, with organisers putting the figure above 100,000.
A general strike on May 12 grounded departures at Brussels Airport and Charleroi and closed schools across the country. The Belgian Government agreed a budget in November 2025 raising almost €10 billion, a package the unions have fought ever since.
Americans were advised to avoid demonstrations and crowds, monitor local media and stay alert near banks and cash machines. The department also recommended enrolling in its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
Belgium is not unusual in carrying the rating. France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom sit at Level 2, as do Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
