Pieter(75)

My wife Joke and I visited Bruges at least twice a year, for thirty years. We loved the canals, the chocolatiers, the tranquility. When Joke passed away in 2022, Delft felt empty. Our children had left home, my social circle had shrunk. I decided to do something radical: move to our favorite city.

At my age, emigrating is a special process. I sold our house in Delft for €465,000 and bought a renovated apartment on the Langerei in Bruges for €295,000 — with a view of the canals. Registration duties were 3% (only own home in Flanders), and the notary guided me personally through the entire process.

Pension transfer was my biggest concern, but it went smoothly. My AOW is transferred monthly to my KBC account, as is my supplementary ABP pension. I deregistered at the SVB as a Dutch resident and provided my Belgian address. In the first months everything arrived neatly. Belgium taxes my pension, but the treaty prevents double taxation.

The mutualiteit was a new experience. I chose CM Bruges and registered with a GP nearby. At my age good healthcare is crucial. The Belgian system works well: short waiting times, personal attention and the co-payment is manageable. I also took out supplementary hospitalization insurance with DKV, for peace of mind.

Socially the transition was harder than the practical part. At 75 you don't easily start a new social life. But Bruges helped: I joined a walking club that hikes through the Bruges countryside every Tuesday, go to concerts at the Concertgebouw and regularly visit the Groeningemuseum. At the café on the corner they know my name and my order.

My advice to older emigrants: don't let your age hold you back. If you're healthy and your paperwork is in order, the move is achievable. Choose a city you know and where you feel at home. Bruges gives me every day what Joke and I always found here: beauty, tranquility and the scent of fresh waffles.