Belgium's Afstammingscentrum (Ancestry Centre) registered 452 new cases in 2025, marking its highest annual tally since it was founded five years ago, according to its latest annual report, released on Monday.
Adoptees seeking information about their origins accounted for 170 of the new registrations. Another 112 were from individuals whose legal parentage did not match their biological parentage or from children of single mothers.
Additionally, 39 new cases involved donor-conceived individuals, while 20 came from mixed-race persons linked to Belgium’s colonial history.
Cases initiated by parents were significantly fewer, with only 45 submissions in 2025. Most of these—28 cases—were from parents of donor-conceived children, a trend attributed to concerns about past donor scandals.
Between its creation on 1 April 2021 and 30 March 2026, the Ancestry Centre received a total of 1,810 registrations.
Despite its efforts, the centre continues to struggle with long waiting lists. At the end of 2025, there were 357 ongoing cases and another 566 pending submissions.
Due to high demand, the centre prioritises cases where government policies have contributed to individuals being unable to trace their origins, focusing on adoptees, donor-conceived individuals, and mixed-race persons.
Since its establishment, the Ancestry Centre has resolved 339 cases, either by identifying family connections or providing answers to specific inquiries.
