From a country that has given the 9ert so much talent, it ultimately makes sense. The new Belgian passports will be nicely decorated, from February 7, with motifs borrowed from ultra-famous comic books, from the Smurfs to Lucky Luke via Spirou, Largo Winch, Blake & Mortimer, the Marsupilami, and, of course, Tintin , perhaps the best known of all these characters. The new documents open on the cover page of the iconic Objectif Lune rocket, in which Tintin and his companions reach our satellite.

“We know how important comics are for Belgians and Belgium,” said Sophie Wilmès, Minister of Foreign Affairs – and former Prime Minister -, presenting the new official documents on Thursday, January 27. Traveling abroad, Belgian citizens could therefore exhibit these cultural treasures of the kingdom, which already have their place on the walls of buildings in their capital and a famous museum, the Belgian Comic Strip Center, housed in a sublime building. Art Nouveau designed by architect Victor Horta. To achieve this result, the publishing houses and rights holders of 17 series of Belgian comics were approached. They often responded “with enthusiasm”, according to the Foreign Office.

sweet power

This new design, in addition to contributing to the influence of Belgian soft power, also makes it possible to further increase passport security. Behind the pretty familiar images are new security features. The fifth most powerful passport in the world, in terms of the number of countries allowing access, the booklet is a prime target for counterfeiters. Last year alone, some 550 forgery cases were opened.

This is why the Belgian authorities have recommended making other changes, such as lengthening the number, integrating the decoding filter into the data page or even adding a third laser-engraved photo. In total, the number of security elements doubles, going from 24 to 48, without the cost of obtaining them increasing (65 euros), while inflation in Belgium is on a slope of 6% on an annual basis . The new passport, valid for 7 years, has 34 pages in its ordinary version, two pages more than currently. The passport for “frequent travelers” goes up to 66 pages.