Belgium Tourist visa

Required Documents for a Belgium Schengen Visa

Documents for a Belgian visa application must be completed or translated into Dutch, English, French, or German.

• Valid passport
  • At least 2 blank pages
  • With the applicant’s signature
  • Not more than 10 years old
  • Valid for at least 3 months after the expiration of the requested visa
  • Previous passport, if applicable
• Passport-sized photos
  • Size 3.5 x 4.5 cm
  • Plain white background
  • Taken within the past 6 months
  • Forward-facing with facial features visible and clear
• Completed application form
• Biometric data (Fingerprints)
• Visa fee
• Documents pertinent to your trip
  • Travel Itinerary or plan
  • Proof of return to the country of residence or forward ticket to another country
  • Reason for travel to Belgium
  • Flight reservations
  • Proof of financial means (bank statements over the last 3-month period, personal properties, and/or other assets)
  • Proof of accommodations (with booking reference number, location, and contact number of the hotel)
• Travel medical insurance
  • Valid through the entire visa period
  • Valid in all Schengen countries
  • Minimum coverage of 30,000 EUR must be purchased
  • Insurance conditions such as validity, duration, and extent of your coverage to be clearly stated on the confirmation letter or insurance document
• Employment letter with the following information:
  • Name and address of employer
  • Nature of employment
  • Starting date of employment
  • Salary
  • Purpose of travel
  • Duration of time off from work for travel
• Scans (copies) of:
  • Personal-ID page of passport.
  • Older Schengen visas (if relevant).
  • Residence permit (if relevant).

Applicants below the age of 18 are required to submit the following additional requirements:

• Copy of birth certificate
  • If the minor applicant is adopted, adoption documents are required
  • If the minor applicant's parents are divorced, divorce papers are required
  • If the minor applicant's parents are deceased, death certificates are required
• Letter of consent from both parents or legal guardians
• Passport copies of both parents or legal guardians

It may also be necessary to submit supplementary documents in relation to your travel visa application.

Belgium Visa Fees

The standard fee for the application of a Belgium Schengen visa is 80 EUR. However, there are particular applicants who are exempted from fees, such as most student visas and visas for children below the age of 6. Applicants will probably have to pay a separate, non-refundable service payment with their application.

Belgium Schengen Visa Application Steps

1. Prepare all the required documents.
2. Select “Tourism” as the reason for travel on the visa application form.
3. Decide the number of entries needed to Belgium or the Schengen area.
4. Fill out the application form.
   Generally, applications for a Belgium Schengen visa are lodged online through the country’s application portal.

• Register if you’re a new user or log in if you’re already registered.
• Fill out and submit the application form online. A copy of the application in PDF form will be sent to you via email. This must be printed out, signed and submitted together with the other required documents at your upcoming visa appointment.
• After successfully submitting the application electronically online, applicants will get a notification that will allow them to schedule a personal appointment at the nearest Belgian Consulate or visa center.

5. Schedule a visa appointment, if applicable.

Most applications require an in-person appointment at the nearest Belgian Consulate or visa center in order to submit the application. Alternatively, applications may be submitted without prior appointment during normal operating hours. Contact the Belgian Consulate or visa center to determine if there is a need to schedule an appointment.

6. Submit your Belgium Schengen visa application.

Note: Applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the date of travel but not earlier than 6 months before the date of travel.

• There are different submission procedures, depending on the Belgian Consulate or processing center. Generally, it is a requirement that all applications be lodged personally at the consulate or the processing center.
• Applicants will likely be required to submit their fingerprints (biometric data). Children below the age of 12 are exempted from biometric data collection, but facial photo capturing is a must, regardless of the applicant’s age.

7. Pay the visa application fee.

When to Apply

Visa applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the travel date but not earlier than 6 months before the travel date.

Where to Apply for Belgium Visa

• Applications should be submitted either through the Belgian Consulate or a visa application center that is connected with Belgium.
• In countries without any Belgian consulate, applications may be submitted through a Schengen state consulate representing the interests of a Belgian consulate.
• Applications should be submitted only in the country of citizenship or residence.
• Applicants can check for the locations of Belgian Consulates and visa application centers here.

Belgium Visa Processing Time

Generally, it takes approximately 15 days to process Belgium Schengen visa applications. However, presently it takes about 30 to 85 days. Processing times differ depending on the category, the type of visa applied for, and the time when the visa is applied.

For approved visa applications:

• Applicants must ensure that the information on the visa is complete and valid upon collection.

Applicants who have received their Schengen Visa for Belgium should remember the following things:

• Inform the Belgian Consulate of any change to your itinerary after submission is completed.
• The approval of a Schengen visa does not guarantee entry upon arrival to Belgium or other countries in the Schengen area.
• Additional documents pertaining to your financial means or accommodation may still be required to gain entry to Belgium or other Schengen areas.

For denied visa applications:

• If your application for a Belgium Schengen visa was rejected, you have the right to appeal the decision within 30 days of receiving your rejection.
• Applicants will receive a standard-issued Belgium Schengen visa refusal containing the procedures of the appeal process. Applicants should follow the procedures for the submission of a formal request to declare the reason for the appeal, as well as the request to appeal the decision.
• The appeal should be directed and addressed to the Conseil du Contentieux des étrangers at the following address:

Conseil du Contentieux des étrangers
Raad voor Vreemdelingenbetwistingen
Rue Gaucheret 92-94
B-1030 Brussels
Belgium