Tourist Visa In Belgium: A Simple Guide

Imagine wandering through Belgium’s cobbled streets, savoring world-renowned chocolates, and marveling at medieval architecture. All you require is tourist visa for Belgium right? Fret Not! We’ve got your back!

This dream starts with a Belgian tourist visa. Navigating this process can be as intricate as the designs of a Belgian tapestry, but our guide aims to simplify it for you. Let’s embark on a journey to ensure your visit to Belgium is as enchanting as the land itself.

Let’s dive in!

Types Of Visas

Short-Stay Visa

A short-stay visa (type C) permits the holder to freely travel and remain in all Schengen area member countries. This visa, commonly known as the Schengen visa, is only valid for a maximum stay of 90 days (in any 180 days).

Students with a residency card issued by another Schengen country that is still valid after their return to their country of residence/home country may enter and stay in Belgium without a visa for a maximum of 90 days (out of a total of 180 days).

Long-Stay Visa

Authorization for Provisional Sojourn (in Dutch: Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) is another name for a long-stay visa (type D). It permits the holder to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days.

Can I Visit Belgium Without A Schengen Tourist Visa?

If you are from one of the following countries: Japan, the Republic of Andorra, the US, New Zealand, Australia, Monaco, the EU/EEA, Switzerland, or any other country with a Schengen visa-free agreement, you do not require a visa.

Anybody else who wants to visit Belgium needs a Schengen tourist visa if they are from a country that has not reached a visa-free agreement.

Belgium Schengen Visa Types

When applying for a Belgium Schengen visa, you must state why you are visiting Belgium:

Visits by tourists
Visits to relatives or friends
Cultural or sporting events
Trips for business
Short-term internships
Transit through a Belgian airport

Belgian Schengen Visa Requirements

When applying for a Belgium visa, you need to submit the following documents:

Application form for a Schengen visa in Belgium.
- Get the visa application form here.
- Print it, fill it out, and sign it. One of the parents can sign for minors.
Two passport-sized photographs. The photograph must be recent and meet Belgium visa photo standards.
Your passport.
- After you leave Belgium, the passport should be valid for another three months.
- The passport must have at least two blank pages for the visa to be attached.
Copies of your previous visas (if applicable). If you already have a visa, bring a copy of it with you.
A cover letter. In a cover letter, describe why you want to visit Belgium, how long you expect to stay, whether you plan to visit other Schengen countries, and so on.
Flight schedule for a round-trip flight. You must provide proof that you purchased your airline tickets.
Schengen Travel Insurance:
- It must meet Schengen travel insurance criteria.
- It must be valid in all Schengen countries.
- Medical insurance coverage must be at least €30,000.
Accommodation Proof: You should have a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from a Belgian friend or family member.
- Documents proving one’s civil status. As an example, consider a marriage certificate.
- Certificate of birth.
- Certificate of divorce.
- Certificate of descent (if visiting family).
- Proof of sufficient financial resources for the duration of your stay in Belgium.
You must demonstrate your financial ability to visit Belgium. You can do so by displaying your bank statement.
Before applying at the embassy or consulate, you must gather all of the necessary documents for a Belgium visa.

How Do I Get A Schengen Visa For Belgium?

A Schengen visa must be obtained from the Belgian embassy or consulate. The required paperwork and application process may differ slightly depending on your visa category.

However, you must first complete the following steps:

Complete the visa application form. You must enter all of your information.
Gather all of your documentation. Be aware to organize all of your documents properly.
Learn where you may apply for a visa to Belgium. To apply for the visa, you must go to one of the nearest official offices.
Schedule a meeting. You must make an appointment either by email or in person.
Participate in the visa interview. To submit your documents and answer a few questions, you must attend an interview.

Status Of Belgium Schengen Visa Application

You may check the status of your Belgium Schengen visa application online. Your application may be submitted to the Belgian Immigration office by the Belgian embassy or consulate.

You will receive a receipt with a five-digit number after submitting your file. You can use this number to:

Check the status of your visa application on the Immigration Service’s website.
Contact the immigration agency by phone or email to find out the status of your file. You can also go to the immigration website for more information.

You can also follow your visa application on the website of the visa application service that assisted you with your application by entering your passport number and last name.

Remember that the processing period for a visa application varies based on the embassy or consulate to which you apply.

How Long Does A Belgian Schengen Visa Take To Process?

In most cases, your Belgium Schengen visa can take up to 15 days to process. Some cases take longer than others, such as:

If you have been given an extension of up to 30 days to submit additional documentation.
If there are too many visa applicants (up to 30 days).
In exceptional circumstances (up to 60 days).

Cost Of A Schengen Visa In Belgium

When applying for a Belgium Schengen visa, you must pay a visa application cost. The Belgium visa fees are classified based on the applicant’s personal information.

The following are the normal Belgium visa fees:

For an adult (over the age of 18)	€80
For children aged between six and twelve years old	€40
For children younger than six years	Free of charge

How Long Is The Schengen Visa Valid In Belgium?

The Schengen visa for Belgium is valid for 90 days within six months. The 90-day regulation applies to all countries in the Schengen area, not only Belgium.

The total number of days you can remain in Belgium or elsewhere in Schengen within six months cannot exceed 90. You may calculate the number of legal days online to ensure you don’t overstay.

Can I Extend My Schengen Visa In Belgium?

A Schengen Belgium visa can be renewed if it is still valid and you did not exceed the 90-day limit. However, you can only extend your Schengen visa in exceptional circumstances, and your request must be justified.

For instance:

If you are experiencing a medical emergency that makes travel impossible or dangerous.
Humanitarian reasons, such as if anything happened to a relative, cause you to stay with them.
Force majeure – For example, if something exceptional occurs in your nation, such as a natural disaster, weather conditions, big political unrest, etc., which makes getting home difficult or risky.

Important personal reasons, which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Work Or Study In Belgium: A Schengen visa is a tourist visa that allows you to visit Belgium as a tourist solely. If you want to work or study in Belgium, you must apply for a long-stay visa known as a Belgium D-visa.
Travel To Other European Countries: Yes, you can travel to other Schengen Area countries with a Schengen visa. If you have been offered a Belgium Schengen visa, you have the right to travel to all Schengen countries because the Uniform Schengen Visa allows you to do so.

There may be times when you are awarded a Schengen visa with Limited Territorial Validity, which indicates that the only nation you can visit is the one that issued the visa, in this case, Belgium.

However, you should be aware that the days you spend in another country are also counted towards the Schengen area’s 90-day limit.

Long-Stay Visa (Type D)

The following documents are required to apply for a long-stay visa (type D):

Letter of admission (or authorization to enroll in a Flemish higher education institution)
A passport must be valid for at least 12 months at the time of visa application.
Evidence of solvency
Certificate of good behavior
Certificate of Medical Fitness
Proof of payment for the additional administrative cost
Chinese students wishing to study at a Flemish university or university of applied sciences (and arts) must first obtain an APS certificate from the DAAD Beijing, with whom Flanders has a collaboration agreement.

Register At City Hall Upon Arrival

Upon arrival in Belgium, both EEA and non-EEA students must register with the town or city hall of their place of residence as soon as possible.

You must provide the following documents to the municipal hall to acquire a registration certificate:

Your passport or identification card
Your registration certificate at a Flemish higher education institution
Your evidence of health insurance coverage
Recent passport photo(s) (no older than six months)
A copy of your student housing rental contract (if it is already accessible).

Non-EEA students require the following supplementary documents:

Your passport, along with your long-term visa for Belgium
Proof of solvency

Tourist Visa Policy

Foreign citizens who want to visit Belgium for tourism should be aware that some country’s nationals can travel for tourism without a visa, while others must get an embassy visa for Belgium in advance.

According to Belgian visa policy, about 90 countries, many of which are members of the Schengen Area, can currently visit the country for tourism reasons without a visa.

However, beginning in 2025, all visa-exempt individuals from countries other than the Schengen Area will be required to pre-register for ETIAS travel permission to visit Belgium for short tourist visits.

This online visa waiver is a multiple entrance authorization being adopted to improve the security of Schengen external borders, and it will allow multiple short stays of up to 90 days each in Belgium for tourism.

According to Belgian visa regulations, citizens of 150 other countries must get a tourist visa in advance at a Belgian embassy or consulate.

This entails making a consular appointment at an overseas diplomatic mission several weeks before travel to allow for adequate processing time.

Conclusion

As we wrap up this guide to obtaining your Belgian tourist visa, the beauty of Belgium awaits you. With these steps clearly laid out, your journey to discover the rich history, exquisite cuisine, and vibrant culture of Belgium is just a visa away.

Prepare to immerse yourself in a country where every turn is a new story waiting to be explored.

Travel Tryst!

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