Belgium Schengen Visa: Requirements, Application, Tips, FAQs & More

If you want to visit Belgium, you will most likely look up information about the tourist visa. While researching, you may come across the word “Schengen visa,” which may be confusing. You should be aware that there is no difference between a Belgium Schengen visa and a Belgium tourist visa.

Do I Need a Schengen Tourist Visa to Visit Belgium?

If you are from the EU/EEA, Switzerland, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Monaco, the Republic of Andorra, Japan, or another country having a visa-free agreement with Schengen, you do not require a visa.

Everyone else needs a Schengen tourist visa to enter Belgium if they are from a country that has not negotiated a visa-free agreement.

Types of Belgium Schengen Visas

When you apply for a Belgium Schengen visa, you have to specify for what reason you are traveling to Belgium:

• Tourist visits
• Visits to family or friends
• Cultural or sports manifestations
• Business trips
• Short traineeships
• Transit through a Belgian airport

Requirements for a Belgian Schengen Visa

These are the documents you must provide when applying for a Belgium visa:

• Belgium Schengen visa application form.
• Download the visa application form.
• You should print it, fill it, and sign it. For minors can sign one of the parents.
• Two passport-size pictures.
• The picture should be recently taken and must follow Belgium visa photo requirements.
• Your passport.
• The passport should be valid for three months more after you leave Belgium.
• The passport should have at least two blank pages for the visa to be attached.
• Copies of your previous visas (if applicable). If you had a visa before, you should bring a copy of it.
• A cover letter. In a cover letter, you should explain why you intend to visit Belgium, how long you plan to stay, whether you will visit other Schengen countries, etc.
• Round-trip flight itinerary. You need to prove that you booked your flight tickets.
• Schengen travel insurance.
• It must meet Schengen travel insurance requirements.
• It must be valid in all Schengen countries.
• The minimum coverage for medical insurance must be at least €30,000.
• Proof of accommodation. You should have a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from a friend or a family member who lives in Belgium.
• Civil status documents. For example:
• Marriage certificate.
• Birth certificate.
• Divorce certificate.
• Family certificate (if visiting family).
• Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in Belgium.
• You should prove that you are financially able to visit Belgium. You can do that by showing your bank statement.

You have to collect all the required documents for a Belgium visa before applying at the embassy or consulate.

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa to Belgium?

You have to apply for a Schengen visa at the Belgium embassy or consulate. There may be a slight difference in the required documents and the application process based on your visa type. However, you need to go through the following steps:

• Fill in your visa application form -You will need to fill in all your data.
• Collect all your documents – Make sure, to sum up, all your documents in the right way.
• Find out where you need to apply for a visa to Belgium – You have to choose one of the nearest authoritative offices to apply for the visa.
• Make an appointment – You have to schedule an appointment via email or in person.
• Attend the visa interview – You will have to attend an interview to submit your documents and answer a few questions.

How to Track the Belgium Schengen Visa Application?

You can track your Belgium Schengen visa application online. The Belgian embassy or consulate sometimes submit your application to the Immigration office in Belgium. After submitting your file, you will get a receipt with a five-digit number. This number allows you to:

• Check the status of your visa application on the website of the Immigration Service.
• Contact the immigration service to know the status of your file by phone or email. You can also consult the immigration website.
• Using your passport number and last name, you may also track the visa application on the website of the visa application service that helped with your application.

Remember: The processing time for a visa application may vary depending on which embassy or consulate you apply to.

How Long Does It Take to Process a Belgian Schengen Visa?

In a normal situation, your Belgium Schengen visa takes up to 15 days to process. Some particular cases take longer, such as:

• If you have been required to submit additional documents (up to 30 days).
• If the number of visa applicants is too high (up to 30 days).
• In extraordinary cases (up to 60 days).

Belgium Schengen Visa Cost

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 Belgium Schengen Visa Valid?

The Schengen visa for Belgium is valid for 90 days within six months. The 90-day regulation applies to all nations 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 amount of legal days online to ensure you don’t overstay.

Can I Extend a Schengen Visa in Belgium?

A Schengen Belgium visa can be renewed if it is still valid and you have not exceeded the 90-day limit. However, you can only extend your Schengen visa in special cases, and your reasons for doing so must be valid. As an example:

• If you are in a medical emergency which makes it impossible or unsafe for you to travel.
• Humanitarian reasons – for example, if something happened to a relative, requiring you to stay with them.
• Force majeure – for example, if something unusual happens to your country, such as a natural disaster, weather conditions, major political riots, etc., making it difficult or dangerous to travel home.
• Important personal reasons, which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Can I Work or Study in Belgium With a Schengen Visa?

A Schengen visa is a tourist visa that allows you to go to Belgium only as a visitor. If you are looking to work or study in Belgium, you will need to apply for a long-stay type of visa known as a Belgium D-visa.

Can I Visit Other European Countries With a Belgium Tourist Visa?

Yes, you can travel to other Schengen Area countries with a Schengen visa. If you have been given 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 nation are also counted toward the Schengen area’s 90-day limit.