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Visa for Belgium
Mandatory Passenger Locator Form for travel to Belgium
From August, 1st, all persons returning to Belgium and all persons travelling through Belgium and who are staying at least 48 hours must fill out an identification form (Passenger Locator Form). You can find this form here.
Mandatory negative test result for travel to Belgium
As from 25 December 2020, all non-residents older than 6 who wish to travel to Belgium must provide a negative PCR COVID test result no older than 72 hours before departure. The test results must be in Dutch, French, German or English. More information on this website.
Essential Travel Certificate
Travelers who do not have the nationality of a country of the European Union or of the Schengen zone must be in possession of an essential travel certificate. This certificate is delivered by a Belgian diplomatic or consular post in order to certify the essential nature of the travel.
An essential travel certificate is not required in the following situations:
More information on this website.
Public consultation
The European Commission has decided to launch a public consultation on the perspective of digitalisation of the visa procedure (E-visa) and on the creation of an EU online visa application portal, aimed at a target audience: the travel industry, European agencies directly or indirectly linked to the EU visa policy, visa applicants and the general public. Read more.
For general information on Visas for Belgium, please refer to the website of our outsourcing partners (Visa Application Centre) VFS.
If you have already applied for a visa via the Visa Application Centre, you can check the status of your application at any time by using the visa Application tracker service at the VFS website.
Processing time of a visa application for studies
It is recommended that the student applies for a visa as soon as possible and ideally before Friday 30 July 2021.
According to Article 34 of Directive 2016/801, the decision must be taken at the latest within 90 days from the date of submission of the complete request. Although this deadline is not yet written into the Act of 15 December 1980, the Immigration Office is doing its utmost to make its decision within the deadline set out in the Directive.
As the deadline for enrolment in all higher education institutions is 31 October, a complete visa application should therefore be submitted ideally before 30 July 2021.
Given the large volume of visa applications to be processed in a short period of time, the Immigration Office cannot guarantee that a decision will be made on a date that will allow the student applicant who has submitted his or her visa application after 30 July 2021, to travel to Belgium and enrol in a higher education institution before the weekend of 30 & 31 October 2021
COVID-19 : Travel restrictions to Belgium
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only certain visa categories are accepted.
To know these categories, please consult the website of the Immigration Office: https://dofi.ibz.be/en/themes/faq
In addition, if you are in one of the categories authorized to travel to Belgium, the formalities to be completed before your trip are detailed on the website: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/travels-outside-eu-schengen/
Thank you for contacting VFS Global in order to arrange an appointment and submit your visa application.
Brexit
Who is a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement and who is not?
How does this affect family members of a UK national who need a Schengen visa?
Please find the answers to your questions on the following link: https://dofi.ibz.be/en/themes/brexit
Short stay visa (visa type C) authorizes you to stay on Schengen territory for a term not longer than 3 months during a period of 6 months starting from your first entry on the territory.
Long stay visa (visa type D) authorizes you to stay in Belgium for a period longer than 90 days (students, researchers, workers, family reunification, …).
The single permit (work and residence) comes into effect on 1 january 2019
Simplification of the procedure for third-country nationals who apply for authorization to stay and to work in Belgium (single permit) :
As from 03/01/2019, third-country nationals wishing to work in Belgium for more than 90 days will apply to the competent Region, through their employer, for a single application for a work permit and a request for a residence permit. The proof of payment of the administrative fee will have to be submitted. (The Embassy/Consulate of Belgium has no role in this process).
If the work permit and residence permit are granted respectively by the Region and the Immigration Office, the third-country national will receive a single document stating that he/she is authorized to stay for more than 90 days in Belgium for work.
The «single application / single permit» procedure does not apply to:
The visa application will only be submitted at the end of the process, when the single permit has been granted. The applicant should submit a visa application type D with his/her passport and the single permit and pay the visa fee at the VFS Centre where fingerprints will be collected.
Details about the documents to submit : click here
For more information about the single permit, please visit the following website: https://dofi.ibz.be/en
Implementation of visa biometrics starting 12 October 2015
Starting October 12th, 2015, all applicant for a Schengen visa will need to personally present themselves in order to have their biometric date registered.
Visa applications will be processed faster thanks to the use of biometrics (finger prints and a digital photograph). It will allow visa holders to be identified faster and this way identity theft can be countered.
The procedure to take finger prints is easy, quick and discrete. The applicant will only have to place his or her fingers on the digital scanner. If he or she wants to reapply for a visa within five years, new finger printing will not be required: the previous data stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) will be re-used. After five years the finger print data will be deleted.
When a visa holder arrives at the border, Schengen border control officers will use the VIS to check the identity and verify if the visa is genuine. Quick, easy and reliable biometric checks will help to prevent visa fraud. Honest applicants, the clear majority, will therefore be able to go through a faster procedure.
For more information on Schengen applications in China, see http://www.vfsglobal.cn/Belgium/China/. For more information about the VIS, click here.
What documents to foresee?
The application form for a visa for Belgium should be submitted online. Please click here for the form (you will need to register online first), or visit the website of our outsourcing agency VFS.
Please consult the website of VFS for a checklist of supporting documents required, depending on the purpose of your trip to Belgium.
From 10 August 2011 onwards, a harmonised list of supporting documents for business travel/conferences/fairs is imposed to persons who are subject to visa (C) requirement and residing in China. This is the result of an Implementing Decision of the European Commission. Please consult the VFS website for this list.
Where can I hand in my visa application?
If you live in China
The Visa applications have to be handed in at one of the offices of our visa outsourcing partner VFS.
2. Guangzhou
Room 388, 3F, Chengjian Mansion, 189 Tiyu Rd (West)
Tianhe District
Guangzhou 510620
3. Beijing
Room 50128, 1/F, Galaxy SOHO, No.2 Nanzhugan Hutong, Chaoyangmennei Street
Dongcheng District
Beijing, 100027
4. Xi’an
Floor 3, Tongjian Pavilion, no.4, consulate district, Xi ‘an Chanba Avenue, Chanba ecological district,
Xi’an City
Shanxi Province, 710000
5. Chongqing
Room 6, 3F, Tower B, Reliance Center, No. 2 Xihu Zhi Road,
Liangjiang New Area
Chongqing City, 401147
6. Hangzhou
2F-A01, Second floor, Xin Feng Commercial G11 Center, 266-272 Xin Feng Road
JiangGan District
Hangzhou City
Jiangsu Province, 310000
7. Shenyang
No.3, Floor 4, Building A, Shenyang Fortune Plaza, No.61, Beizhan Road
Shenhe District
Shenyang City
Liaoning Province, 110000
8. Wuhan
Room 2905-2906, Builiding F of Hanjie International Headquarters
No. 171 of Zhongbei Road
Wuchang District
Wuhan City
Hubei Province, 430000
9. Changsha
No.5-6 Conference Room, 2/F
White Swan Hotel
No.258, Xiangfu Zhong Road
Tianxin District
Changsha City
Hunan Province, 410000
10. Chengdu (temporarily closed as from 25.12.2020, please submit your application in the Chongqing VAC)
Room 6, 3F, Tower B, Reliance Center, No. 2 Xihu Zhi Road,
Liangjiang New Area
Chongqing City, 401147
11. Shenzhen
26 Floor, Building A, Kingkey 100 Building, Luohu District
Shenzhen City
Guangdong Province, 518000
12. Jinan
8F, Qianfoshan Building (Foreign Visa Centre Jinan), No.15-1 Wenhua West Road
Lixia District
Jinan City
Shangdong Province, 250011
13. Nanjing
7/F, Bank of Beijing Building, No. 190, Hexi Avenue,
Jianye District
Nanjing City
Jiangsu Province, 210019
14. Fuzhou
Floor 4, Sanmu Mansion
No.93 Qunzhong Dong Road
Taijiang District
Fuzhou City
Fujian Province, 350000
15. Kunming
1501D, Building A, Low Carbon Business Center, 12 Shibo Road
Kunming City
Yunnan Province, 650000
Your Visa application has to be handed in at your competent VAC based on:
NB
Holders of official passports (service, diplomatic or public affairs) and family members of EU citizens covered by Directive 2004/38 can introduce their Visa application directly at the Visa Section of the Embassy or Consulates General competent for their place of residence:
Embassy in BEIJING
3, San Li Tun Dongsan Jie
Chaoyang District
100600 Beijing – China
+86 10 6532 1736
Beijing.Visa@diplobel.fed.be
For residents of Mongolia
When a short stay visa is required (maximum of 90 days, type C-Schengen), please address your Visa Request to the German Embassy in Ulan Bator that represents Belgium in this matter.
For opening hours, the address and other practical information, please refer to their website.
The representation is however only valid for short stay Schengen visas (maximum stay of 90 days). The short stay visa applications that may result in a prolonged stay (e.g. marriage in Belgium, cohabitation,…), cannot be introduced at the German Embassy but have to be processed by the Belgian Embassy in Beijing through its Visa Application Center.
When a long stay visa is needed (more than 90 days, type D, Belgian) please hand in your file at our Visa Application Center.
Border control
Please consult this notice.
After arrival in Belgium/Schengen Area
The Embassy/Consulate General is not competent to handle immigration matters after you have arrived in Belgium. In case you want to extend your visa, replace a lost visa or change the type of visa, you need to contact the Belgian immigration authorities. Their contacts and extensive information can be found on https://dofi.ibz.be/en.
What to do in case your visa has been refused?
In case of refusal the applicant will be notified in written about the reasons for this refusal.
The refusal letter will be written in Dutch, French or German, depending on the preference given at the time of application.
As the refusal decision has not been taken by the Embassy or Consulate General but by the Belgian immigration authorities, the Embassy or Consulate General is not competent to comment on this refusal by any means (at the counter, by telephone or in writing).
The applicant can decide to lodge an appeal with the Belgian judicial authorities, as explained in the refusal notice or apply again for a visa with the Embassy or Consulate General.
International travels
In order to limit the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) the Belgian authorities have decided to introduce a ban on travel for non-essential purposes (recreational, tourism, etc.) to and from Belgium.
Article 16 §1of the royal decree of 28.10.2021 on the necessary measures to be taken by the administrative police in order to prevent or reduce the public health consequences of the epidemic emergency regarding the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic states that non-essential travel to Belgium is prohibited for:
Also on annex 1 as Special Administrative Region of China: HONG KONG and MACAO
Also on annex 1 as entity and territorial authority that is not recognized as state by at least one member state: TAIWAN
Note: China is also mentioned on this annex I of the EU, however due to unfulfilled reciprocity currently the travel restrictions still are applicable to China
Useful links:
Essential and permitted travels to Belgium
List of essential and permitted travels from a third country to Belgium applicable to persons not having the nationality of an EU/Schengen Member State and not having their main residence in an EU/Schengen Member State, and not having their main residence in a third country considered safe by Belgium.
The following travels are considered essential and permitted:
1. the professional travels of health professionals, health researchers and elderly care professionals;
2. the professional travels of frontier workers;
3. the professional travels seasonal workers in agriculture;
4. the professional travels transport personnel;
5. the professional travels of diplomats, staff of international organisations, people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, military personnel, federal police personnel, civil protection personnel, law enforcement personnel, personnel from the Immigration Office, customs personnel and humanitarian aid workers, in the exercise of their functions;
6. passengers in transit : extra-Schengen transit and extra-EU transit
7. passengers travelling for imperative family reasons, meaning:
8. the professional travels of seafarers;
9. the travels of undertaken for humanitarian reasons (including journeys undertaken for imperative medical reasons or the continuation of urgent medical treatment or to provide assistance or care for an elderly or disabled or vulnerable person);
10. the travels for the purpose of study, including pupils, students and interns undergoing training as part of their studies and researchers with a hosting agreement;
11. the travels of qualified persons, if their work is necessary from an economic point of view and cannot be postponed; including the journeys of professional sportsmen and women with top sports status and professionals in the cultural sector, when they hold a single permit and journalists, when they are exercising their professional activity.
The travel of persons who come to work as an employee in Belgium, including au pairs, whatever the duration of this activity, provided that they are authorized by the competent Region (work permit or proof that the conditions of an exemption are met).
The travel of persons who come to work as a self-employed in Belgium, whatever the duration of this activity, provided that they are authorized by the competent Region (valid professional card or proof that the conditions of an exemption are met).
12. the travels of a spouse or partner of a person who has the nationality of an EU- or Schengen member state and who accompany this spouse or partner. This spouse or partner must live under the same roof. The same applies to the travels of the children who live under the same roof. The de facto partners must have provided plausible evidence of a stable and long-term relationship. (Entry into force 24.06.2021)
For the permitted travels the travellers has to be in possession of an essential travel certificate.
For the purposes of the royal decree of 28.10.2021, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City are considered to be countries of the European Union.
Third country considered safe by Belgium :
the list can be found at the very top of this page in the introduction.
Countries classified as very high risk
When a country is classified as a very high risk in accordance with the first paragraph, the entry ban on the Belgian territory takes effect at the moment as indicated on the website https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/countries-with-high-risk/ and at the earliest 24 hours after its publication on that website.
As of 28.11.2021, the following countries are classified as very high risk: “ Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa».
The following essential travels are permitted:
1 ° the professional journeys of transport employees, freight and cargo personnel and seafarers, tugboat crew, boat pilots and industrial personnel employed in offshore wind parks, provided they hold a certificate issued by the employer;
2° the professional travels of diplomats, staff of international organisations, people invited by international organisations whose physical presence is required for the well-functioning of these organisations, in the exercise of their functions, provided that they are also in possession of an essential travel certificate delivered by a Belgian diplomatic or consular post.
3° the travels of a spouse or partner of a person who has Belgian nationality or has his/her main residence in Belgium. This spouse or partner must live under the same roof as the person who has Belgian nationality or the person who has the main residence in Belgium. These travellers must hold an Essential Travel Certificate issued by the Belgian diplomatic or consular post. The de facto partners must have provided plausible evidence of a stable and long-term relationship.
4° the transit journeys outside of the Schengen area or European Union (transit via a high-risk country without leaving the international zone of the airport or transit in Belgium from a high-risk country without leaving the airport’s non-Schengen Area);
5° travels through Belgium to the country of the European Union or Schengen Area of which the traveller is are a national or where the traveller has his main residence;
6° People travelling for extremely compelling humanitarian reasons. These people must have a Certificate of Travel for Humanitarian Reasons issued by the Belgian diplomatic or consular post and approved by the Immigration Office.
7° travel of persons whose physical presence is indispensable for national security purposes, provided they are in possession of an essential travel certificate issued by the Belgian diplomatic or consular post and approved by the Immigration Office.
In the absence of such an Essential Travel Certificate or Certificate of travel for Humanitarian Reasons or in the event of false, misleading or incomplete information in this certificate, and if the essential nature of the travel is not apparent from the official documents in the traveller’s possession, entry may be refused in accordance with Article 14 of the Schengen Borders Code or Article 43 of the Law of 15 December 1980.
Essential travel certificate
For the permitted travels : the traveller is obliged to be in possession of an essential travel certificate. This certificate is delivered by a Belgian diplomatic or consular post in order to certify the essential nature of the travel.
If a transporter is used, the transporter required to check that the passengers are in possession of this Essential Travel Certificate before boarding.
In the absence of such this Essential Travel Certificate, the transporter is obliged to refuse boarding. Upon arrival on Belgian territory, the transporter will check again that the passenger is in possession of this Essential Travel Certificate.
In the absence of such an Essential Travel Certificate or in the event of false, misleading or incomplete information in this certificate, and if the essential nature of the travel is not apparent from the official documents in the traveller’s possession, entry may be refused in accordance with Article 14 of the Schengen Borders Code or Article 43 of the Law of 15 December 1980.
By way of derogation, an essential travel certificate is not required in the following situations (the certificate may however be requested if the passenger fears to encounter a problem when boarding):
The term «transporter» applies to:
Vaccination certificate
Vaccination certificate means:
In the absence of an equivalence decision by the European Commission, a vaccination certificate issued in a country not belonging to the European Union and containing at least the following information in Dutch, French, German or English will also be accepted:
Currently on 08.11.2021 the following vaccinations are recognized:
Producer
Brand name vaccin
Vaxzevria and Covishield
Johnson and Johnson
Covid-19 Vaccine Janssen
The ban on non-essential travel to Belgium no longer applies to travellers who, prior to arrival on the territory, hold a “ vaccination certificate ” that meets all the above mentioned criteria.
If a transporter is used, the transporter is required to verify prior to boarding that the travellers indeed are in possession of such a vaccination certificate.
In the absence of such a vaccination certificate or in the event of false, misleading or incomplete information in this certificate entry may be refused in accordance with Article 14 of the Schengen Borders Code or Article 43 of the Law of 15 December 1980.
As of 12.08.2021: Vaccination certificates delivered by the United Kingdom are recognized by Belgium.
As of 20.08.2021: Vaccination certificates delivered by Turkey, North-Macedonia and Ukraine are recognized.
As of 15.09.2021: Vaccination certificates delivered by the Faroe Islands, Morocco, Panama, Albania, Israel, Monaco and Andorra are recognized.
As of 15.11.2021: Vaccination certificates delivered by Georgia, Moldova, New Zealand and Serbia are recognized.
As of 25.11.2021: Vaccination certificates delivered by Singapore and Togo are recognized.
Travels by minors
Children under 18 may travel with their parent(s) or guardian or other attendant without an essential travel certificate, provided that the parent(s), guardian or attendant is in possession of a vaccination certificate. This is considered an essential journey: an attestation is not required if the essential nature of the journey is evident from official documents in the possession of the traveller. The parent/guardian-child relationship must be evident from official documents, if necessary. In the case of an attendant, the travel consent by the parent or guardian has to be available.
Children under 18 who travel alone or are not accompanied by parent(s)/guardian(s)/other attendant need an essential travel document.
Children under 12 are completely exempt from PCR testing but must follow the same quarantine as their parents.
Children over 12 years of age must follow their own testing and quarantine rules, including having a prior PCR test from a red zone
Control at the external borders
Every traveller must be in possession of the documents required for entry into Schengen and demonstrate that his journey is essential by means of the necessary documentation.
For a long stay in Belgium, all travellers must have a D visa.
For a short stay in Belgium, any traveller subject to the visa requirement to enter Schengen must have a C visa. Whatever his nationality, he must prove that he meets the conditions for entry into Schengen when he presents himself at the Schengen external borders, by means of the necessary documentation.
Public Health Passenger Locator Form
All travellers coming to Belgium or returning to Belgium by plane or by boat after a stay abroad must fill in the electronic version of the Public Health Passenger Locator Form (PLF) within 48 hours before arrival in Belgium. This also applies to travel by train or by bus from a country outside the European Union and the Schengen area.
All travellers coming to Belgium or returning to Belgium after a stay abroad, without using a carrier as mentioned above (for example, by car), must also fill in the PLF within 48 hours before arrival in Belgium, unless they stay less than 48 hours in Belgium or have stayed less than 48 hours outside Belgium.
The traveller must carry proof of completion of the PLF for the entire journey to the final destination in Belgium and for the following 48 hours.
The following categories of travellers do not need a PLF when travelling to Belgium without using a carrier :
1° provided that they travel to Belgium within the framework of their duties:
2° pupils, students and trainees who travel to Belgium at least once a week as part of their studies or a cross-border training course;
3° people travelling to Belgium within the framework of cross-border co-parenthood.
The exception to the requirement to complete and sign a Passenger Locator Form, mentioned in paragraph 1, for travellers whose journey does not involve the use of a carrier and whose stay in Belgium does not exceed 48 hours or whose previous stay outside Belgium did not exceed 48 hours, does not apply to people who have been to countries classified as very high risk at any time during the last 14 days, provided that they do not have Belgian nationality or do not have their main residence in Belgium .
Test Certificate or recovery certificate
Test Certificate: an EU Digital COVID certificate or another certificate in Dutch, French, German or English, which indicates that a NAAT test ( Nucleic Acid Amplification Test =PCR test) with a negative result was carried out in an official laboratory not more than 72 hours before arrival on Belgian territory, or that a RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) with a negative result was carried out by a professional not more than 36 hours before arrival on Belgian territory.
Recovery Certificate: an EU Digital COVID certificate of recovery or a certificate of recovery issued in a country not belonging to the European Union which is considered equivalent by the European Commission on the basis of the implementing acts or by Belgium on the basis of bilateral agreements.
All travellers aged 12 and over who arrive on Belgian territory from a territory classified as a red zone on the website of the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment in the context of the Covid-19 crisis and who do not have their main residence in Belgium must present a recognised vaccination, test or recovery certificate. Where applicable, the carrier must verify that passengers present the recognised vaccination, test or recovery certificate prior to boarding. In the absence of the recognised vaccination, test or recovery certificate, the carrier is obliged to refuse boarding.
In the absence of a recognized vaccination, test or recovery certificate referred to in the previous paragraph, or in the event of false, misleading or incomplete information concerning these documents entry may be refused in accordance with Article 14 of the Schengen Borders Code or Article 43 of the Law of 15 December 1980.
The following categories of travellers do not need to have a vaccination, test or recovery certificate:
The following categories of travellers do not need to have a certificate of vaccination, test or recovery either:
1° persons whose main residence is in Belgium;
2° provided that they travel to Belgium within the framework of their duties:
3° pupils, students and trainees who travel to Belgium at least once a week as part of their studies or a cross-border training course;
4° people travelling to Belgium within the framework of cross-border co-parenthood.
Attention! The exception to the requirement to have a vaccination, test or recovery certificate not apply to people who have been to the countries classified as very high risk on the website https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/ at any time during the last 14 days, provided that they do not have Belgian nationality or do not have their main residence in Belgium.
Attention! A test certificate or a recovery certificate is not equal to a vaccination certificate. Persons subject to travel restrictions who wish to travel to Belgium on the basis of a negative NAAT test (=PCR test) or a recovery certificate must do so with an essential travel certificate.
Quarantaine measure
More information concerning the quarantine and some exceptions can be found on https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/faq/ under the section “Transport and International”.
Testing capacity for this purpose is available in Brussels Airport, Charleroi Airport and Brussels South train station. Arriving passengers can be tested there on a voluntary basis