VISA REQUIREMENTS

Do you need a visa to come to Belgium?

This depends from the country your traveling from. In general you are likely to need a visa if you come from outside the European Union. Click here to check if you need a visa: http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/visumNodig.asp.

Visa procedures for a short stay (up to 90 days) in Belgium on business

For a short stay, you should normally apply for your visa three to four weeks prior to departure. in some cases, the visa application procedure may take a long time so you should submit your application as early as possible.

You should apply for you visa in person at the relevant Belgian embassy or consulate in you country of residence. if there is no Belgian embassy or consulate in your country of residence, you should apply to the Belgian embassy responsible for that country (usually located in a neighboring country). This embassy will also tell you if you can ssubmit your visa application in you country of residence via the embassy of another Schengen country.

I you are tracelling, you van apply for a short-stay (up to 90 days) visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate of the country ou are in at the time. In this case, your application must be submitted to the Immigration Service at FPS Home Affairs for its decision, which may take some time. This option does not excist for long-stay (over 90 days) visa applications.

Documents to be submitted

To apply for a visa for a short stay (up to 90 days) in Belgium, you must submit the following documents to the embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence:

1. A valid document (e.g. national passport) in which a visa can be affixed. This travel document must be valid for three months longer than the visa.

2. A visa application form correctly filled in and signed together with two recent passport photos bearing a true likeness to the applicant. you can download the visa application form here: http://www.diplomatie.be/en/pdf/visa.pfd.

3. A letter of invitation. This must be written by a Belgian company or a company located in Belgium and must indicate the purpose and duration of the planned stay as well as the nature of the business relationship existing between that company and you or your company.

Please send an e-mail requesting an invitation letter to registration@euromaintenance.org. Please clearly indicate your full name, company and occupation (also from ohter persons accompanying you to Belgium). We will then send you the invitation letter.

4. Documents proving that you have sufficient means of subsistence, covering both the duration of your stay and your return journey (e.g. hotel reservation, cash, cheques and credit cards accepted in Belgium).

5. Proof that you are the holder of a valid travel insurance policy, either individual or group, covering the cost of repatriation on medical grounds, urgent medical treatment and/or urgent hospital treatment. As a rule, you must take out insurance in your country of residence. Euromaintenance does not take out the insurance for you. to find out which insurance policies are accepterd, you should enquire at the relevant Belgian embassy or consulate. the insurance must be valid throughout all of the Schengen countries and must cover the whole duration of the stay. The minimum cover is 30.000 euro.

It may also be useful: 

• If you are self-employed, to provide proof of you enrolment on the trade register or an equivalent document in your country;
• if you are an employee, to provide a certificate or document from your employer (for whom you are coming to Belgium).

6. Proof of transport arrangements (return ticket): as soon as your visa application has been approved, you must submit a return ticket (in you name and non-transferable) in order for the visa to be issued.

You only need submit the return ticket and travel insurance policy once the Belgian embassy or consulate informs you that your visa has been granted. This is to avoid unnecessary expense on your part. However, the embassy or consulate  may ask you to submit proof that a return ticket has been reserved.

The documets listed above are only the basic documents to be submitted in all cases. Additional documents may be requested by the embassy or consulate.

Processing the application

In some cases, the visa application procedure my take a long time so you should submit you application as early as possible. For a short stay, you should normally apply for you visa three to four prior to departure.

Handling fee

The handling fee for a short-stay visa (stay not exceeding 90 days) is 60 euro. The amount is to be paid in local currency at the Embassy or Consulate where the visa application was made. please contact the Embassy or Consulate to find out the amount due, which varies depending on the exchange rate applied at the time of filing.

In certain cases, the handling fee for a short-stay visa is less than 60 euro. Our embassies and consulsates will automatically charge the correct amount due.

Access to the territory

Presentation of a visa does not grant an unconditional right to enter Belgium or the Schengen area. When you present your visa at the border, you may be refused access to Belgium if you are clearly whithout means of subsistence and are unable to procure such means by undertaking legal paid employment. Proof of adequate means of subsistence may take the form of cash, cheques and credit cards are accepted in Belgium, the original copy of a pledge of financial support, a work contract, bank statements, proof of enrolment on the trade register and/or of professional activity.