Visas for Belgium are usually straightforward to arrange. Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, so the rules depend on your nationality. If you hold an EU, EEA, or Swiss passport, you can enter, live, work, and study without a visa. Citizens of around 60 visa-exempt countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Everyone else applies for a Schengen visa before arrival.
From late 2026, a new step joins the list. Visa-exempt visitors will need an approved ETIAS travel authorisation before they travel. It is an online pre-screening tied to your passport, not a visa, and most applications clear within minutes.
Applying for a visa for Belgium
To apply for a visa for Belgium, you’ll need to gather the required documents, complete a visa application form, and submit these to the Belgian consulate or embassy in your home country. Processing times vary, so submit your application well ahead of your intended departure date. For a short-stay Schengen visa, the standard decision takes around 15 days. It can run to 30 or 45 days when the authorities need extra checks.
In some cases, you may be asked to provide additional documents at the discretion of the Belgian embassy or consulate. It’s common to be asked for proof of employment and residence in your home country to indicate that you will return home after your trip.
If you plan to travel to Belgium for business purposes, you’ll need to include a letter of invitation from the Belgian business party hosting you. If attending a conference, you usually need to submit proof of registration and accommodation.
Type C Schengen visas
The Type C Schengen visa covers short visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, whether you are travelling for tourism, family visits, business, or conferences and seminars. It comes in single- and multiple-entry versions; the multiple-entry option suits frequent travellers and tends to have a longer validity. Standard supporting documents include a passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure, travel medical insurance, proof of funds, and confirmed accommodation. Requirements differ by nationality and shift from time to time, so check the rules for your home country before you book anything.
Type D long-stay visas
A Type D long-stay visa is for stays beyond 90 days, whether you are coming for a fixed period or settling for good. You will need one to study, work, join a family long-term, or move to Belgium permanently. It is a national visa rather than a Schengen one, although it still lets you travel within the Schengen Area while your stay is valid. It is also your first step towards a Belgian residence permit. Decisions take anywhere from about three weeks to several months, depending on the category, so apply early.
Useful links
- Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- European Union: ETIAS travel authorisation
- European Union: Entry/Exit System (EES)
Residence permits for Belgium
For stays longer than 90 days, you might need a temporary or permanent residence permit.
Non-EU expats meet several residence permits, each with its own conditions and validity. You will usually start with a temporary A card, the certificate of registration that allows a limited stay for reasons such as work, study, family reunion, or self-employment. It typically runs for a year and can be renewed. After five years of legal residence, you can move up to an indefinite B card.
After meeting the criteria and living in Belgium for five years, you may qualify for more permanent status, such as a K card (the foreigner’s identity card, which grants the right of settlement) or an L card (EU long-term resident status). Both replaced the former C and D cards when Belgium overhauled its residence documents in 2021.
Anyone who intends to stay in Belgium is required to report their presence in the country to their local commune. Having done so, they will receive a notification of arrival for short stays and a registration certificate for long stays.
For stays of less than three months, EU citizens must do this within 10 working days of arrival and non-EU citizens within three working days of arrival. For longer stays of more than three months, EU citizens must register their stay at any point in the first three months, while non-EU citizens have eight working days to do so.
Non-EU expats moving to Belgium for work will usually need a work permit too. For stays beyond 90 days, this is folded into a single permit: one document that covers both the right to work and the right to reside.
In practice, the eight-day clock is gentler than it sounds. Expats on forums report that communes rarely register you until you hold a rental contract, and appointment slots in the bigger cities can sit weeks out. You declare your arrival on time, then wait for a police check at your address before the card itself turns up.
Useful links
Visa regulations are subject to change at short notice, and expats should contact their respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.