“Great things come in small packages”, is quite the definition of Belgium. With just over a mere 30,000 sq km, this tiny country is full of surprises. Along with several tourist attractions, Belgium has one of the most advanced economies in Europe.. The Belgium visa is an endorsement that allows individuals to enter Belgium and stay there.
For individuals from nations that do not come under the EU, and are not in the visa exempt list for Belgium, require an entity known as a Belgium visa. Based on your motive for the visit, there are 4 major categories namely - Visa A, C, and D. Each of the visas have different permissions, and validity. You can apply for a visa that suits your requirement and purpose. The Belgium visas are usually stamped on your passport. Each type of visa has certain documents that are required as per the regulations.
The process of acquiring a visa varies from country to country. For obtaining a Belgium visa from India, you need to determine which type of visa is apt for your visit purpose. Different types of visas have a different set of documents required as per the Belgium visa embassy requirements. You will then need to decide on how you are going to apply. The submission can be done either through a Belgian embassy/consulate or via visa centres that have been outsourced by the Belgian government for the visa submissions. Since offline applications are discontinued, you have to apply for a Belgium visa online. Once you have these details secured, you can proceed to make the application as follows -
The steps for all the short term visa types are the same. The only variations would be in the Belgium visa fees and documents required. It can, however, be a challenging task to take note of the various documents, keeping track of the appointment, and to make sure there are no mistakes. Any mistakes in the application form can cause a delay in the visa approval, or even lead to the application being rejected. To apply for a Belgium visa in India, it is suggested to consult professional visa services to do it for you.
Largely, the Belgium visa types can be classified into four depending on the duration of the visit. The categories are -
The documents required depends on the various Belgian visa types. The general list of documents required for Schengen visa Belgium is mentioned below. However, depending on the subtypes such as tourist, business, study, etc, there will be additional documentation necessary.
Both the visa applications require 2 identical photos as per the Belgium visa photo size regulations of the embassy. The Belgium Schengen visa photo requirements are as follows
The visa handling fees depend on the types of visa. The Belgium visa fees are to be paid during the appointment. There can also be service charges to be paid if you are submitting the documents at a registered visa application center. Apart from this, the fees may also vary depending on several factors such as the type of visa, the number of entries, the duration of the visa, additional express services, etc.
Entry | Purpose | Stay Duration | Validity | Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|
Multiple entry Normal | Medical | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Religious | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Medical | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Religious | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Business | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Study | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Study | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Work | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Scientist | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Work | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Scientist | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Dependant | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Dependant | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Sports | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Sports | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Semen | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Seamen | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Transit | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Semen | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Seamen | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Transit | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Tourist | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Business | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | Tourist | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
The applications for the visa can be applied online. However, for the submission of the documents, It can be performed through the Belgian embassy/consulate, or through a visa application centre. For appointments at the embassy/consulate, you will have to email them to book one. Alternately, you can book a visa appointment at any visa application centres located across the country for the document submission. For submission of documents straight at the embassy, you can visit the Belgian embassy located in New Delhi or the Belgian Consulate General in Mumbai, and Chennai.
The processing time of the visa is normally up to 15 working days. However, this can vary based on several factors. In some cases, it can go up to 30 days when there are a large number of applications at the embassy. The Belgium Schengen visa processing time can even take up to 60 days in some extreme cases. As a result, it is best to apply for the visa at least 3 weeks before the date of intended travel. However, the application cannot be made beyond 3 months before the travel.
After the visa submission, you can track the status of your application in multiple ways. You can email the Belgian embassy or consulate with your passport number, and details to track it. This method might not be the most responsive. Alternately, you can proceed to check Belgium visa status online by entering your passport number/tracking ID and your last name on the visa application centre website. If you are using the help of third-party visa services, you can simply call them and provide your passport number to easily track your Belgium Schengen visa status.