Visa for Belgium

Do you need a D-visa?

A long stay visa is required for all persons, including American citizens, who want to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days. While a long stay visa is not a Schengen visa, it does allow you to travel within the Schengen Area during your stay in Belgium. 

Exception: A long stay visa is not required for EU citizens and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland, nor their spouses, partners or children, UNLESS they are not exempt from the Schengen visa requirement (see C-visa). 
 

When to apply

The processing time varies from 3 weeks to 6-9 months depending on the category (see below). Expedited service is NOT available. 

Where to apply

Applications for a long stay visa must be lodged with the consular post that has jurisdiction over the state of your primary residence.  

Although the website may prompt you to schedule an appointment, please note the following: 

• Atlanta: can only be submitted by mail or dropped off in person during opening hours. If dropping off, payment must be made by money order or certified check. 

• New York and Washington, D.C.: can make an appointment or mail-in. 

• Los Angeles: must be submitted exclusively by mail. (Exception: professional card applicants, please email to make an appointment when ready). 

Applicants who mail in or drop off their documents must have their signature notarized.

How to apply 

1. Identify the visa category that you will be applying for (see below);
2. Create an account on visaonweb.diplomatie.be;
3. Start a new application;
4. Gather all the required documents from the checklist;
5. Make an appointment, mail-in, or drop-off following the guidelines provided above. 

We appreciate the effort you put into preparing a complete and well-presented application. To ensure efficient processing, please put all documents in the order of the applicable checklist, avoid using staples, binders, sheet protectors, or sticky notes. For applications that require copies: separate the primary documents from the copies, submitting them into 2 (or 3 when applicable) distinct sets.  

What to submit 

Select the purpose of your visa request below to find the list of supporting documents that you should submit. The approximate processing time for the application is indicated in parentheses.

1. Studies 
   1. Higher education students (PDF, 121.01 KB) (3 weeks) 
   2. High school exchange students (PDF, 95.11 KB) (3 weeks) 
   3. Private higher education students (PDF, 119.69 KB) (3 months) 
2. Employment 
   1. Single permit holders (PDF, 109.73 KB) i.e.private employees, researchers, Fulbright recipients, seasonal workers, missionaries. (3 weeks) 
   2. Work Permit holders (PDF, 129.92 KB) i.e. au-pairs, trainees, volunteers. (3 weeks)
   3. Professional Card applicants (PDF, 155.3 KB) i.e. self-employed workers (3 months) 
3. Retirement (PDF, 104.48 KB) (3 months) 
4. Family reunification* 
   1. For family members of a private employee or self-employed worker (PDF, 115.22 KB) (3 weeks) 
   2. For the spouse or minor child of a Belgian citizen (PDF, 132.25 KB) (3 weeks - 6 months)
   3. For the parent of a Belgian minor child (PDF, 108.38 KB) (3 weeks)
   4. For the partner of a Belgian resident or citizen who intends to marry or legally cohabitate in Belgium (PDF, 145.01 KB) (3-6 months)
   5. For the spouse of a Belgian resident (PDF, 115.03 KB) (3-6 months)

Notes:

• To find out which family member is eligible for a family reunification, click here.
• The status of D-visa applications that require Belgian Immigration Home Office approval (i.e. visas for studies at private institutions, humanitarian reasons, retirement and independent professionals) can be verified via the Immigration Office website. Note that the link is only available in Dutch or French. The visa application number can be provided by the consular post where the application was submitted.

What to do upon arrival in Belgium

• Ensure that the passport is endorsed by the immigration authorities at the place of entry into the Schengen Area. 
• Register within 8 days of arrival at the communal administration of your local city hall in Belgium. There, you apply for a Residence Permit which allows entry into Belgium for as long as it is valid and provided you do not remain outside of the country for more than 3 months without informing the local communal administration.

General information about visas for Belgium

Additional general information concerning visa applications for Belgium is available on the website of the Immigration Office of the FPS Home Affairs, which is the competent Belgian authority for access, stay, residence, and removal of foreigners within the territory.