Being ruled over the years by the Dutch, Spanish, French, and Austrian, Belgium was left behind with a rich history and culture. The country attracts over 16 million tourists each year from all around the world. The marvel of this country is certain to tickle the wanderlust in you. If you wish to visit Belgium, you need a Belgium tourist visa.
A visa, in general, is an endorsement you need to enter a country. Most countries require a visa, depending upon the purpose of the visit. Belgium is a part of the Schengen states, and as a result, any Schengen visa can be used to travel to Belgium. However, if Belgium is your main destination of travel, you will need to obtain the visa through a Belgian embassy.
To enter Belgium for the purpose of tourism, you need a Belgium tourist visa. It is a short term visa and can be used for multiple purposes like visiting a family, sightseeing, attending cultural events, and other leisure activities. The visa gives you permission to enter Belgium and stay for a maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period. The application has to be made within no more than 3 months before the date of intended travel.
The path to your Belgium visa can be quite tricky and demanding, especially when it comes to the documents. However, this guide will make it simple and straightforward. Belgium visa applications can be applied through the Belgium embassy in the country you are applying from, or Belgium consulates, or through visa centers to which Belgium has outsourced the visa submission. The following steps explain the procedure -
Please note that in certain cases where they are unable to verify the documents or may need additional proof, you may have to attend an interview at the embassy or consulate.
The process needs to be done with great accuracy and precision as any mistakes in the application can cause your visa processing to be delayed, or your application to be rejected. Visa rejections can prove to be fatal in the long run. As a result, it is highly recommended to obtain the services of a professional visa agency to do the process hassle-free and faster.
To apply for a Belgium tourist visa from India, you have to keep in mind the following aspects -
Once your processing is successful, you will receive your visa by courier, or self pick-up depending on your preferred selection. Once you get your Belgium tourist visa, you have to keep the following in mind.
The documents required for visa application vary upon the country, type of visa, the period of stay, and so on. The documents required for Belgium tourist visa are as follows -
Medical travel insurance covering expenses up to 30000 Euros
Personal bank statements for the last 3 months or copy of updated passbook showing sufficient funds or income tax papers/salary slips (If employed). Income tax statement of the last 3 years or form no 16 ( if self-employed).
The normal Belgium tourist visa processing time is 15 working days. However, depending on several factors, it can fluctuate. In some cases in which the embassy receives a large volume of applications, or if your application is sensitive, it can take up to 30 days. Also in certain extraordinary cases, it could even take as long as 60 days. Therefore, it is advised to apply by keeping in mind the processing time. However, the application cannot be made more than 3 months prior to the date of intended travel.
The Belgium tourist visa fees include a handling fee, and other service fees, if applicable. It depends on various parameters including the mode of application, type of person traveling (student, minor, diplomat, etc). For an adult, the visa handling fees is 60 Euros. However, if you are submitting the documents at a Belgium visa application center, a service charge also has to be paid at the center. Apart from this, several factors such as the urgency, number of entries, duration of visa, etc also affect the fees.
Entry | Stay Duration | Validity | Fees |
---|---|---|---|
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 6600.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
Multiple entry Normal | 90 days | 3 months | 8097.0 |
Once you have submitted your visa application for processing, you can track the status. In the case that you submitted the documents to the Belgium embassy or consulate, you can track the status by contacting them via email. This, however, might not get you the expected response. If you have submitted it through a visa application center, you can use your last name and passport number, or a tracking ID in case they provide you with one, to track the status through their website. Alternately, if you are using the services of a visa agency, upon providing them with your name, they can track it for you.
Losing documents is an unfortunate event. However, there are provisions for these things to make sure the tourists have a pleasant visit. The first thing you should do is to report this to the nearest police station. After this, you should visit the embassy of your home country in Belgium and apply for a new passport as this is the top priority document. To take precautions, ensure that you have a copy of your passport and visa while traveling. Keep your documents safe.
The tourist visa is a type of short term Schengen visa. As a result, it is valid for a period of 90 days in a 180-day period. The visa can be multiple entry or single entry. You will have to visit the country within 6 months of your visa issue date.
It is normally not possible to get an extension. However, in cases where there is a strong case, you may get it extended. These involve cases where there is a late entry, humanitarian issues, unforeseeable circumstances in the home country, as well as important personal and medical reasons. In these cases, you can apply for an extension at the immigration authority in Belgium. You will also have to remain in the country while your extension request is in process.
The Schengen Belgium visa does not require any medical tests. However, you are required to get medical travel insurance to cover your trip.
You cannot stay back in the country even for one extra day. Staying back after the visa validity is an offense. To avoid this, you should leave the country before or on the day of your visa expiry. Alternately, you can apply for an extension if you have a serious reason.
No, you cannot change your visa while you are in the country. Trying to change the visa from a tourist permit to another type can get you deported. However, you can apply for another visa once you are back in your home country provided you meet the eligibility.