Visa Guidelines - Belgium
The guidelines below apply to students studying in Belgium for a period of over 90 days or for one semester up to one academic year. Please contact Education Abroad if you have any questions.
Is a Visa Required for US Citizens?
- Yes! US Passport Holders are required to apply for a long term visa in order to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days.
- If you are not a US passport holder, you can click here to see if you need a visa to enter Belgium based on your nationality.
- Long term visa cost: $198
Important notes
To apply for the student long term visa, complete and submit the following documents at the Belgian Embassy, either in person or by mail. This includes scheduling an in-person appointment to apply for the visa. After submitting the visa application, the processing time takes about 1 to 4 weeks, and costs $216 for US citizens.
List of requirements
Review the Higher Education Student page for electronic copies of required documents.
- Copy of your valid US passport information pages + 2 blank pages available for the Belgium visa
- Two visa application forms (1 original & 1 copy)
- Two recent, identical, 2 x 2 passport photographs, in color, front view, with a plain/light background and signed on the back
- Language form (in French, Dutch or German) indicating your language preference. Based on your language decision, the Belgian Home Office communicates its decision regarding your visa application. There is no English version of this document.
- For students age 21 and over FBI Identification Record obtained from the FBI CJIS Division is dated within six months of your date of application for the visa. Please provide one original and two copies
- Medical Certificate issued within 3 months of filing the student visa application
- This document may be signed by a physician affiliated with the Embassy or the Consulate General of Belgium or, if you choose your family physician, the doctor’s signature needs to be notarized by a notary public. The document must then be authenticated by apostille, which is to be obtained from the Secretary of State where the notary public has his/her office.
- Proof of Sufficient Funds:
- A Financial Support Declaration Form signed by the applicant’s sponsor guaranteeing payment of travel, living, educational, medical and repatriation expenses. This form must be completed in the language of the school you will be attending (Dutch or French).
-French Form
-Dutch Form
- Please note: The sponsor needs to add the mention ‘read and approved’ in the language of the form (in French: ‘lu et approuvé’ – in Dutch: ‘gelezen en goedgekeurd’) and submit a notarized copy of his/her driver’s license or foreign passport with US visa or permanent resident card.
- Please note: The sponsor needs to add the mention ‘read and approved’ in the language of the form (in French: ‘lu et approuvé’ – in Dutch: ‘gelezen en goedgekeurd’) and submit a notarized copy of his/her driver’s license or foreign passport with US visa or permanent resident card.
- As proof of solvency, the following documents should be provided by the sponsor who is signing the financial support declaration:
-W2 form of the last fiscal year (two copies)
-if applicable, letter of employment stating type and length of contract (two copies)
-pay slips of the last 3 months (two copies)
-form 1040 'individual income tax return' (two copies)
-bank statements of the last 3 months (two copies)
- A Financial Support Declaration Form signed by the applicant’s sponsor guaranteeing payment of travel, living, educational, medical and repatriation expenses. This form must be completed in the language of the school you will be attending (Dutch or French).
- Official Acceptance Letter from sponsoring host university
- Two official copies of your academic transcript
- A self-addressed prepaid U.S. Postal Service envelope if you wish to have your passport and visa sent back to your home address. The Embassy or Consulate General is not responsible for lost items during shipping.
- Please note that the Embassy of Belgium in Washington DC no longer works with FedEx.
- Compile your visa application materials
- Schedule an in-person appointment at the Embassy to make a personal appearance to apply for this visa.
- This may need to be scheduled as much as 4 to 6 weeks in advance because appointment times are limited and fill quickly. After the appointment, the visa processing time may take an additional 1 to 4 weeks.
- Upon arrival in Belgium, it is important that you register yourself with the local City Hall of your place of residence in Belgium within 8 days of your arrival. The local authorities will process your registration identity document that will allow you to enter and leave the country as a legal temporary resident of Belgium.
Embassy of Belgium, 3330 Garfield Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: +1 202 333 6900 ¦ Fax: +1 202 338 4960
E-mail: Washington@diplobel.fed.be
Website: http://www.belgiumintheusa.be
This page was last updated 8/26/22