Visa for Belgium

PLF form for travel to Belgium

Some travellers to Belgium must complete the Passenger Locator Form before arriving in Belgium. Please check here if it applies to you.

IMPORTANT

Visa applications are only treated by the Belgian Embassy in Rome for non-EU citizens who hold a legal residence in Italy/Malta/San Marino. Visa applications are therefore not possible at Belgian honorary consulates in Italy/Malta. Our visa office is only accessible for visa applicants by appointment.

Information about GDPR

General Data Protection Regulation. Information to be provided to visa applicants concerning the processing in the Visa Information System (VIS) of the personal data provided with the short-stay visa application
Privacy statement. Processing of personal data in the context of a visa application

Procedure to introduce a visa request

The visa office does NOT provide any visa consultancy or pre-checking of visa applications. The visa application is handled only during the appointment!

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR PASSPORT DURING THE VISA APPLICATION PROCESS.

Step 1 - Prepare your visa file

Select the type of visa you wish to apply for and check the list with required documents (If you cannot find the information or the list of required documents for your visa application on our website, you can contact the visa office via e-mail: rome.visa@diplobel.fed.be)
Collect all required documents

Step 2 - Register on Visa-On-Web (VOW)

Fill in and submit your visa application form online via the Visa -On-Web (VOW)

IMPORTANT: each visa applicant must create his own account in the VOW. Only 1 appointment per account is granted. If you are travelling in a group (f.e. with your family), you need to choose 'YES' under 'are you travelling in a group' question' (the last question on the visa application form) You will then need to fill in a visa application form for each member (under the tab 'new application in the group'). Each group member will get his own VOW number. You will now be able to book a group appointment! Please note: for a group larger than 3 people, the appointment table will not show any appointment slots available and you will need to send an email to rome.visa@diplobel.fed.be to obtain an appointment.

Step 3 - Send an email to the embassy with your complete visa application and book an appointment

Send an email with all required documents for your visa application to rome.visa@diplobel.fed.be
Book an appointment via the Visa-On-Web (VOW)

Step 4 - Come to the Embassy of Belgium in Rome on the time of the appointment with:

your passport
your Italian permit of stay
a printed copy of the visa application form (do not sign nor date the form)
1 passport picture: format 45x35mm, good quality, color gloss prints, less than 6 months old, plain white or light grey background, face looking directly at the camera and not tilted in any direction
all other requested documents for your visa application IN ORIGINAL and a copy where required

All payments applicable to your visa application must be made at least 5 business days prior to your visa appointment. If the payment is not available during the appointment or if you don’t have a valid proof of exemption of payment, we will not be able to process your visa application the day of the appointment and you will be asked to book a new appointment online to introduce your visa request.

All required documents must be presented during the appointment. Booking an appointment without having all required documents is at your own risk!

Please arrive on time! Otherwise, you may also need to book a new appointment online.

Step 5 - E-mail with visa application status:

After personally having introduced your visa application at our office in Rome and having left your biometric data during the appointment, you will receive an e-mail informing you of the status of your visa application.

If your visa application has been approved, you will receive an e-mail confirming that the visa sticker will be issued inside your passport within 10 business days (this only in case you chose to leave your passport at the embassy during the appointment).In case you chose to keep your passport with you during the visa process, you will receive an email with a passport request. All the modalities to send your passport to the embassy will be explained inside the email. From the moment your passport arrives at the embassy, there will be a standard delivery time of the visa sticker of around 10 business days. Click here for further information regarding your passport during the visa procedure.
If your visa application has been send to immigration office for decision, you will receive an email informing you of this and you will need to wait for their decision (in some cases this can take several weeks/months, depending on the type of visa application).In case of a positive outcome, you will be informed by email (see above for the modalities of the visa issuing). In case of a negative outcome, you will receive an email with a 'deed of notification' informing you of the reason for refusal of the visa.
If your visa application is incomplete or extra documents are required, you will be notified during the appointment and you will get a 30-day period to complete your visa application or provide the extra documents.

What type of visa (short stay - long stay?)

Short stay visa (visa type C) authorizes you to stay on Schengen territory for a term not longer than 90 days during a period of 180 days starting from your first entry on the territory. NON EU citizens who regularly reside in Italy/Malta - i.e. holders of a valid Italian residence permit ('permesso di soggiorno')/Maltese residence permit may stay in Belgium for up to 90 days per 180 days without a visa. They must be in possession of their valid national passport and their valid Italian/Maltese residence permit. The renewal of the Italian/Maltese permit of stay ('bollettino di rinnovo') is not valid for travel in Belgium. If you are in possession of a renewal, you should contact the Italian/Maltese authorities for an accelerated issue of your new Italian/Maltese residence permit or the Belgian embassy competent for your home country for the issue of a visa C. Citizens from some countries are exempted from a C-visa for Belgium. Check here for the list of third countries whose nationals are exempted from holding a C-visa.

Long stay visa (visa type D) authorizes you to stay in Belgium for a period longer than 90 days (students, researchers, employees, family reunification, …).

Please proceed to the menu below for the relevant information on your visa application. For most updated information you can visit the website of the Immigration Office in Belgium.