Belgium Tourist Visa for Indians

The headquarters of the European Union and NATO, Belgium is a fascinating country located in the western part of Europe. A part of the Schengen Area, the country is home to several medieval towns and the famous football team, the Red Devils. As holders of the Indian passport, you need to obtain a Belgium Tourist Visa For Indians in order to visit the country.

Depending on your purpose of visit, you can choose between a short stay visa (single, double, and multiple entry), an airport transit visa, and a long-term visa (1 year, 3 years, and 5 years).

In this post, I would mainly discuss the process and requirements for applying for and obtaining a Belgium Tourist visa for Indians.

As Indians, all of us require the above-mentioned visa to visit the country for tourism purposes or to visit friends and family in Belgium.

Is the Belgium Tourist Visa For Indians And Schengen Tourist Visa The Same?

Well, yes. The Belgium Schengen Visa and Austria Tourist Visa for Indians are the same visas. It all depends on what you like to call it. Nonetheless, this is the Belgium Tourist visa from India you'll need if you plan to visit Belgium for tourism purposes.

After reading through this guide, you'll be able to easily apply for your next Belgium Tourist Visa for Indians.

Here's what I'll cover in the post:

• How To Get A Belgium Schengen Visa Without Effort?
• General Information About The Belgium Schengen Visa
• What Are The Required Documents For The Belgium Schengen Visa?
• How To Apply For The Belgium Schengen Visa?

Before jumping into the visa application and its requirements, let us address some of the most popular queries most travelers traveling to Belgium tend to enquire for before applying for a Belgium Schengen Visa.

• What Is The Belgium Schengen Visa?
• Do I Need A Belgium Schengen Visa?
• How Long Can I Stay In Belgium With A Schengen Visa?
• Where Can I Apply For The Belgium Schengen Visa?
• What Is The Belgium Schengen Visa Processing Time?
• When Must I Apply For My Belgium Schengen Visa?
• How Much Is The Belgium Schengen Visa Fee?
• What Are The Minimum Financial Requirements To Visit Belgium?
• Can I Travel To Other Schengen Countries With The Belgium Schengen Visa?

If you already have a general understanding of the Belgium Schengen Visa, feel free to skip to the required documents or the visa application process.

What Is The Belgium Schengen Visa?

The Belgium Schengen Visa, also known as the Tourist Visa, allows you to enter Belgium for tourism purposes. Such purposes include vacation, site seeing, leisure, and so on.

Short business trips are also allowed under the Belgium Schengen Visa. However, you can't work in the country. Acceptable business purposes include attending meetings, functions, meeting clients, etc.

If your trip to Belgium does not include tourism or business, you need to apply for another type of visa.

Quick note: Some travelers refer to the Belgium Schengen Visa as the Belgium Tourist Visa for Indians and short-stay visa. These terms refer to a visa that allows you to enter the country (the only difference being the name). In this post, I'll use both these terms.

Do I Need A Belgium Schengen Visa?

Yes. As a citizen of the Indian sub-continent, all of us require to obtain a Tourist Visa before entering Belgium.

How Long Can I Stay In Belgium With A Schengen Visa?

The single-entry Schengen Visa allows you to visit Belgium for a maximum of 90 days within every 180-day period. To calculate your stay in Schengen, you can use the Schengen Visa Calculator. Please note that you are not allowed to take up residence or work on a Schengen visa.

In some cases, you may only stay in Belgium for the duration you specified in your visa application form. Therefore, always check the validity period on your visa sticker before traveling.

Remember:

Overstaying your welcome in Belgium can lead to heavy fines, jail time, and even a ban.

Where Can I Apply For The Belgium Schengen Visa?

Although it was possible to apply for a Belgium Tourist Visa for Indians at the Embassy and Consulate General of Belgium located across the country before, the application process is now majorly handled only by VFS Belgium visa for Indian application centers across the country. You can book an appointment at the closest VFS center by registering online with VFS.

Additionally, here is a list of VFS Application Centers across India. I have explained more on this below so you can directly jump to the section of How To Apply For The Belgium Schengen Visa?

What Is The Belgium Schengen Visa Processing Time?

The usual Belgium visa processing time India is between 15 to 30 days. However, you can apply up to 6 months in advance.

When Must I Apply For My Belgium Schengen Visa?

At the latest, you can start your visa application 15 days before your planned trip. Sometimes it can take up to 45 days in case it is necessary to make a more detailed exam of the application.

Thus, the earliest you can apply is 3 months before your trip. I recommend starting your application as soon as you can so you have enough time should something unexpected happen (like a longer visa Belgium visa processing time India).

How Much Is The Belgium Schengen Visa Fee?

You can expect to pay the following fees for your Switzerland Schengen Visa:

• For adults: INR 6700 | EUR 80
• For children 6 - 11 years: INR 3400 | EUR 40
• For children under 6 years: Free

Note: An important thing to know here is that holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as students and researchers traveling for research or educational training do not need to pay for the visa fee (to be evaluated case per case). The same also applies to representatives of non-profit organizations, aged 25 years or less participating in seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events by non-profit organizations.

What Are The Minimum Financial Requirements To Visit Belgium?

You'll find that all Schengen Member States have their own minimum financial requirements when visiting. This requirement has been implemented to ensure that visitors have the financial means to support themselves during their stay.

The Belgian authorities want you to prove that you have at least €95 per day when staying at a hotel (if you have not prepaid it), and €45 when staying at a cheaper place or if you have already paid your hotel. This document could be a: Bank account statement, if you will be covering all costs by yourself.

Anything within the ballpark of INR 8 to 10 lacs should solidify your application even further.

Can I Travel To Other Schengen Countries With The Belgium Schengen Visa?

You're allowed to travel to any Schengen state with your Belgium Schengen Visa. Nonetheless, you need to clearly state that you plan to travel to other countries in your application.

You can visit the following Schengen Member States with your Belgium Tourist Visa for Indians: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Now that you have a general understanding of the Belgium Schengen Visa, we can look Belgium visa requirements for Indian citizens and the Belgium visa India application process.

One of the first things you would need to do before you begin the application process is to ensure that you have all the necessary documents ready to be presented at the visa center. The VFS Belgium Visa Application Center provides a Document checklist for Schengen Tourist Visa

Here are the documents you'll need to submit to the Belgium Embassy:

• A duly completed and signed Belgium Visa Application form to be filled online.
• One passport photo of yourself. It must meet the requirements set out by Belgium.
• A valid passport or travel document with at least two blank pages. It must be valid for 3 months after the end of your trip and be issued no later than 10 years ago.
• Schengen Travel Insurance/Medical Insurance that provides a minimum coverage of EUR 30,000 and is valid for the entire duration of travel. The insurance must cover the entire Schengen area and not just Switzerland. Also, Travel insurance must cover all COVID-19-related health emergencies.
• Proof of accommodation. This can be private accommodation, a rental agreement, hotel reservations, etc. but it has to cover the duration of the whole stay and all the Schengen countries you plan to visit other than Belgium. If you have booked a packaged tour, attach a detailed travel itinerary.
• Proof of financial funds. This includes a cover letter as well as a bank statement of the last 3 months, stamped and signed by your bank manager, a copy of Income Tax Department Return + ITR V acknowledgment of the previous financial year, and a signed and stamped leave permission from your employer.
• Proof of employment/studies on official letterhead, stamped and dated; containing contact information (address, email, telephone number) as well as the name, position, and signature of the countersigning officer. The letter must state the name and position of the applicant, salary, years of employment/studies, and approval of absence/position after leave. For unemployment: unemployment certificate and proof of income, if any (married: employment certificate of spouse, the document of the income of the spouse, and a marriage certificate).
• A return flight ticket that proves you plan to return to your home country.
• A cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip, what you plan to do, and when you'll return home. Basically, it just proves the purpose of your trip.
• Your employment status.

Document Belgium visa requirements for Indian citizens Depending On Employment Status

• If you are self-employed, you need to present a copy of your business license in India, company income tax returns for the past two years, and a copy of the company’s bank statement for the past 3 months, signed and stamped by the bank manager.
• If you own a business in India, you need to present the certificate of registration of the company (Form B, rule 5(1) or Form ST3, rule 11)
• If you are a student, you have to present a copy of the enrolment paper that serves as proof that the applicant has planned to study in that school/university and a copy of the No Objection Certificate from the respective school or university.
• If you are salaried, proof of employment/studies on official letterhead, stamped and dated; containing contact information (address, email, telephone number) as well as the name, position, and signature of the countersigning officer. The letter must state the name and position of the applicant, salary, years of employment/studies, and approval of absence/position after leave.
• If unemployed, unemployment certificate and proof of income, if any (married: employment certificate of spouse, the document of the income of the spouse, and a marriage certificate).

You now know the documents you need to submit for a successful Schengen Visa application. Next, I'll walk you through the steps you need to take when you start your application.

• Step 1 - Collect The Required Documents
• Step 2 - Fill In Your Schengen Visa Application Form
• Step 3 - Find Where You Need To Apply At
• Step 4 - Schedule Your Visa Appointment
• Step 5 - Attend Your Visa Appointment
• Step 6 - Receive Feedback From The Embassy

Step 1 - Collect The Required Documents

Start collecting the required documents first.

Why?

It's the most time-consuming part of the process. Doing this first will allow you to leave enough time for unexpected delays, such as collecting an incorrect document, finding accommodation, and so on.

When gathering all your required documents, make a list of what you need to get. It's the easiest way to keep track of the documents you've collected.

Step 2 - Fill In Your Schengen Visa Application Form

Ok, so you've got all the required documents.

Now download and start filling in the Belgium Visa application form Remember, all the information you provide must be correct and accurate.

The form is self-explanatory, but ensure that you fill in all the details carefully.

Quick tip: Keep your passport close when filling out your VFS Belgium visa application form. Always refer to your passport when entering your personal details.

Did you know:

Most visa applications get denied due to incorrect information on a visa application form. Here's a guide highlighting the mistakes you should avoid when applying for your Schengen Visa.

Step 3 - Find Where You Need To Apply At

As I mentioned, not all countries have a local Belgium representative. Therefore, you should always check where you need to apply before submitting your application.

Step 4 - Schedule Your Visa Appointment

After you've determined where you need to apply, you must schedule a visa appointment .

Be mindful that you might not find an appointment time suitable to your needs. As a result, you may have to keep your schedule open for the next few weeks, or at least until you find an appointment. This is another reason why you should start your visa application procedure at the earliest so as to receive your visa in time for your ravel

Step 5 - Attend Your Visa Appointment

On the day of your appointment, visit the visa application center at the scheduled time. Arrive at least half an hour early in case there is a rush at the center and make sure you carry all the documents with you.

Once the visa officer checks your document, they might interview you for a short while but there is nothing to be nervous about. Answer each question truthfully and it should be okay.

Quick tip: You can use your required documents to support your answers. For example, should they ask where you plan to stay in Belgium, you can present your proof of accommodation.

After attending your interview and submitting your documents, you'll be requested to submit your biometric information.

What's that?

It's just your fingerprints and a digital photo of yourself. This is not required if you've been to the Schengen Area in the last 59 months.

Step 6 - Receive Feedback From The Embassy

After completing steps 1 - 5, you're basically done. The only thing left is to wait for your visa to be processed. As mentioned, this can take between 15 - 30 days.

After it's processed, you'll receive feedback from the visa application center via email, a call, SMS, or your preferred contact method. You can Track Your Application here.

If your visa is approved, you can travel back to the visa application center to collect your passport. Attached inside, you'll find your brand new Belgium Schengen Visa.

Now, if you are someone who values your time and energy, we've got some great news for you! You don't need to read through this entire guide on getting a Belgium Schengen Visa. Instead, all you need to do is download Atlys and use it to complete your application for you.

With Atlys, you can immediately start your next Belgium Tourist Visa For Indians application. A benefit of Atlys is that you don't need to stress about the visa application process and everything it entails. All you need to do is select a destination, and travel date, and enter your relevant details. Afterward, Atlys will do all the tedious paperwork for you. With Atlys, you can receive your next Tourist Visa in no time!

Now you know how to apply for your Belgium Tourist Visa For Indians!

Ensure that you follow my exact steps, and you'll have your visa in no time. The final step is to make some unforgettable memories in Belgium!