Belgium Student Visa Guide 2024: Requirements, Fees and How to Apply

International students looking to pursue higher education in Belgium would require a Belgium Student Visa for the entire duration of study in the foreign country. Generally, the country has two types of visas depending on the duration of course.

Belgium Student Visa Types

Generally, the country has two types of visas depending on the duration of stay. The Short stay visa guarantees a stay not longer than 90 days in the foreign country and a Long stay visa or a D Visa is for candidates who plan to stay in the country for more than 90 days. Candidates who are planning to apply for a Short-term visa need to apply for a Schengen visa within 6 months of the requested date of arrival. The Short stay visa fee for Belgium is euros €80. Indian students who are looking to study in Belgium are required to apply for a Long term visa for students (Visa D). The Long-term student visa fee for Belgium is euros €180.

Belgium Student Visa Requirements

In this section, we are going to be talking about the Belgium study visa requirements for Indian students looking to study in Belgium.

Visa Application Form: Candidates are required to submit their visa application form duly completed and signed

Original Passport: Applicants are required to have on them a passport which is valid for at least one year and are required to provide a copy of the data page of the passport together with all pages having visas and stamps. The passport must contain at least two blank pages and must be issued within the previous 10 years.

Photograph: Applicants are required to provide two (2) passport-sized photos with white background and not older than six months

Belgium Visa Fees: Candidates are required to pay a non-refundable Belgium visa fee of euros €180 upon submission of visa application;

Belgium Administrative Fees: Candidates are also required to pay a Contribution Fee or an Administrative Fee – for the uninformed, started in March 2017, the contribution fee is a new administrative fee which has to be paid before the submission of some long stay visa for Belgium. The proof of payment has to be provided together with the visa application. Some applicants do not have to pay this fee. The contribution fee is different from the visa application fee. More on this has been discussed in detail below.

Medical Certificate: Those applying for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit an original and a copy of a medical certificate demonstrating that the applicant is not carrying any of the diseases which might endanger public health. This certificate must not be older than 6 months from the date of issuance. Candidates are only allowed to present a medical certificate which they have obtained via one of the doctors certified by the Embassy / Consulate General of Belgium. The list of doctors has been provided below.

Admissions Enrollment Letter: As mentioned earlier, applicants are required to provide their certificate of enrolment as a regular student issued by a private higher education as part of the study visa application. Hence, candidates are required to apply to a university in Belgium, get an acceptance letter and proceed to apply for a Study Visa.

Non-Criminal Record or Certificate: All applicants of legal age who apply for a visa for a stay of more than 180 days must submit the original and a copy of their criminal background check(s) issued by their country or countries of residence in the past five years. In India, this would be a character certificate vouching that the candidate is not associated with criminal activity.

Proof of Financial Support: Applicants are required to provide proof of their ability to finance their studies – for the entire duration along with living expenses in Belgium. Currently, the minimum monthly amount accepted is 631 € as living expenses. If a guarantor is paying for your expenses, his/her documents are required as part of the application. These include

1. A letter of guarantee by your guarantor
2. Photocopy of the guarantor’s identity card
3. Proof of solvency of the guarantor: bank account statement for the last 3 months/ salary sheet/ tax paper - legalized.
4. Family composition proof.

Copies of last obtained degree: Applicants are also required to provide all academic documents

Belgium study visa applicants should note that the Embassy of Belgium has the right to ask for any other additional document it considers necessary and may call the applicant for an interview. Candidates are required to submit three sets of application documents mentioned above. The original set of documents and two photocopies of these documents. The original set of documents would be returned upon verification.

The visa fee for Belgium is non-refundable. Documents such as certificates of civil status (birth/marriage/death certificates), diplomas, police clearance certificates and affidavits require single legalisation (Apostille) issued by the authorised offices of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Additional legalisation by the Embassy / Consulate General of Belgium is no longer required for those documents.

How to apply for Belgium Student Visa?

From 2017 onwards, all visa application forms (short stay and long stay) are required to be filled out online and submitted electronically to the VFS Visa Application Center (VAC).

How to get a student visa for Belgium (Step by Step Guide)?

Step 1: The applicant is required to create at the following address: https://visaonweb.diplomatie.be/

Step 2: The candidate is required to fill out and send the electronic visa application form available on the website

Step 3: The applicant will receive then a copy of the visa application form at the email address mentioned in his account.

Step 4: Please print the form and go to the Visa Application Center you have chosen in your application. Make sure to bring the required supporting documents and the visa &service fees.

Step 5: At the visa application centre, your picture will be taken live (for all applicants – short stay AND long stay). The fingerprints will be taken only for the short and long-stay visas if it’s required.

Step 6: Your visa application will be processed, as usual, at the Belgian Embassy/Consulate General

What is the Belgium student visa processing time?

The Belgium student visa processing time happens within 15 days from the submission of the visa application by the Embassy/Consulate. However, applicants are advised against waiting until the last moment to submit their visa application. At times, Belgium student visa processing time can take longer up to 90 days during summer months, holidays or if a more detailed examination of your application and/or additional documents are required by the visa issuing authorities. Applicants can track their Belgium student visa application by using the file number, passport number and last name on the Belgium Immigration Office website.

Visa Fees for Belgium

In this article, we are going to be talking about the Belgium Visa fees for short-term and long-term stays in the country.

Belgium visa fees for Indians – Short Stay

Type of Visa	Visa Fees in Euros	Visa Fees in INR
Short Term Visa	80	6438.08
Children between 6-12 years	40	3219.04
Children less than 6 years old	exempted	n/a

Belgium visa fees for Indians – Long Stay

Type of Visa	Visa Fees in Euros	Visa Fees in INR
Long Term Visa	180	14485.68

(EUR 1 = INR 80.48)

Please Note

• Applicants applying at VFS Delhi/ Chandigarh/ Kolkata/ Jalandhar/ Gurugram are required to pay the visa fee in cash only.
• Applicants applying at VFS Mumbai/ Ahmedabad/ Bengaluru/ Cochin/ Chennai/ Hyderabad/ Goa/ Pune/ Trivandrum/ Puducherry are required to pay the visa fee and VFS services charges by Cash/ Demand Draft/ Card and UPI.
• Please make the Demand Draft favouring as follows:
  • Visa Fee Demand Draft – VFS GLOBAL SERVICES PVT LTD
  • VFS Service Charges Demand Draft – VFS GLOBAL SERVICES PVT LTD
• Note: Visa Fee DD and VFS Service charge DD cannot be clubbed together. Separate DD for each applicant in case of group/family submission.
• The VFS Service Charge is INR 2226/- per application for Delhi and Mumbai Centres (All VFS’s Service Charges are inclusive of Goods and Service Tax – SGST @ 9% and CGST @ 9%).
• The VFS Service Charge is INR 2226/- per application for Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Goa, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Puducherry, Jalandhar and Gurgaon Centres (All VFS’s Service Charges are inclusive of Goods and Service Tax – SGST @ 9% and CGST @ 9%).
• Admin Fees of INR 150/- payable if the payment is made via Credit/Debit Card.
• The applicable Visa Fee in Indian Rupees is as per the current exchange rate. The same is subject to change without notice.
• The Visa fee is non-refundable.
• There is an Optional Courier facility available at INR 300/- (Inclusive of Goods & Service Tax – SGST @ 9% and CGST @ 9%) per application/passport.
• There is an Optional SMS facility available at INR 90/- (Inclusive of Goods & Service Tax – SGST @ 9% and CGST @ 9%) per application/passport.

Source: VFS Global

What is an Administrative Fee or Contribution Fee for Belgium Visa?

Starting in 2015, Long Stay D-Visa applicants are required to pay a contribution fee or administrative fee in euros directly to the Home Affairs’ Belgian bank account BE57 6792 0060 9235 before applying for a Belgium Study Visa. Belgium visa applications will not be accepted at Belgium Visa Application Centres if the Administrative Fee is not paid. More details on this can be found on the VFS website.

The Administrative fee is as follows

• Foreigners under 18: free ;
• Application for authorization to stay for more than 90 days for family members of a foreign national authorized to stay as a student (A card) – Article 10bis.§1 of the law of 15/12/1980: 181 EUR, except (a) and (f);
• Application for authorization to stay for more than 90 days for family members of a foreign national authorized to stay in Belgium for a limited period (card A, H or L) – Article 10bis.§2 of the law of 15/12 /1980: EUR 181, except (a) and (f);
• Application for authorization to stay for more than 90 days from a foreigner who wishes to stay in Belgium as a student in a public higher education establishment – ​​Article 60 of the law of 15/12/1980: 208 EUR, except (b);
• Application for authorization to stay for more than 90 days for a foreigner who wishes to study in a private higher education establishment – ​​Article 9 of the law of 15/12/1980: 201 EUR, except (b) (c ) (d) (f);
• Application for authorization to stay for more than three months from a foreigner who wishes to carry out, as a researcher, a research project within the framework of a hosting agreement signed with an approved research organization – Article 61/11 the law of 15/12/1980: EUR 126, except (b);
• Application for work and residence permit (single permit) – Article 61/25-1 of the law of 15/12/1980: 126 EUR;
• Application for a work and residence permit to take up highly qualified work – Article 61/26 of the law of 15/12/1980: 126 EUR ;
• Application for authorization to stay for more than 90 days by a foreigner holding a valid “long-term resident – ​​EU” residence permit, issued by another Member State of the European Union based on the directive 2003/109/EC – Article 61/7 of the law of 15/12/1980: 168 EUR, except (b) ;
• Application for recovery of long-term resident status after the loss of the right of return – Article 19. § 2 of the law of 15/12/1980: 168 EUR, except (f) (g) 

Source: Immigration Office, Belgium

Contact

For more information or details on your visa application, you may contact the Belgium Embassy/ Consulate via VFS:

For applications from West India and South India at the Consulate General in Mumbai:

(Monday-Friday except for Consulate holidays)

Tel.: (+91) (022) 6786 6036 between 08:00 to 17:00

Email: infowest.belin@vfshelpline.com

For applications from North India and East India at the Embassy in New Delhi:

(Monday-Friday except for Embassy holidays)

Tel.: (+91) (022) 6176 6920 between 08:00 to 17:00

Email: infonorth.belin@vfshelpline.com

List of Certified Doctors for Belgium Study Visa

Candidates are only allowed to present a medical certificate which they have obtained via one of the doctors certified by the Embassy / Consulate General of Belgium. The list of certified doctors is provided below:

New Delhi

Dr Rajiv BHALLA 
Helvetia Diagnostics & Healthcare 
B-2, Greater Kailash Part 1 
New Delhi 
Tel: (+91) (011) 4656 6999, (+91) 98680 65972
Mob. (+91) 98114 44469
Email: drbhalla@hotmail.com 

Dr Rajiv KOHLI 
c/o Dr Ved Prakash Kohli Medical Center 
A-23 Ground Floor, Hauz Khas 
New Delhi 110 016 
Tel: (+91) (011) 4022 4399 / 4022 4299 
Mob: (+91) 98102 82553
Email: customercare@vpkmc.com 
           drrajiv@vpkmc.com 

Kolkata

Dr Subhankar Chakrabarti, MBBS (Cal) 
New Sab's Clini, AE-34/1 
Subhash Abasan, Beside UBI 
Kestopur; Kolkata - 700101 
Tel: (+91) (033) 2591 0801; Mobile: (+91) 98310 68040 
Opening hours: 10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. [I.S.T.] and 6:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. [I.S.T.] daily. SUNDAY CLOSED.

 

Mumbai

Dr M. M. Meraney and Dr Rohit Barman 
(Dr. Usha Lulla Talvadkar replaces Dr M. M. Meraney in his absence) 
(Dr. Meenal Shah replaces Dr Rohit Barman in his absence) 
Breach Candy Hospital and Research Centre 
60 Bhulabhai Desai Road 
Mumbai 400 026 
Dr. M. M. Meraney - Tel: (+91) (022) 2366 7800 / 2366 7860 
Dr. R. Barman - Tel: (+91) (022) 2366 7800 / 2351 7675 

For more information:  https://www.breachcandyhospital.org/index.php/departments1/belgium-visa

 

Bangalore/ Bengaluru

Dr K.S. Chandramouli / Dr G.D. Ravindran/ Dr Jyothi Iddiculla/ Dr Seena Sankar/ Dr Ratnamalla Choudhury/ Dr Souyma Umesh/ Dr Geetha Ann Francis/ Dr Anusuya DS/ Dr Abdul Mateen Athar.
For applicants aged 15 years or less: Dr Sanjiv Lewin/ Dr Chitra Dinakar/ Dr Fulton Dsouza/ Dr Ranjini Srinivasan/ Dr Sushma K

The above-listed panel of doctors can be contacted at: 
St. John’s Medical College Hospital 
St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences 
John Nagar 
Bangalore 560 034 
Tel: (+91) (080) 2206 5169 / 2206 5000 
Fax (+91) (080) 2553 0070 
Email: sjmch.pro@stjohns.in, sjmch.cms@stjohns.in, sjmch.infodesk@stjohns.in

Dr Anindita Bhateja / Dr Shalini C.
SPARSH Super Speciality Hospital
146 Infantry Road
Bangalore 560001
Tel: +91 80 6122 2000
https://www.sparshhospital.com/ 

Dr B D Shashidar
Republic Hospital
No. 5 Langford Gardens
Bengaluru
Karnataka 560025
Tel: + 91 80 4124 5450
Consultation Time: Morning 10.30 Am to 12 Noon
Evening  5.30 Pm to 7.00 Pm

 

Chennai

Dr B. Krishna Rau / Dr Sharon Krishna 
Billroth Hospital R.A. Puram 
52, 2nd Main Road, R A Puram, 
Chennai 600 028 
Tel: (+91) (044) 2464 1111 Extn: 151, between 09.00–13.00 
Email: bkr@vsnl.com

 
Hyderabad

Dr Pramati Reddy / Dr Indira Reddy Ramasahayam 
Apollo Health City 
Jubilee Hills 
Hyderabad-33 
Tel: (+91) (040) 2360 7777 
Fax: (+91) (040) 2360 7530

Dr Vikram Varma Jampana MD (General Medicine)
Consultant Internal Medicine
Regd No:54526
Care Hospitals, Hi-Tech City, Hyderabad.
Old Mumbai Highway, Near Cyberabad Police Commissionerate,
Hyderabad 500032
Tel : +91-40-33623500-3999
For appointments call 1800 108 3999
E: feedbackhitech@carehospitals.com(This hyperlink opens a new window),
W: www.carehospitals.com/hitechcity

Dr Shiva Raju
Sr Consultant Physician & Diabetologist
KIMS SECUNDERABAD
1-8-31/1, Minister Rd, Krishna Nagar Colony,
Begumpet,
Secunderabad - 500003
Telangana
T: +91-40-4488 5000 / +91-40-4488 5184
F: +91-40-27840980
E: assistance@kimshospitals.com
W: www.kimshospitals.com/secunderabad/

 

Pune

Dr P.K. Grant, Dr. Nirmala Castellino, Dr. Neelima Limaye 
Ruby Hall Clinic 
40, Sassoon Road, 
Pune 411 001 
Tel: (+91) (020) 2612 3391 / 6645 5100 
Fax: (+91) (020) 2612 4529 

For more information, you can write to our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors or get in touch with us in the comments below.