Visas & Customs Requirements

General Requirements:

The uniform visa or Schengen visa was established by the Schengen Agreements. It is valid for the territory of all the Schengen States and entitles the holder to remain for an uninterrupted period of 90 days at most or to make one or more visits over a six-month period in the Schengen territory, starting from the date of first entry. Notwithstanding the general rule, any Schengen partner may reserve the right to restrict the territorial validity of the visa.

Visa applicants must be aware that the documents referred to only constitute the basic documents that have to be submitted in every case. Other additional documents may be required by the Belgian diplomatic or consular representation, taking into account the circumstances of the application or to the specific context of the applicant's country of origin.

• a valid travel document (a passport, for example) to which a visa may be affixed. The validity of the travel document must be three months longer than that of the visa;


• if need be, any documents substantiating the purpose (for example, invitations from private individuals or companies, a medical certificate and appointments with a Belgian attending physician or in a Belgian hospital, etc) and conditions of the planned visit (hotel reservation, for example). These documents generally have a substantiating effect only if they are the originals;


• any documents proving that the alien (guest) has sufficient means of support to cover the visit and the return, as well as any medical expenses, in the form of an undertaking of responsibility if need be;


• if the alien has no financial credit, he/she must have be able to have access to 38 euro per day of his/her intended visit if he/she is staying with an individual, or 50 euro per day of his/her intended visit if he/she is staying in a hotel.


• The applicant must prove that he/she has taken out valid personal or group travel insurance to cover possible expenditure for repatriation for medical reasons, medical care and/or emergency treatment in a hospital. In principle, the applicant must take out insurance in their country of residence. If the host takes out insurance on the applicant's behalf, this must be done in the host's own place of residence. The visa applicant must contact the Belgian embassy or consulate to find out which insurance policies have been accepted. The insurance in question must be valid throughout the territory of the Schengen member states and cover the full duration of the stay. The minimal cover is 30,000 euro.

General Consulates of Belgium:

New York	http://www.diplomatie.be/newyork
Washington	http://www.diplobel.us/