Short stay

Short stay

Formalities for obtaining a short-stay visa in Belgium

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The Halabi & Associates law firm has put together a range of special tools to help you limit your legal fees while benefiting from professional legal advice.

Obtaining a short-stay visa is not very complicated but does require special knowledge of the application procedures. The official information is often sparse and unclear and that is why our Law Firm decided to create a range of reliable guides that present and explain the procedures in a clear, accurate and comprehensive manner with illustrative examples and templates. You will also benefit from expert advice that only a lawyer can provide.

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Good to know

In all cases, whether or not you belong to a Schengen zone country, the duration of your stay must not exceed 90 days in a 180-day period (6 months).

If you want to come to Belgium for a short stay but do not belong to a Schengen zone country, you will need to apply for a type C Schengen visa.

What is the Schengen zone?

The Schengen zone is an area composed of 26 countries that allows citizens to freely cross borders between the countries in the zone (i.e. member states).

The borders of the Schengen zone are strictly controlled. If you do not belong to a Schengen zone country, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa.

Which countries are in the Schengen zone?

  • 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
  • Switzerland

Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Ireland and the United Kingdom are not in the Schengen zone. These five countries apply their own rules on issuing short-stay visas.

Consult our pages opposite to see if you need a Schengen visa. Even if you do not belong to a Schengen zone country, you may not require a visa i.e. your passport (valid for over 6 months) will suffice.

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You do not need a Schengen visa

You need a Schengen visa