Embassy of Belgium, Washington, DC

A picture and fingerprints will be taken of visa applicants at the Embassy of Belgium in Washington, D.C. These biometric data are sent electronically to Belgian border control for verification at entry in the Schengen area.

If you want to settle in Belgium for more than three months and you do not intend to engage in a gainful occupation, you should apply for an authorization for temporary residency. To determine the consular office where you should introduce your application and to check office hours, please , click here.

Include three sets of the following documents (one original set of documents and two copies) collated and stapled:

The originals will be returned to you together with your passport and visa. You will need them to register at city hall in Belgium.

3. Language form : (in French, Dutch or German); Choose one of the forms and indicate your language preference (or no preference). The option you choose will be used by the Belgian Home Office to communicate its decision regarding your visa application. There is no English version of this document. Please retain a copy for your records.

4. A medical certificate (MS Word) - (PDF) according to the model enclosed. For a list of doctors affiliated with the Embassy or the Consulate General, click here.

If you choose your family physician, the doctor's signature needs to be notarized. The medical document should be less than 3 months old from the date of your application.

5. a nationwide criminal history record (FBI Identi-fication Record) covering the last five years, obtained from the FBI CJIS Division (Record Request, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306), dated within six months of your date of application for the visa.

The FBI offers two methods for requesting your FBI Identification Record or proof that a record does not exist.

Option 1: Submit your request directly to the FBI.

Option 2: Submit to an FBI-approved Channeler, which is a private business that has contracted with the FBI receive the fingerprint submission and relevant data, collect the associated fee(s), electronically forward the fingerprint submission with the necessary information to the FBI CJIS Division for a national criminal history record check, and receive the electronic record check result for dissemination to the individual. Contact each Channeler for processing times.

Note: An FBI-approved Channeler cannot authenticate (apostille) fingerprint search results. A request for your FBI Identification Record or proof that a record does not exist must be submitted directly to the FBI if an authentication (apostille) is needed.

For more information, please go to the FBI website.

6. Proof of sufficient available funds and/or income, e.g. Social Security, bank letters, bank statements covering at least a period of 6 months, income from real estate properties, etc.

7. A letter stating why you wish to take up residency in Belgium, e.g. because you have family in Belgium or have been living there before. It is very important to show sufficient proof of ties to Belgium.

8. Written letters of reference from Belgium (names, address, telephone numbers, relationship).

9. A pre-paid envelope if you wish to have your passport and visa sent back to your home address. The embassy or Consulate General is not responsible for lost items during shipping.

10. Visa application fee (this price includes consular taxes and handling fees): click Here.

The visa application fee is non-refundable, whether your visa is actually issued or not.

	cash	Certified Check	Money Order	Credit Card
Embassy in Washington	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Consulate general in NY	No	Yes	Yes	No
Consulate general in LA	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Consulate general in Atlanta	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Personal checks are not accepted.
Cash payments: exact change please and pay in person, not by mail.
Certified checks and money orders have to be paid to the order of:
• "the Embassy of Belgium in Washington" if you apply at the Embassy in Washington
• "the Consulate General of Belgium" if you apply at the Consulate General in Atlanta, Los Angeles or New York.
Incorrect money orders or certified checks will be rejected and returned to the applicant. Processing will only begin once the proper payment is received.

Only at the Embassy in Washington may you pay with Visa or MasterCard. In New York you can only pay with a money order or certified check.

A personal appearance is required and you must apply in person at the Embassy or Consulate General in whose jurisdiction you reside.

If you wish to make the application by mail (this is possible at the consulates in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, but not at the Embassy in Washington, DC), the following requirements apply:
(1) your signature on the application form must be notarized (certified) by a notary public of your place of residence in the U.S.

(2) do not send your application documents to an Honorary Consul. The application will be processed by the Embassy or by a Consulate General. Always make sure you mail your application to the competent Embassy or Consulate General. Only the Honorary Consuls in Nassau (Bahamas) and San Juan (Porto Rico) may accept visa-applications and they will send them to the Embassy..

After verification of your application, a personal appearance will still be necessary to collect your passport with the visa.

Applicants are invited to submit their applications at least 4 months prior to their scheduled departure. The Consular Officer will go over all the documents and process your application. It will then be forwarded to the appropriate Belgian authorities for approval, this may take several months.

Please do not make travel arrangements until the consular office has received the authorization to issue your visa.

UPON ARRIVAL IN BELGIUM:

It is important that you register with the City Hall of your place of residence in Belgium within 8 days of your arrival. Make sure that your passport is endorsed by the immigration authorities when first entering Belgium (at airport or other border post).

The local authorities will process your registration identity document that will allow you to enter and leave the country as a legal temporary resident of Belgium.

TRAVELING TO BELGIUM

Visa for Self-supporting Persons Wishing to Retire