These are the Belgium visa requirements for Kenyan Citizens. Belgium is a Schengen country located in Western Europe bordering Netherlands to the north, Germany and Luxembourg to the East, United Kingdom to the west and France to the south. It’s the 20th richest country in the world with a GDP per capita (PPP of $46,383. The wealthy nation is also the home to European Union and NATO headquarters.
Belgium’s accessibility from elsewhere in Europe makes it a popular tourist destination. In fact, a Belgium visa guarantees you free entry to other 26 countries which are part of Schengen. Kenyans visiting Belgium are required to have a visa as of 2018. Below, we have listed all the requirements and documents one must have before doing an application for a Belgian Visa. You will also get to know the visa charges and the processing time.
While Belgian Visas are broken down into two namely the Short Stay Visa and the Long Stay Visa, this article will focus on the Belgian Short Stay Visa.
The Short Stay Visa allows you to stay in Belgium for a period of 3 months (90 Days). It encompasses tourism trips, trips that are for medical reasons or regarding professions. Joining a European Union (EU) citizen who resides in Belgium, short stay cohabitation or short stay for marriage in Belgium, all require a Short Stay Visa.
Requirements For A Belgian Short Stay Visa
Before applying for a Belgian Short Stay Visa, ensure that:
- Your Passport is valid for at least 3 months and that it has at least 2 blank pages at the time you apply.
- You have one (1) application form that has been accurately filled and signed twice. First at the point nr. 37 as well as on the last page. It must also dated by you; the applicant.
- You have two (2) passport photos that are not older than 6 months.
- You have proof of a valid travel insurance policy that still has a a validity of at least one month.
The travel insurance must be valid throughout all of the Schengen countries and must cover the whole duration of your stay or transit. The minimum cover is 30,000 euros. The insurance must also cover the cost of repatriation on medical grounds, urgent medical treatment as well as urgent hospital treatment or costs that might be incurred in the event of your death while in the Schengen area.
The Schengen Area is an area that consists of 26 European states (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) that have officially abolished all passport as well as all other types of border control at their mutual borders. The area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.
The Application Process For A Belgian Short Stay Visa
To apply for your Belgian Short Stay Visa, simply:
- Register via Visa On Web by creating account using this link: https://visaonweb.diplomatie.be
- Once done, proceed to complete and validate the electronic application form. As soon as your form is validated your VOW application form will be sent to your email address.
- Once your VOW application form has been received, proceed to print and sign the form.
- Create a TLScontact account by clicking this link: https://be.tlscontact.com/ke/nbo/register.php
- After creating your TLScontact account, book your appointment. Make sure that you choose a convenient day and time for you to submit your complete application file at the TLScontact centre.
Creating TLScontact account is important because all Belgium via applications are managed by the TLS Visa Application Centre which is located at 9 West building Unit 2, 1st floor along Ring Road in Westlands.
Don’t forget to print out your appointment confirmation. You will need it to enter the TLScontact centre.
For your appointment, ensure that you go to the TLScontact centre with your appointment confirmation, your passport, as well as all your completed application supporting documents.
At the TLScontact Centre, your application documents will be checked for completeness and you will receive a checklist which will confirm your submitted documents.
All service and visa fees for a Belgian Short Stay Visa are paid at the TLScontact centre.
Failure to arrive on time will mean that you will have to book another appointment online.
To follow or check the status or progress of your application, simply log into your personal TLScontact account.
For more enquiries, feel free to send an email to nairobi.visa@diplobel.fed.be, or call the Belgian Embassy at (+254) 733 379 658, between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm from Monday to Thursday.
