Belgium business visa
Your Belgium business trip runs on a Schengen short-stay visa — the Type C. It covers the reasons professionals actually fly out: meetings, contract negotiations, conferences, trade fairs, a spell of training. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and that one sticker lets you move across all 29 Schengen countries. The fee is EUR 90, on top of the VFS Global service charge.
You apply to Belgium when it is your main destination — the country where you spend the most days — or, when the days split evenly, wherever you first enter Schengen. The application starts online at VisaOnWeb (visaonweb.diplomatie.be), then you give biometrics in person at a VFS Global centre. Which mission decides depends on your address: the Embassy in New Delhi covers North and East India, the Consulate General in Mumbai covers West and South. The call is theirs, normally within about 15 calendar days, though it can stretch to 45.
Who this visa is for
- ✓The trip is a genuine short business visit (meetings, conferences, negotiations, trade fairs or training) and not paid employment in Belgium.
- ✓Belgium is your main destination, or your first Schengen point of entry when the stays across countries are equal.
- ✓Total time in the Schengen area does not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period.
- ✓Passport valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from Schengen, issued within the last 10 years, with at least two blank pages.
- ✓You hold travel medical insurance with minimum EUR 30,000 cover, valid across the Schengen area for the whole trip.
- ✓You can show sufficient funds, a genuine business reason and clear ties to India that support your intent to return.
Visa options for Belgium
Single-entry short-stay (Type C)
One entry into the Schengen area for the authorised number of days; suited to a one-off business trip via Belgium.
Multiple-entry short-stay (Type C)
Repeated trips within the visa's validity, always within 90 days per 180. Frequent business travellers with a clean travel history may be granted a multi-year MEV valid 1, 2 or 5 years.
Documents typically required
- ✓Passport valid at least three months beyond departure from Schengen, issued within the last 10 years, with two blank pages, plus copies of past visas.
- ✓VisaOnWeb application confirmation (the online form is valid for 30 days) and one recent Schengen-specification photograph.
- ✓Invitation letter from the Belgian host company on its letterhead, stating the purpose, dates of the visit and who bears the costs.
- ✓Covering letter from your Indian employer or company on letterhead confirming your position, the trip and leave, with proof of business (company registration/incorporation, GST, or proprietorship/partnership proof).
- ✓Flight tickets and hotel reservation (or the host's accommodation) covering the entire stay.
- ✓Travel medical insurance covering the whole trip with a minimum of EUR 30,000 cover valid across the Schengen area.
- ✓Financial proof: personal bank statements for the last six months, latest income tax return / Form 16, and recent salary slips.
- ✓Biometrics (fingerprints and a live photo) given in person at the VFS Global centre; children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Jurisdiction follows your region: North and East India apply through the Belgian Embassy in New Delhi, West and South India through the Consulate General in Mumbai. Both submit through VFS Global centres in cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. You can lodge the application up to six months before travel and must apply at least 15 days ahead — book biometrics early, as appointments fill up in peak season.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No — and no honest consultant will. The decision rests entirely with the Belgian embassy or consulate. What we do is assess your profile candidly at the outset and build the strongest, best-documented application possible. Over the last two to three years, our applications have a 97% success rate.
Which Belgian mission handles my application?
It comes down to where you live in India. North and East India are handled by the Embassy in New Delhi; West and South India by the Consulate General in Mumbai. Both take your documents and biometrics through VFS Global centres, and you apply to Belgium when it is your main destination or first point of entry into the Schengen area.
How long does processing take?
The consulate usually decides within about 15 calendar days of submission, though some cases run up to 45. You can apply up to six months before travel, and no later than 15 days before your intended departure.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Yes. Travel medical insurance covering the whole trip, with a minimum of EUR 30,000 across every Schengen country, is a standard requirement for the Type C visa.