Overview of Belgium Visa and Foreign Exchange Policy

IMMIGRATION AND VISAS

Passport Requirements:

All travelers except the following require a passport:

1. Travelers with a National Identity Card that is issued to Citizens of Schengen countries and residents of Gibraltar.
2. Travelers with a United States ‘Refugee Travel Document’.
3. Travelers with temporary passports issued to citizens of Germany.
4. Travelers with a Certificate of Identity issued by the Government of Cyprus to Citizens of Cyprus.
5. ‘Kinderausweis’ passengers, a German identification document, was given to children aged 15 or younger.
6. Travelers with a Seaman Book, traveling on duty.
7. Travelers with a Certificate of Identity issued by India so long as it contains a permanent return permit along with a birth certificate.
8. Travelers with a Certificate of Identity issued by Switzerland.
9. Travelers with an Identification Certificate issued by Trinidad & Tobago, given that the return is adequately assured.
10. Travelers with a ‘Laissez Passer’ issued by Georgia to its citizens so long as it contains a valid return visa.
11. Travelers with a ‘Laissez Passer’ that is issued by the United Nations or European Union members.
12. Travelers with travel documents, issued by Moldova so long as they have a return visa.
13. Travelers with a travel document given to permanent residents of Kosovo by the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo.
14. Travelers with a Document of Identity issued by Australia containing a return permit.
15. Travelers with a Singapore Identification Certificate issued to permanent residents or individuals without nationality or citizenship as long as the return is duly assured or a foreign Identification Certificate containing a return visa can be found. Temporary Travel documents are also accepted.
16. Travelers with a travel document and resident permit issued by any member countries of the European Economic Area or Switzerland to people without nationality or citizenship or to refugees.
17. Travelers with a Travel Certificate issued to refugees by the Republic of Korea.
18. Travelers with a travel document issued by Lebanon to Palestinian refugees so long as it enables the traveler to return to Lebanon.
19. Travelers with a Travel Document issued in place of a National Passport to Citizens of Israel.

Document Validity:

On arrival, passports and alternative documents, or any of them, must be valid.

1. Expired passports for a maximum period of one year issued to Citizens of Germany are accepted; so are National ID Cards issued to Citizens of Germany.
2. Expired passports for a maximum period of five years issued to citizens of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, France, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, and Switzerland are accepted.

Additional information:

Students, apart from their nationality, residing in a European Union member country and traveling as part of a school group from within the European Union, do not need a passport on condition that:

1. Their names are stated on a ‘List of Travelers’ stamped by the school and certified by the proper authority in charge in their home country.
2. One of the teachers at that school accompanies the school trip.
3. This ‘List of Travelers’ must contain a photo of the pupil.

Not all European Union member countries issue this type of ‘List of Travelers’. The exemption will NOT apply to the ‘List of Travelers’ that is only stamped by the school without photos.

Minors:

Passports are not required for children aged 15 years old or younger so long as they are traveling with their parents, grandparents, or with a guardian if:

1. They have the same nationality as them.
2. Partner and their names are recorded in their companion’s passport.

Warnings:

The Schengen Agreement, aimed at lifting immigration limits on travel within all the territories of the signatory member countries, became effective on 26 March 1995. This culminated in the rise of a borderless area known as the ‘Schengen Area.’ Consequently, residents of the signatories of that agreement could travel between the above-mentioned countries without having their documents checked.

However, a ‘Schengen Visa’ is provided for travelers who need visas for one or more Schengen states to which they are ticketed and whose final destination is a Schengen state for which a visa is not necessary. In addition, transit without a visa (TWOV) is not possible if the Schengen country for which a visa is required is one of the next travel or transit countries, since the traveler would enter the Schengen region or borderless territory. This means that travelers from states that require a visa for all Schengen States and travelers from states that require a visa for one or more Schengen States to which they are ticketed always need a visa. Travelers should acquire Schengen visas before they arrive in the Schengen territory.

Visa Exemptions:

All travelers must hold a visa except the following:

1. Citizens of Belgium.
2. Citizens of Schengen countries.
3. Travelers with British passports on the front cover with the words ‘European Union’ and endorsed ‘British Resident’ or one of them.
4. Travelers stay for no more than 90 days, so long as they are from countries with a visa regime agreement with Belgium. To know, you are eligible for visa exemption, use the Click2visas widget.
5. Refugees with a travel document and a residence permit issued by Switzerland or any member country of the European Economic Area.
6. Turkish travelers with diplomatic, official, service, or special passports.
7. Travelers with diplomatic, official, or service passports provided they are citizens of Bolivia.
8. Travelers with diplomatic, service, or special passports provided they are citizens of Morocco and Tunisia.
9. Travelers with official or diplomatic passports, given that they are Thai residents.
10. Travelers with diplomatic or service passports provided they are citizens of Ecuador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malawi, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Peru, or the Republic of Serbia.
11. Diplomatic or special passport travelers, given that they are residents of the UAE.
12. Travelers with diplomatic passports provided they are citizens of Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Chad, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, or Ukraine.
13. Travelers, apart from their nationality, have a ‘family member’ residence permit issued by a European Union member country to family members who are citizens of a European Economic Area country or Switzerland so long as they are traveling with or joining that citizen.
14. Travelers, apart from their nationality, who have a residence permit issued by Monaco or one of the Schengen States.
15. Travelers with a National Identity Card issued by Gibraltar to residents of Gibraltar.
16. Travelers with a ‘Laissez-Passer’ issued by the United Nations or by the European Union.
17. Travelers with a Certificate of Identity issued by Singapore to permanent residents or people without nationality or citizenship so long as their return is properly guaranteed or have an International Certificate of Identity with a return visa.
18. Travelers with a Travel Certificate issued to refugees by the Republic of Korea.
19. Travelers, apart from their nationality, who are residing in Lichtenstein and holding proof of their residence there, staying for no more than five days if they are in transit through the Schengen Area and continue their journey to a county beyond the Schengen Area, no matter what means of transport they use.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa)

1. TWOV is appropriate for travelers to resume their journey on the same day to a third country, provided that:
   • Arrive and depart from/to NON-Schengen countries;
   • Have confirmed tickets.
   • Have all the documents needed for your next trip.
2. Do not leave the airport transit area.
3. Nationals of Republic of the Gambia, Republic of Ghana, Guinea Republic, Nigeria, or the Republic of Sierra Leone with ordinary passports may use the TWOV facility mentioned above so long as:
4. They have a visa; or
5. They are on their return trip after a legal visit to Andorra, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Japan, Lichtenstein, Romania, San Marino, United Kingdom, or the United States America.
6. Citizens of the following countries: the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Angola, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, United States of Colombia, Congo (Kinshasa), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Iran. Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Syria, with ordinary passports, must always have a transit visa. They may use TWOV only if they are permanently residing in Andorra, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Japan, Romania, San Marino, Great Britain, or the United States of America.
7. TWOV does not apply to travelers with travel documents such as ‘Titre de Voyage’ issued to refugees by the following countries: the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Angola, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, United States of Colombia, Congo (Kinshasa), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Syria. Travelers with such documents must have a transit visa issued before arrival.

Additional information:

1. Students living in a Member State of the European Union and traveling as part of a school community from within the European Union, apart from their nationality, do not need a visa to be issued.
   • Their names are stated in the ‘List of Travelers’ stamped by the school and certified by the proper authority in charge in their home country;
2. Authorities may refuse travelers’ entry with no visible means of support or travelers suspected of jeopardizing public security or order. Travelers are advised to obtain onward or return tickets and to have all documents needed for their next trip since the refusal of entry upon arrival can lead to severe problems and costs for travelers and the transporting carrier.

Exemptions include residents of countries of the European Union who are not expected to have ample cash or onward or return tickets.

Warnings:

Travelers who do not respect entry regulations will be deported to the country they have come, and the transporting carrier will have to pay a large fine. Such a fine is decided as follows:

1. An immediate administrative fine of EUR 3,750 may be avoided if a protocol agreement is signed with Belgian authorities. Besides, the transporting carrier will have to pay a fine of EUR 40.10 per day for each traveler detained due to lack of necessary documents upon his/her arrival; and
2. The criminal judge may inflict extra punishment if five or more travelers have been found on one flight without the necessary documents and if the carrier has not taken the necessary measures to make sure that all travelers respect Belgium’s entry regulations.

CUSTOMS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Import regulations:

1. Travelers arriving with goods bought inside the European Union are allowed free import of the following articles so long as they are intended for personal use only:
   • Travelers aged 17 years old and over are allowed tobacco products: 200 cigars, 800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, and one kilogram of pipe or cigarette tobacco.
   • Travelers aged 17 years old and over are allowed alcoholic drinks as follows:
   • Ten liters of more than 22 percent alcoholic beverages; 20 liters of less than 22 percent alcoholic beverages; 90 liters of wine (no more than 60 liters of sparkling wine); 110 liters of beer
2. Travelers were coming from non-E.U. Countries including the Aland Islands, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, and other similar territories are allowed Free import:
3. Travelers aged 17 years old and over are allowed tobacco products: 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 250 g of tobacco, or a proportional assortment.
4. The military and civil staff of the Armed Forces and their families, as well as flying crew of airport companies, are allowed free import of the following quantities provided, they are declared to Customs:
   • One hundred twenty-five grams of tobacco products, 25 cigars, 100 cigarettes, or 50 cigarillos.
   • Half a liter of sparkling wine, a quarter of a liter of alcoholic drinks, and one liter of still wine.
   • Forty grams of tea extract or 100 grams of tea.
   • Two hundred grams of coffee extract or 500 grams of coffee.
   • 0.125 liter of eau de toilette, eau de cologne, etc., and 7.5 grams of perfume.
   • Other products with a value of up to EUR 19.83.
   • Alcoholic drinks for travelers aged 17 years old and over:
   • One liter of alcoholic beverages with a volume greater than 22 percent or of non-denatured ethyl alcohol with a volume greater than 80 percent; or
   • Two liters of alcoholic drinks or aperitifs made of wine or similar drinks less than 22% volume, or sparkling wine; or
   • A balanced mixture of these products.
   • This is in addition to Four liters of wine and 16 liters of beer.
5. Medical products for personal needs.
6. Air travelers are allowed other goods up to a total value of EUR 430 per traveler aged 15 and older.

Prohibited Goods:

Animal products not originating in any of the Member States of the European Union, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino or Switzerland shall not be allowed to be imported into a member state of the European Union. Significant amounts imported from Andorra, Croatia, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and small quantities of particular goods from other countries are included in the exceptions. For full details, please or refer to the website of the European Union: http://europa.eu/.

Export regulations:

Travelers are allowed free export of personal goods of the travelers.

Pets:

Regulation ( EC) No. 998/2003 and Regulation (EU) 576/2013

applies to cats and dogs.

Decision (EC) No. 25/2007 is subject to birds. For more details, contact the nearest Belgium embassy/consulates.

Baggage Clearance regulations:

A traveler’s luggage should be cleared at the final destination airport in Belgium.

Exemptions: Luggage of transit travelers whose destination is outside Belgium.

Airport tax:

On their departure from the airport, travelers are not entitled to pay any airport fees.

Currency Import regulations:

For currency imports, the same rules apply as for currency exports.

Currency Export regulations:

1. There are no restrictions on exporting local currency (Euro-EUR) and foreign currencies if travelers are traveling to another European Union country.
2. If travelers are coming from or traveling to a country outside the European Union, sums more than EUR 10,000 or their equivalent in another currency, including any banker’s draft and cheques, must be declared.

Arms and Ammunition regulations:

The import and export of weapons (including sports guns and shotguns) and ammunition must be supported by an individual license provided by one of the three Belgian regions. For additional details, please contact the appropriate region:

Flemish Region: 32 2553 5792

Walloon Region: 32 8164 9751

Brussels Capital Region: 32 2800 3727 or 32 4798 18956.