How to Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa from Canada in 5 Easy Steps – A Complete Guide

Belgium is one of the 26 Schengen countries and its a popular destination due to its history, stunning architecture, exciting things to do and see and, of course, the food!  In this article, learn more about how to apply for a Belgium visa at the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal, Canada, Belgium visa appointment booking, processing time at the Belgium visa application center, flight itinerary for Belgium visa, hotel bookings for a Belgium visa, Schengen travel insurance for a Belgium visa application, and Belgium visa application process at the Montreal consulate general.

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Belgium Schengen Visas

In 2018, 219,827 Belgium Schengen visa applications were received by visa offices worldwide. 36,906 (16.8%) were rejected. The Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal received 750 applications and rejected 138 (18.4%).

Applying for a Schengen Visa from Canada         

If you are a citizen of Canada, it is not necessary to apply for a visa if you’re planning on traveling to Belgium as long as your trip does not exceed 90 days. If you are going for longer than 90 days or you are a non-Canadian citizen, but you live in Canada, you need to apply for a visa to be able to enter and stay in Belgium. You must be able to prove that you have a legal right to stay in Canada, otherwise, you need to apply for the visa from your home country.

Where to apply for a Belgium Schengen visa

If you are applying in Canada, there are 2 offices:

1. The Embassy of Belgium in Ottawa. This office’s jurisdiction is the whole of Canada
2. The Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal. This office’s jurisdiction is Canada, the Bermuda Islands and the territorial community of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.

However, the Consulate General in Montreal is the exclusive provider of visa services in Canada.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Belgian embassy or consulate in Canada.

Types of Schengen visas offered at the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal

There are 2 types of visa that can be applied for at the consulate in Montreal:

1. Short-stay visa (Schengen visa) – up to 90 days for family visit, tourism, professional reasons, traineeship and training, culture, sporting or other event
2. Long-stay visa (National visa) – over 90 days for study, employment etc

How to Apply for a Schengen Visa from the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal

When you apply for your visa for Belgium, you must do so in plenty of time. The consulate processes applications in 15 days, but it could take as many as 60 days. Get your application to them at least 15 days prior to your trip! You may apply up to 90 days ahead, so the earlier the better!

Here are 5 easy steps to follow to help you apply for your visa:

Step 1: Complete your application form

The first step is to complete your visa application form. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Visa for Belgium”:

On the next screen, click on: “Forms”:

Then, you’ll see the links for the application form. You can download it for completion.

Step 2: Make an appointment

Making appointments with the embassy, consulate or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, the visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below.

1. Go the visa page again and click on the link under: “Online appointment scheduling system (short-stay visas)”
2. Complete the information requested
3. Continue through the screens and you will be able to make an appointment

Step 3: Prepare your documents

This step is very important because if you fail to provide all the required documents, your application may be rejected. It’s a good idea to take a look at the requirements, which you can find on the consulate’s website before you begin.

You should also prepare photocopies as well as providing the original documents, so don’t forget to do that too!

Documents include:

1. A completed and signed application form (May be completed in English, French, Dutch or German)
2. Identity photograph which meets certain specifications
3. Passport or other travel document valid for at least 3 months from the date you intend to leave the Schengen area. It must also contain at least 2 blank pages and have been issued less than 10 years ago
4. Residence permit or Canadia visa (multiple entry) valid for at least 3 months after departing the Schengen area
5. Travel itinerary/airline reservation
6. Documents indicating the purpose of your journey – an itinerary, proof of a reservation of an organized trip
7. Proof of accommodation such as an invitation from the person hosting you or hotel or guesthouse reservation
8. Proof of sufficient funds
9. Proof of your intention to leave the Schengen territory such as confirmation of employment, professional situation, receipt of regular income, ownership of real estate, family situation, etc
10. Schengen Travel insurance covering any costs of repatriation for medical reasons, emergency medical care and/or emergency hospital care or death during your trip. This insurance must be valid for the whole of this territory and the whole of the stay. The minimum cover is €30,00
11. Proof of enrolment in university with confirmation of course
12. Proof of participation in any type of event with invitation letter
    

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2.  Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 4: Attend your appointment

On the day of your appointment, make sure you arrive early. If you are late and you miss your appointment, there is no guarantee that you will get a new date quickly and this could delay your travel plans. Remember to take all of the documents you prepared. Without them, your visa application may well be rejected. It’s also a good idea to dress smartly to prove you are serious about wanting to obtain a visa.

When it’s your turn, the visa officer will review your application. They may wish to confirm the information you have provided or they may ask you questions in order to get all the facts from you to make a fair decision. Just smile and answer honestly.

Typical questions include:

1. What do you do in Canada?
2. Do you have any children?
3. Have you applied for a Schengen visa before ?
4. How many days are you traveling for?
5. What is the purpose of this trip?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You’ll also pay the fee for your visa. Payment can only be made by money order or bank draft, payable to the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal. Personal cheques are not allowed, but you can also pay with cash, credit card or debit card at the counter.

You will also have to provide a scan of your fingerprints and have a photograph taken, especially if this is your first time applying for a Schengen visa. If you have previously provided these biometrics, it can be reused as long as your new application is within a 5 year period.

Step 5: Receive your visa

You can track the progress of your visa application in the following ways:

1. Contact the consulate
2. If your application has been referred to the Aliens Office for a decision, go to www.dofi.fgov.be You’ll need your reference number and the location of the consulate. You can also ring or email the call centre at the Aliens Office (+ 32 2 793 80 00 or (helpdesk.dvzoe@dofi.fgov.be)

When a decision has been made, your passport will be returned to your home address by mail. You will need to provide a prepaid and self-addressed return Xpresspost envelope or FedEx, UPS, Purolator waybill.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – your visa will be inside your passport
2. Rejected – this would have been for a specific reason and you can appeal the decision

Common rejection reasons include:

1. No travel insurance – it is a mandatory requirement that you have valid travel insurance in place for your trip
2. No proof of accommodation – whether you are staying in a hotel or hostel or in private accommodation, you must provide proof of this when you apply for a visa
3. Purpose of trip is not clear – whatever your reason for traveling to Belgium, you must provide proof of this. This could be a travel itinerary, proof of enrollment in a course, or a work contract
4. No signature – you must sign the application form and other documents requiring a signature before you submit your application, so check everything before your appointment

Contact details of the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal

Address: 1000, rue Sherbrooke Ouest – Suite 1400, H3A 3G4 Montreal, QC

Tel: +1 514 849 73 94

Fax: +1 514 844 31 70

Email: montreal.visa@diplobel.fed.be

Hours: Mon – Fri 08.00 – 13.00; By phone until 16.30

Conclusion

To apply for a Schengen visa for Belgium at the consulate in Montreal, follow these simple steps:

1. Complete your application online or download it
2. Make an appointment
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

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