Belgian Consulate London – 5 Easy Steps to Apply for Belgium Schengen Visa

It may be a small Schengen country, but Belgium is packed with cities. Head to Brussels for its Grand Palace and wonderful architecture or Antwerp for its museums and zoo. Bruges is perfect for exploring while Leuven has a vibrant nightlife. In the countryside, head to the hills in the Ardennes for a fabulous range of outdoor pursuits like hiking, biking and climbing. In this article learn more about how to apply for Belgium visa at the Belgian consulate in London, UK, Belgium visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Belgium visa application center, flight itinerary for Belgium visa, hotel bookings for Belgium visa, Schengen travel insurance for Belgium visa application, and Belgium Visa Application Process at the London embassy.

Belgium Schengen Visas

In 2018, there were 219,827 Schengen visa applications received worldwide. 36,906 (16.8%) of these were rejected. The Embassy of Belgium in London received 7,129 applications and rejected 353 (5%).

Applying for a Belgium Schengen Visa from London

If you are from any of the following countries you do NOT need to apply for a Belgium Schengen visa as long as the duration of your stay does not exceed 90 days:

If you are a citizen of any other country, you DO need to apply for a Belgium Schengen visa. You can do this easily from London as long as you can provide evidence that you have legal residence status in the United Kingdom.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Belgian embassy and consulate. The Embassy of Belgium in London has outsourced visa applications for Belgium to TLS Contact, so you will submit your application to their office in London. It is the embassy that makes the final decision about your visa.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Embassy of Belgium in London

There are different types of visas that you may apply for and the one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and why you wish to travel to Belgium.

1. Schengen visa – for stays of up to 90 days for tourism, business, visiting family/friends, other family reasons and airport transit
2. National visa – for stays exceeding 90 days for employment, study, family reasons, etc. If you wish to apply for this type of visa, you will also need to apply for a work/residence permit. More information about this type of visa can be found on the website of the Immigration Office

Visas are usually issued as:

1. Single entry – Maximum of 1 entry during 90 day period
2. Double entry – Maximum of 2 entries during the 90 day period
3. Multiple entry – Unlimited entries during the 90 day period

Schengen Visa Application Process at TLS Contact/the Embassy of Belgium in London

TLS Contact recommends you submit your visa application at least 3 weeks prior to your departure date to allow enough time for processing. However, you can apply up to 3 months ahead, so don’t leave it too late!

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Belgium visa:

Step 1: Book an appointment               

Making appointments with the embassy 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, 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

The first thing you need to do is to book an appointment in order to submit your visa application.

1. Go to TLS Contact’s website and click on: “How to Apply”
2. On the next page, scroll down to “Step 3 – Create a TLScontact account and book the appointment”
3. Click on the link
4. Enter your email address
5. Create a password
6. Click on: “I agree with the terms and conditions of service”
7. Click on: “Create”
8. Select a convenient day and time for your appointment
9. Print out your appointment confirmation because you need to hand it over to TLS Contact when you submit your application

Once you register, you will be able to book your appointment, complete your application form, and check the status of your application.

It is possible to submit your application directly to the embassy in London, but you need to make an appointment by sending an email to london.visa@diplobel.fed.be. However, the procedure will be quicker and easier if you submit your application to TLS Contact.

Step 2: Complete your application form

It is mandatory to complete your visa application online on TLS Contact’s Visa on Web system. Go to their website and click on: “How to apply”:

Scroll down to “Step 3 – Register on Visa on Web (MFA website)”:

You will then be directed to Visa on Web where you first need to create an account before completing your application form online. You will receive your application form by email. Print and sign it because you will need to take it with you when you attend your appointment at TLS Contact.

Step 3: Prepare your documents

Step 3 is to prepare your documents in order to submit these, along with your application, to TLS Contact. It’s advisable to understand what is required. If you hand over an incomplete application, it will be rejected. There are document checklists on TLS Contact’s website.

Original documents AND photocopies must be provided. Foreign documents must also be translated into English and properly legalized.

Documents include:

1. Completed Visa on Web application form
2. Passport valid for at least 3 months past your trip with at least 2 free pages. Your passport must be no older than 10 years
3. Copy of the passport bio/photo page
4. Valid UK residence permit – should be valid for 3 months past your trip to Belgium
5. 1 x photograph less than 3 months old. See full guidelines for acceptable photos
6. Proof of relationships – marriage or birth certificate and passport of EU national (for EU family members)
7. Proof of status in the UK – letter from your employer (if you are employed); letter from your school/university (if you are a student); a letter from your accountant (if you are self-employed)
8. Proof of financial means – 3 x bank statements or 3 x payslips; credit card with the latest statement; travelers’ checks for €95 per day
   
9. Documents indicating the purpose of the trip – full itinerary or details of booked trips/tours
10. Fully booked hotel reservation OR invitation letter from your host in Belgium along with host’s  ID/passport and/or residence permit in Belgium
11. Fully paid return flight tickets. Note that Embassies in UK may require actual fully paid tickets for the visa application and not the flight reservation based on the jurisdiction you live in. So double check the embassy requirements within your jurisdiction before submitting the documents for visa application.
12. Schengen Travel insurance covering the entire trip for emergency medical care and/or hospital care or death for at least €30,000
13. Parent’s passports and travel authorization letter (for minors)
14. Details of participation in any type of event
15. Acceptance letter from the university in Belgium with details of the study program

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:

1. Go to TLS Contact with your appointment confirmation, your passport and your completed application and supporting documents – don’t forget anything
2. Your application documents will be checked and you will receive a checklist confirming your submitted documents
3. Arrive on time – if you do not attend the appointment at the agreed time, you will need to book another appointment online

When your application is being checked, the visa officer may question you further about the information you have provided. If this happens, don’t worry, just answer truthfully.

Typical questions include:

1. How many times have you traveled to Belgium?
2. Do you know anyone in the EU?
3. What tours do you have planned when you are in Belgium?
4. Where do you work in the UK?
5. Has your employer agreed to your time off?

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

For each visa application, you will have to pay:

1. Visa fee
2. Service fee
3. Courier fee (if you wish to have your passport returned by mail)

You can pay these fees by Mastercard, Maestro, Visa, Visa Electron, Solo or VCB and they are payable to TLScontact visa application center. If you are submitting your application directly to the embassy, you can pay in cash only. These fees will not be refunded to you, even if your application gets rejected.

You will also provide a scan of your fingerprints and a photo. This biometric data will be uploaded on the Visa Information System (VIS) and will be used by the immigration authorities. If you have previously provided this data within the last 5 years, it can be reused.

Please note, if you have a previous Schengen visa for which the biometric data capture has been taken in the previous 59 months AND you have already received a previous Schengen visa from a Belgian embassy, you may be eligible to send your application to TLS Contact by mail rather than in person.

Please note, your application will be returned to you if:

1. The amount of visa or service fees is not correct
2. You have not included your passport, copy of your UK residency permit, photo, and a completed VisaOnWeb application form as well as all the supporting documents
3. You have not provided biometric data in the last 59 months

Visit TLS Contact’s website for further information on postal applications.

Step 5: Receive your visa

Once you have submitted your application, TLS Contact will send your application to the Immigration Office for processing. You can find out the status of your application by:

1. Logging into your TLS Contact account
2. Telephone: +32 2 793 80 00 (Immigration office in Brussels)
3. Email: infodesk@ibz.fgov.be
4. Immigration Office website

You will need your file number which TLS Contact would have given you when you submitted your application.

When a decision has been reached, TLS Contact will send you a text message and you can either collect your passport from their office or have it returned by mail.

The decision will be either:

1. Approved – you will find your Belgium visa inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason

Common rejection reasons

1. Past criminal actions – if you have been involved in criminal activity in the past, this may affect the outcome of your visa application. If the visa officer thinks you may be a threat in any way, your visa application will be rejected
2. Invitation letter not included – if you are being invited to Belgium by a person or a company etc., you must include an invitation letter
3. You have submitted foreign documents – if any of your documents are in a foreign language, they must be legally translated to English, French, Dutch or German OR carry an Apostille
4. Hotel booking not included – as part of your visa application, you must include details of accommodation while you are in Belgium

Contact details for TLS Contact in London

Address: Suite 18, Exhibition House, Ground Floor, Addison Bridge Place, London W14 8XP

Tel: +44 207 605 6744 – Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 4.30 pm (or you can use the contact form)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30 am – 1.00 pm (for visa applications); 8.30 am – 4.30 pm (for passport returns)

Contact details for the Embassy of Belgium in London

Address: 17, Grosvenor Crescent, London, SW1X 7EE

Phone: +44 20 7470 3770 (Mondays and Thursdays, 2.00 pm – 3.30 pm)

Email: london@diplobel.fed.be (please note, the embassy prefers to be contacted by email only. Please provide – full name, date of birth and passport number)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm (appointments only)

Conclusion

There are just 5 easy steps to follow when you apply for your Belgium Schengen visa:

1. Book an appointment
2. Complete your application form
3. Prepare your documents
4. Attend your appointment
5. Receive your visa

Then, you can start the preparations for your trip to Belgium!

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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