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GENERAL INFORMATION
The visa office is open from 9am until 12 pm only. We close on all U.S. and Belgian national holidays. It is not necessary to schedule an appointment.
The Consulate General of Belgium in Los Angeles handles visa applications for residents in : Alaska – Arizona – California – Colorado – Hawaii – Idaho – Montana – Nevada – Oregon – Utah – Washington – Wyoming – New Mexico – the possessions of American Samoa – Caroline Islands – Guam – the Federated States of Micronesia – Republic of the Marshall Islands. Honorary consulates do not handle visa applications (=Denver, Honolulu, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle).
A citizen of the United States of America or of any country other than a Member State of the European Union who intends to reside in Belgium for a period longer than 90 days, or for a succession of periods totaling more than 90 days per 6 months, must first obtain a temporary residency visa.
Visas must be applied for at least three weeks prior to but not earlier than three months before your intended departure date. Visa processing for non US citizens may take longer. Non US citizens must provide original proof of their residency status in the U.S.
Processing visas for students attending a non-accredited educational institute can take 6 to 8 weeks.
Your application will have to be processed before November 15, 2009 for the current academic year.
The visa is a sticker placed on a blank page inside your passport. The visa is endorsed by the Belgian immigration authority upon your arrival in Belgium. It is issued for one entry only and allows the holder three months’ time to enter Belgium. The code indicated on the visa is linked to the purpose of your stay (as student/family dependent or other).
For legalizations of US documents (apostille) see : http://www.hcch.net/index_en.php?act=authorities.details&aid=353
For legalisations of foreign documents see :
http://www.diplomatie.be/en/services/legalisation/default.asp (foreign document for use in Belgium)
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE VISA FOR STUDENTS (Higher Education)
You may apply in person or by mail. If you apply by mail, we reserve the right, once we have received your complete application, to request a personal interview. We shall contact you without delay if an interview is required.
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Have your signature on one of the application forms notarized by a notary public at your place of residence.
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Applicants are responsible for the cost of return of the passport and original documents. Send a pre-paid federal express airbill.
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Provide a day time telephone number and email address.
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- If you go to our affiliated doctor, no additional fees are required. The only affiliated doctor we have is : Eric DENYS, 2100 Webster Street, Suite 416, San Francisco, CA. 94115. Tel. (415) 923-3055
- If you choose to go to your family physician, his/her signature must be legalized by a notary public
- Should a notary public not be available, proceed as follows :
i. Have your physician complete, date and sign the form (in blue ink)
ii. Request the physician’s office to fax to 1-323-936 2564 3 examples of the physician’s signature, signed on his letterhead.
iii. Send the medical certificate, together with your visa application and a money order for $14.00 the Consulate General who will legalize the signature of the physician
8. A financial support declaration in French or Dutch, according to the language of the school. The sponsor can be any person of your choice, other than yourself. The sponsor must be an individual and not an educational institute or other. Send in a notarized copy of the identity card, driver’s license or passport of the sponsor. If the sponsor is not a US citizen, original proof of immigrant status in the US is required. See paragraph below on how to complete the form.
9. Proof of solvency of the sponsor : As a guideline, the amount of about $ 6,000 should be available to the student on an annual basis (excluding tuition). The sponsor must provide:
a) Two copies of the recent tax return of the sponsor
b) Original and 2 copies of bank statements covering the last 3 months
(e-statements are accepted)
c) Two copies of the worker’s contract of the sponsor, if applicable
d) Original and 2 copies of the statements of earnings of the sponsor over the last 3 months
If the sponsor is self employed, submit two copies of the business license and add 2 copies of the recent tax return of the business.
Original documents will be returned to the student (documents will only be returned to the sponsor upon receipt of a prepaid enveloppe, addressed to the sponsor)
10. Consular fees, payable by separate money orders made out to the Consulate General of Belgium
(no personal checks please):
a) 252.00 USD non refundable visa and handling fee.
b) 14.00 USD fee to legalize signature of the sponsor
c) a Prepaid Federal Express airbill, addressed to the student, for return of passport and original documents
Optional documents with regards to student loans, proof of payment of tuition, or personal funds from the student, can be submitted but do not replace proof of solvency from a sponsor.
Fullbright and BAEF scholars need not submit the financial guarantee form or proof of solvency from a sponsor.
STUDENTS ATTENDING A NON ACCREDITED INSTITUTION MUST SUBMIT, IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE :
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HOW TO COMPLETE THE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE FORM
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Only the French or Dutch form will be accepted; use the following bilingual forms (dutch/english or french/english) as an example on how to complete the unilingual form in either Dutch or French.
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Complete in blue ink, in printed letter, do not use white-out or erase.
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Indicate the last name in capitals letters, first name in small letters.
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Indicate the dates as follows: day/month/year.
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For the duration of the studies: indicate the specific academic year.
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If the spouse and children accompany the student; indicate their full names, if traveling alone, indicate ‘not applicable’, in Flemish ‘niet van toepassing’, in French ‘sans objet’.
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The signature of the sponsor must be preceded by ‘read and approved’, in Flemish ‘Gelezen en goedgekeurd’ or on the French form ‘lu et approuvé’.
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Do not have the signature of the sponsor legalized by a notary public.
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Illegible forms will be returned.
With the exception of items 4,7 and 8, a complete visa application package as for the student, see above, and in addition:
- All certificates of civil status applicable to the spouse and children i.e. certificates of birth, marriage(s), divorce, etc., issued within the passed 6 months and legalized. (see above for information on legalization) (translation is not required).
- Proof of registration of the student (spouse) in Belgium (this would implicate that the spouse can only join the student in Belgium once the student has been issued a visa, has registered in Belgium and has found accommodation.
- Proof of sufficient housing in Belgium. The form is available from the municipal authorities of the city where you intend to reside. Arrangements to obtain accommodations must be made prior to your intended departure. The International Student Office of the university in question may be able to assist you. Please know that the student may have to leave for Belgium to obtain this document prior to the dependents.
- Proof of medical insurance coverage, valid for the first 3 months of your arrival in Belgium, minimum coverage 50 000 US$ and with coverage throughout the Schengen area (international coverage). Copy of an insurance card does not meet this requirement; nor does a letter from the employer confirming that the applicant is covered. Please submit 2 copies of the insurance policy indicating the coverage as above.
To avoid delay, applications for a visa for dependents must be applied for within 3 months of the issuance of the visa for the student.
Do not forget that the sponsor must indicate all dependents on the financial guarantee form and must show sufficient funds for all dependents (his own dependents as well as the student’s; an additional of 150 USD per person)
UPON ARRIVAL IN BELGIUM
Upon arrival in Belgium, you and your family must register with the City Hall of your place of residence in Belgium within 8 days of your arrival.
The local authorities will process your registration identity document that will allow you to enter and leave the country as a legal temporary resident of Belgium.
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