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STUDYING IN BELGIUM – STUDENT VISA

A student visa can be issued to foreign students wishing to pursue higher education or
spend a preparatory year ahead of higher education in an educational establishment
organized, recognized or subsidized by the Belgian government (article 58) or wishing to
pursue higher education in a private educational establishment (article 9).

IMPORTANT

Before submitting the visa application, all foreign official documents must be
legalized consecutively by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country that
issued the documents and by the competent Embassy of Belgium.

For more information on legalization check: http://rwanda.diplomatie.belgium.be/fr

All files must consist of one set of original documents + 2 complete sets of clear,
legible photocopies of every original document submitted (passport included).

When you apply for this type of visa an additional fee to Home Office has to be paid
except for scholarship holders of the Belgian Development Cooperation or its indirect
actors. Please check the
https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/FR/Actualites/Pages/La_redevance.aspx to find out the
correct amount. The additional fee has to be paid before submitting the visa application.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

1. Proof of payment of the additional fee to Home Office Brussels.

2. A travel document (e.g. national passport) valid for at least 15 months, in which a
visa can be affixed.

3. One signed national visa application form filled out on the website Visa On Web:
https://visaonweb.diplomatie.be/

4. 3 recent pictures (35 x 45 mm - white background).

5. Proof of registration or admission in an educational establishment:

➢ Attestation of registration or admission in a program of courses of university or

non-university higher education (article 58) or

➢ Attestation of registration for an admission examination (a test or set of test

which must be passed before registration) – (article 58) or

➢ Attestation of registration for a preparatory year ahead of higher education

together with proof of the preparatory character of the education with regard to
the higher studies envisaged (detailed study plan, supporting letter, an
attestation by the relevant higher education establishment authorizing the
student to register at the end of the preparatory year) – (article 58) or

➢ Attestation of registration in a program of courses of higher education in a private

educational establishment together with a motivation letter (article 9).

Studying in Belgium – Student visa

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6. Proof that you satisfy the conditions for access to the Belgian higher education
system.

➢ Secondary school diploma or attestation (non-legalized)

➢ Academic results obtained during the last academic year (non-legalized)

➢ If applicable ‘équivalence’ (mandatory for studies in the French Community of

Belgium)

➢ Every degree or certificate obtained after secondary education (Bachelor, Master,

etc. non-legalized)

Only the last obtained degree has to be legalized

7. Proof that you have sufficient means of subsistence:

➢ Attestation of scholarship from a Belgian institution in the framework of the

Belgian development cooperation, from another Belgian administration, a third
country, an international institution.

➢ The commitment that charge will be taken (Annex 32) together with proof of
regular income of the sponsor.

Requirement to be able to act as a sponsor

Person of minimum 18 years old and having:

▪ the Belgian nationality, or

▪ a citizen of the European Union having a right of residence for more than 3
months in Belgium or in another member state of the European Union, or

▪ a citizen of a third country having a right of residence for an indefinite period

in Belgium or in another member state of the European Union, or

▪ a family member up to the third degree. The family ties have to be

proven with literal copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates
etc. and have to legalized at least 6 months before the submission of
the visa application.

Your sponsor is resident in Belgium:

The sponsor must register the commitment that charge will be taken with the
municipal administration which dates the document and legalizes his signature.
The student will submit this sponsorship form together with his visa application.
He will also submit:

- copy of the identity card/residence permit of the sponsor

- documents proving the sponsor has sufficient regular income to honor his
commitment towards the student (see below ‘documents proving regular
income’)

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Your sponsor is resident in the student’s country of residence:

The sponsor must register the commitment that charge will be taken with the
Belgian Embassy/Consulate competent for his place of residence, which will date
the document and legalize his signature. The student will submit this sponsorship
form together with his application. He will also submit:

- copy of the identity card of the sponsor

- documents proving the sponsor has sufficient regular income to honor his
commitment towards the student (see below ‘documents proving regular
income’)

Your sponsor resides in a third country:

The sponsor must register the commitment that charge will be taken with the
Belgian Embassy/Consulate competent for his place of residence, which will date
the document and legalize his signature. The sponsor will also submit documents
proving he has sufficient regular income to honor his commitment towards the
student (see below ‘documents proving regular income’). The consulate
stamps the commitment that charge will be taken ‘Sufficient solvency’ when it
considers that the sponsor does indeed have sufficient resources to take charge
of the student.
The student will submit this sponsorship form together with his application. He
will also submit:

- copy of the identity card of the sponsor

Documents proving regular income:

(a) The sponsor is an employed natural person:
- Last 3 pay slips + salary account over the past 12 months
- Employer’s attestation + employment contract mentioning type and
duration of the contract.
- Most recent notice of assessment (tax clearance of the last fiscal year)

(b) The sponsor is a self-employed natural person:

- Most recent notice of assessment (tax clearance of the last fiscal year)
- Proof of payment of social contributions
- VAT registration number (Memorandum of Articles of the company)
- Registration on the commercial register (CAC-certificate)
- Company bank account over the past 12 months + personal bank
account(s) over the past 12 months.

Attention: the visa application must contain the legalized sponsorship

form. If the sponsorship form in the visa file is not legalized by the Embassy prior
to submission of the file, the sponsor will not be contacted and the visa will most
probably be refused.

for the academic year 2022-2023 the sponsor needs to prove a regular income of
at least 2468,98€ monthly. (730€ for the student + 1738,98€ for the sponsor
himself).

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8. If you are over 18 years a certificate attesting the lack of any convictions for crimes
or offences under common law issued not more than six months prior to the date of
application by the competent authorities of your place of official residence (police
character certificate). This document has to be legalized.

9. A medical certificate issued by a Belgian Embassy approved medical doctor issued

not more than six months prior to the date of application. Please check the list of
approved medical practitioners on our website.

10. If you are already in possession of a medical insurance covering your medical
expenses during your stay in Belgium please submit this document as well.

Documents should be arranged in the above order and be followed by their

copies in the same order.

Additional documents may be requested by the Embassy and most applicants will be
invited for an interview.

Please submit your application in time to avoid any disappointment. If your visa
application is admissible (which means all requested documents (with possible exception
of the medical insurance) a decision will be taken within 3 months after submission of
the application.

The above mentioned type D visa is a national long stay visa and requires registration in
the Belgian population registers within 8 days of arrival.

A complete file does not necessarily guarantee the issuance of a visa. Furthermore an
incomplete file often results in a visa refusal.

RECOMMENDATION

For more detailed information regarding visa (different types of visa,

documents to be presented, conditions, exceptions, processing times, etc.)
please consult the website of the Federal Public Service Home Affairs -
Immigration Office: www.dofi.fgov.be

Studying in Belgium – Student visa

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