Belgium visa requirements for Eritreans

Travel and visa requirements

Basic Travel Requirements for Eritreans visiting Belgium

Travelers are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to apply for a Belgian Visa.

  • A completely filled and signed visa application form.
  • An original passport valid for at least 3 months after exiting from Belgium. Your passport should have at least two blank pages for visa stamps.
  • Two identical passport-sized photographs with a white background that meet the Belgium visa photo specification.
  • Flight reservation for Belgium and return ticket to your home country.
  • Ticket to a third country if you are not returning to Eritrea is required.
  • Proof of accommodation which could be a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from your host in Belgium.
  • Valid medical insurance with a minimum cover of €30,000.
  • Proof of financial sustenance in Belgium.
  • All documents should either be in English, French, Dutch or German.
  • A cover letter detailing the purpose and duration of your trip.
  • You will be required to provide proof of civil status to show you have the incentive to return to your country.
  • A letter of no objection from the appropriate authority is also needed. This could be a letter from your employer if employed or your school if you are a student.
  • Minors are required to submit their original birth certificate along with a consent form signed by both parents.
  • This visa costs €60 for 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6 years.

Belgium Visa for Eritreans

Facts about Belgium

Belgium is a prime tourist site due to its historical landmark, modern architecture and rural idylls. Also, the country is visited by a lot of business tourists. The country is also famous for its long traditions in arts, fashion, and its cuisine. Tourists in the country can be guaranteed of a very good time as there are a lot of things to see all over the city and activities like hiking, biking and camping to engage in. While in the country, there are various festivals to attend at different periods throughout the year. Mussels, Balletjes, Stoemp, Waffles, and other special Belgian delicacies will leave you asking for more, be sure to try these cuisines out.
 
Tourism in Belgium has been on the up since 2009. The number of visitors who visited Belgium in 2009 was just over 12 million which increased to 16 million in 2017. It has been estimated that these numbers will continue to increase in the years to come. The tourism industry generates about 2.8% of Belgium’s gross domestic product and employs about 3.3% of the working population.
 
Foreigners are not allowed to enter or leave the country with more €10,000 or its equivalent in any currency. Avoid wearing expensive jewellery and watches as this may attract petty criminals to you.

Types of Belgium Visa

Types of Visa Processing Time Duration of Stay
Tourist visa 15 days 90 days
Business visa 15 days 90 days
Student visa 15 days Vary
Work visa 15 days More than 90 days

General Requirements for Belgium Visa

  • A completely filled and signed visa application form.
  • An original passport valid for at least 3 months after exiting from Belgium. Your passport should have at least two blank pages for visa stamps.
  • Two identical passport-sized photographs with a white background that meet the Belgium visa photo specification.
  • Flight reservation for Belgium and return ticket to your home country.
  • Ticket to a third country if you are not returning to Eritrea is required.
  • Proof of accommodation which could be a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from your host in Belgium.
  • Valid medical insurance with a minimum cover of €30,000.
  • Proof of financial sustenance in Belgium.
  • All documents should either be in English, French, Dutch or German.
  • A cover letter detailing the purpose and duration of your trip.
  • You will be required to provide proof of civil status to show you have the incentive to return to your country.
  • A letter of no objection from the appropriate authority is also needed. This could be a letter from your employer if employed or your school if you are a student.
  • Minors are required to submit their original birth certificate along with a consent form signed by both parents.
  • This visa costs €60 for 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6 years.
Belgium Tourist visa Belgium Business visa Belgium Student visa Belgium Work visa

Belgium Tourist Visa Eligibility & Requirements

  • The tourist visa is for Foreign tourists travelling to Belgium for recreation, sightseeing and relaxation purposes. This visa allows you to visit friends and relatives in the country.
  • You can also attend festivals and events while you are in Belgium.
  • If you apply for a Belgian tourist visa, you are a Schengen visa holder; but before transiting to other Schengen countries with the Belgian tourist visa, you have to visit Belgium first.
  • The Belgium tourist visa is issued to applicants who intend to spend not more than 90 days in Belgium.
  • Hotel reservations or an invitation letter from your host in Belgium to serve as proof of accommodation is needed. The invitation letter should have details of your trip as well as the home address and telephone number of your host.
  • With this visa, you cannot be a student in any of the schools in Belgium.
  • If employed, a letter of no objection from your current employer in your country is required. This letter will serve as proof that your employer is aware of your leave of absence for the duration of your trip.
  • Eritrean citizens should apply for a Belgian visa in neighboring countries where Belgium has Diplomatic Mission, as there is currently no Denmark consulate in your country.
  • Visitors on the Belgian or other country's Schengen visa, are not permitted to take up paid employment while in Belgium or other Schengen countries with this visa.
  • During your time in the country, you are not allowed to seek public funds.
  • If you are retired, proof of retirement funds should be presented.
  • The visa is eligible for a stay of 90 days spreading over a period of 180 days and is usually processed in about 15 days.
  • This visa for adults costs €60 for 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6 years.
  • All the documents that Eritrean citizens will be presented when applying for a Belgian visa, must be translated to English and the documents must be accompanied by the original ones.

Belgium Business Visa Eligibility & Requirements

  • Eritreans traveling to Belgium for business activities will need the Belgian business visa to conduct their business.
  • This visa has a 90 days stay duration as it is a short-stay visa, spreading over a period of 180 days in one calendar year.
  • The processing time for your visa is done within 15 days if all your information supplied to the visa application form are duly filled and accurate and your documents required are complete, but your visa processing may exceed 15 days to 30 or more days if there are issues with your information or the Belgian consulate are trying to verify your information.
  • You will need to provide a letter from the Belgian company you will be visiting. This letter will also contain their detailed address, accompanied by the date of your arrival into the country and the actual purpose of your trip.
  • If the intention is to attend a meeting or seminar, confirmation/invitation from the conference organizer/institution is required.
  • The invitation letter must also mention how the expenses of the applicant is going to be covered during his/her travel. It must be made clear whether it will be sponsored by the employer or the local company.
  • No-Objection letter may be required from you in some cases. The letter is to validate your current status and state your permission to travel into the country to the Belgian embassy. This letter is acquired from your employer or other correlating authorities.
  • You will need to present a certificate from your employer stating or allowing your business travel, if employed.
  • Your bank statement from the last 6 months is needed. Self-employed people will submit proof of business registration.
  • You cannot be employed while you are in the country with this visa. If you want to work in Belgium, you will have to exit your business visit and re-apply for the country's work visa or work permit.
  • Having a visa does not necessarily mean you will be allowed to enter Belgium. Upon checking your documents, the Belgian border officer will give the final decision whether you should be permitted to enter Belgium or not.
  • If everything looks okay, you will be allowed to enter Belgium, and thus the Schengen Area. Make sure the Belgian border officer gives you an entry stamp in your passport when you enter Belgium. Without a stamp, you could be fined or detained in Belgium.
  • Your documents in Arabic language must be translated into English or Belgian language and must be submitted along with the original document(Arabic written).

Belgium Student Visa Eligibility & Requirements

  • The Belgium student visa is for students who aim to study in a Belgian learning institution.
  • Documents submitted for this visa application must contain original and 2 clear photocopies for application.
  • To be eligible for this visa, Applicants are required to present documents showing that they have been offered admission into an institution in Belgium.
  • Foreign nationals must show proof that they satisfy the conditions for access to studying in Belgium. This proof could be academic results or previously obtained learning certificates.
  • The student visa is a national long-stay visa which allows you to stay longer than 90 days in Belgium.
  • A medical certificate not older than 6 months and stating that you do not carry any infectious diseases or diseases that require quarantine is required.
  • Proof of financial sustenance for the entire stay in Belgium is needed. This proof could be a valid scholarship offer, recent bank statement, letter attesting sponsorship and a valid ID of your sponsor.
  • All the documents that you will present when applying for a Belgian visa, must be translated to English, accompanied by the original ones.
  • An enrollment certificate allowing attendance of courses in Belgium is required.
  • Holder of this visa can work part-time when school is in session and full-time when the school is on a break as long as the work does not affect his/her studies.
  • This visa can be extended to cover the duration of your study in the country.
  • A certificate of good conduct not older than 6 months to the date of the application is required to show you have not been convicted for any crimes. 
  • The visa like other Schengen student visas costs €60 for adults, €35 for children within the range of 12-6years  and visa-free for under the age of 5years and is usually processed in 15 days.

Belgium Work Visa Eligibility & Requirements

  • This visa is meant for people who travel to Belgium to secure employment in the country.
  • Unlike tourist and business visa holders, they are entitled to receiving payment for the job done during their time in the country.
  • The Applicant's employer in Belgium should provide a letter of invitation stating that you have been employed in his/her company.
  • Belgian work visa is regarded as a long-stay visa term, you need to apply for a work permit while applying for this visa. This work permit could be applied for by your employer.
  • There are three types of work permit in Belgium:
  • C permit which is valid for all professions and all employers. It is valid for a limited time and must be renewed annually.
  • B permit which is valid for one employer and runs for one year, after which it can be renewed (by the same employer, usually for the same job or job classification). If you change employers, your new employer must apply for a new B permit. You may find that you have to return to your home country and re-apply for a residence visa before you can start your new job.
  • Once you have renewed a B permit four or more times or have lived and worked in Belgium for four years on the same permit, you will get an unlimited A permit.
  • An A permit allows you to work for any employer in Belgium for an unlimited period of time. These permits are issued only to foreigners that have lived and worked in Belgium for four years on a B permit and those with ten years of uninterrupted legal residence in the country.
  • The B permit is the standard form of work permit for most foreigners.
  • You must give your potential employer a certificate of good health and three passport-size photos, which he then submits along with a copy of the proposed employment contract to the Ministry of Labour in Belgium.
  • Before issuing the work permit, the Ministry of Labour must confirm that there is no Belgian or other EU national who can fill the position and they may send the employer candidates for the job from their lists of Belgians drawing unemployment benefits.
  • In the case of managerial positions, the permit is usually granted with little or no question. It can take up to 12 weeks for a B permit to be granted.
  • If you are travelling with your spouse, your original marriage certificate should be provided during the visa application process.
  • This visa does not allow you to study in the country.
  • You are required to obey all the rules of this visa during your time in the country.
  • The processing time for this visa is usually 15 days.
  • This visa costs €60 for 12 years and above, €35 for children between 6-11 and is free for children under 6 years.

Belgium Visa Fees

Visa Type

Sub Types

Visa Fees

Tourist visa

60.00 (EUR)

Business visa

60.00 (EUR)

Student visa

60.00 (EUR)

Work visa

60.00 (EUR)

Belgium Visa Application Centres & Embassies in Eritrea

Location

Address

Asmara

Belgian Honorary Consulate in Asmara, Eritrea Zone 5, Subzone 01, House n°21 P.O. Box 3030 Asmara, Eritrea

(+291) (1) 12.66.95

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the official currency of the Kingdom of Belgium before the adoption of the Euro in 2002?

The Belgian franc was the currency of the Kingdom of Belgium from 1832 until 2002 when the Euro was introduced.

How safe is Belgium for me to travel to as a tourist?

Belgium is very safe with a low crime rate, but some cities are known to be rough and have some dangerous parts. However, make sure you have a safe trip in Belgium and be aware of all potential dangers.

Where are the nice places to visit in Belgium?

Belgium has a lot of beautiful cities to visit. Places like Bruges, A Medieval city popular for its 13th-century belfry, canals and handmade lace and Brussels, the Belgian capital and European Union headquarter and Ghent the Flemish port city known for medieval landmarks, museums, cultural festival, and winding canals.

How many sea ports are in Belgium?

There are four Sea ports with a range of inland ports in Belgium