Belgium’s Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs quietly updated its visa portal on 30 June 2026 to announce that the handling charge for national long-stay (D) visas will increase to €250 (or £225 when lodged in the United Kingdom) with effect from 1 July 2026. The fee applies to all applications exceeding 90 days – the main route used by intra-company transferees, graduate trainees, accompanying family members and foreign students.
![Belgium raises D-visa handling fee to €250/£225 from 1 July 2026]()
VisaHQ’s Brussels-based team can simplify the transition by pre-screening documents, scheduling biometric slots and securely expediting passport submissions for both employers and students. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) also provides up-to-date fee calculators and automated reminders, meaning HR managers can adapt budgets instantly and avoid the surcharge surprises outlined above.
Although the country’s work-authorisation rules are largely set by the regional governments, the Immigration Office (DVZ/IBZ) remains the decision-maker for entry and residence. Its budget has come under pressure from record demand – more than 35 000 D-visa files were processed in 2025 – and staffing costs linked to the Entry/Exit System and forthcoming ETIAS roll-out. The FPS says the €40 increase (up from €210) will ensure “cost recovery and service continuity”. The timing is important for corporate travellers: applicants who already secured a biometric appointment dated after 30 June must pay the higher amount when they physically lodge their passports, even if they booked under the old tariff. Sponsoring employers therefore face an immediate, unbudgeted rise of roughly 19 %. While €250 is still below fees charged by several other Schengen states – the Netherlands, for example, bills €320 for many national visas – Belgian trade bodies fear successive price hikes could erode the country’s competitiveness for hosting European headquarters and R&D hubs. Universities have also expressed concern that the increase lands just as non-EU tuition fees are set to rise sharply in Flanders for the 2026/27 academic year. Practical tip: mobility teams should alert assignees with appointments on or after 1 July, revise cost projections in assignment calculators, and verify whether their relocation management company can front the higher outlay to avoid last-minute delays at TLScontact centres.
VisaHQ’s Brussels-based team can simplify the transition by pre-screening documents, scheduling biometric slots and securely expediting passport submissions for both employers and students. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) also provides up-to-date fee calculators and automated reminders, meaning HR managers can adapt budgets instantly and avoid the surcharge surprises outlined above.
Although the country’s work-authorisation rules are largely set by the regional governments, the Immigration Office (DVZ/IBZ) remains the decision-maker for entry and residence. Its budget has come under pressure from record demand – more than 35 000 D-visa files were processed in 2025 – and staffing costs linked to the Entry/Exit System and forthcoming ETIAS roll-out. The FPS says the €40 increase (up from €210) will ensure “cost recovery and service continuity”. The timing is important for corporate travellers: applicants who already secured a biometric appointment dated after 30 June must pay the higher amount when they physically lodge their passports, even if they booked under the old tariff. Sponsoring employers therefore face an immediate, unbudgeted rise of roughly 19 %. While €250 is still below fees charged by several other Schengen states – the Netherlands, for example, bills €320 for many national visas – Belgian trade bodies fear successive price hikes could erode the country’s competitiveness for hosting European headquarters and R&D hubs. Universities have also expressed concern that the increase lands just as non-EU tuition fees are set to rise sharply in Flanders for the 2026/27 academic year. Practical tip: mobility teams should alert assignees with appointments on or after 1 July, revise cost projections in assignment calculators, and verify whether their relocation management company can front the higher outlay to avoid last-minute delays at TLScontact centres.
