A quiet but financially significant change took effect today, 1 July 2026: anyone applying for a Belgian long-stay visa (type D) must now pay an administrative fee of €250. Belgian embassies from London to Seoul updated their websites overnight to reflect the increase, which replaces the former €180 charge set in 2017. The visa D is required for non-EU nationals who intend to reside in Belgium for more than 90 days — including intracompany transferees, EU Blue Card holders, students, researchers and family-reunification cases. The fee is collected by foreign missions at the time of application and transferred to the Immigration Office (DVZ/Office des Étrangers) to cover processing costs. According to consular notices, appointments scheduled after 30 June will only be honoured if the higher amount has been paid; applicants who pre-paid €180 must top up the difference.
![Handling fee for Belgian long-stay (D) visas rises to €250 worldwide]()
For applicants who prefer professional assistance, VisaHQ’s Belgium team (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can monitor fee updates, pre-screen documents and secure the correct appointment slots, reducing the risk of payment glitches and helping both individuals and HR departments navigate the new €250 requirement with confidence.
Certain categories – EU scholarship students, recognised researchers and minors under 18 – remain exempt, and nationals of The Gambia benefit from a reduced €120 tariff following improved cooperation on returns. While a €70 rise may seem modest, it adds to a growing list of expenses facing foreign talent heading to Belgium: regional fees (such as Flanders’ new €180 levy) and higher health-insurance premiums introduced in May. Companies using the Single-Permit route should therefore update cost estimates in assignment budgets and communicate the change to HR partners, relocation vendors and prospective hires. Practitioners also note that the price hike could lengthen queues at visa centres as applicants scramble to reschedule payments. The Immigration Office has not announced any service-level improvements linked to the extra revenue, leaving observers to question whether processing times – currently averaging 9–12 weeks – will improve.
For applicants who prefer professional assistance, VisaHQ’s Belgium team (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can monitor fee updates, pre-screen documents and secure the correct appointment slots, reducing the risk of payment glitches and helping both individuals and HR departments navigate the new €250 requirement with confidence.
Certain categories – EU scholarship students, recognised researchers and minors under 18 – remain exempt, and nationals of The Gambia benefit from a reduced €120 tariff following improved cooperation on returns. While a €70 rise may seem modest, it adds to a growing list of expenses facing foreign talent heading to Belgium: regional fees (such as Flanders’ new €180 levy) and higher health-insurance premiums introduced in May. Companies using the Single-Permit route should therefore update cost estimates in assignment budgets and communicate the change to HR partners, relocation vendors and prospective hires. Practitioners also note that the price hike could lengthen queues at visa centres as applicants scramble to reschedule payments. The Immigration Office has not announced any service-level improvements linked to the extra revenue, leaving observers to question whether processing times – currently averaging 9–12 weeks – will improve.
