Belgium’s Council of Ministers has approved a five-year concession allowing private service providers to run visa-application centres for 17 groups of Belgian embassies and consulates worldwide. Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to modernise consular services, cut waiting times and free up staff for security-related screening rather than administrative handling. Under the plan – published on 17 October 2026 – external partners will collect Schengen short-stay, long-stay (D) and legalisation files, perform basic data checks, capture biometrics, take fees and return passports. Decision-making authority remains with Belgian consular officers, but first-line contact will shift to commercial visa centres similar to those already used by France, the UK and the Netherlands. Each of the 17 “lots” groups neighbouring countries where one or more new centres must open. Companies will bid in the EU’s Official Journal next month; winning bidders must guarantee data protection under both EU GDPR and Belgium’s stricter 2018 visa-code transposition. The contract can be extended twice, for one year each, giving a potential seven-year runway. For multinationals rotating staff into Belgium, the change promises faster appointments and predictable service levels, especially in high-volume markets such as India, China and Nigeria. Employers should, however, budget for the additional service fee (usually €20-€35 per file) and remind assignees that only the Belgian authorities decide on the outcome. Meanwhile, global mobility teams should review power-of-attorney procedures, as private visa centres often require notarised consent to lodge group files. The Foreign Ministry will publish detailed country lists, biometric exceptions and data-sharing protocols once the tender is awarded. Companies that currently batch-file applications directly at diplomatic posts should prepare to migrate to the new system during the second half of 2027.
