Check with the office. The official pages for this service leave out some details, or are older than a year. Use this page as a starting point and confirm fees and documents before you apply.
Anyone, including Australian citizens, planning to stay in Belgium more than 90 days for study, research, work, working holiday, family reunion or retirement needs a Belgian long-stay (Type D) visa. It is lodged through VFS and decided under Belgian immigration rules.
Where to apply in Australia
VFS Global Visa Application Centres in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth; Royal Belgian Embassy in Canberra for people in Queensland, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, South Australia or more than 2 hours from a centre.
Residents of QLD, TAS, NT, SA or more than 2 hours from a centre email the embassy (canberra@diplobel.fed.be) for alternative lodgement instructions. Official/diplomatic passport holders and family members of EU citizens apply directly at the embassy by appointment.
Contact details for every office are on the page of the embassy and consulates of Belgium.
How to apply
Register on VisaOnWeb, complete the form, print and sign it | download the VFS checklist for the category | book a VFS appointment | attend in person for submission and biometrics
Applications are handled through VFS Global Visa Application Centres in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, https://visa.vfsglobal.com/aus/en/bel.
Documents you need
- Printed VisaOnWeb form
- Category checklist from VFS
- Medical certificate, criminal history check and apostille as applicable
- Biometrics
Fees and processing time
- Official fee: long-stay (D) visa EUR 250 from 1 Jul 2026 (work and study also EUR 250); EUR 0 for family reunification with EU citizens over 18
- Service provider: VFS service fee not published on the pages read
Processing time: Not published on the embassy page (refers to VFS and the Belgian Immigration Office).
Good to know
Refusals can be appealed to the Council for Alien Law Litigation within 30 days by registered post. Fees from the FPS Foreign Affairs central schedule 'Fees for consular services' (file dated 2026-06, changes effective 1 Jul-1 Sep 2026); the Australian embassy's own fee page (consular-fees) lists no amounts, says fees are paid in AUD at the posted rate, and the embassy fee PDF effective 1 Oct 2026 could not be located.
Official sources
- australia.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-belgium/visa-belgium
- australia.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/consular-services/consular-fees
- diplomatie.belgium.be/sites/default/files/2026-06/Fees-for-consular…
Check before you apply
This page summarises information published by Belgium's official channels, last checked on 24 octubre 2026. Fees and requirements can change at short notice, so confirm with the office that will handle your case.
Spotted a change? Let us know.