Planning to study in Belgium for more than 90 days? As a Nepali student, you will need a long-stay D Visa — a Belgian national visa separate from the Schengen C visa. This guide covers the complete process specifically for applicants based in Nepal, including fees, documents, the VFS New Delhi appointment, and the medical certificate you can get right here in Kathmandu.
First: Which Visa Do You Need?
Belgium issues two categories of visa relevant to Nepali applicants:
- Short-stay Schengen C Visa (up to 90 days) — for tourism, short visits, or business. If this is all you need, you do not go to New Delhi. Belgium is represented for C visas by the Swiss Embassy in Kathmandu. Apply there directly.
- Long-stay D Visa (more than 90 days) — required for university enrolment, degree programmes, au pair, and vocational training. This is the visa most Nepali students need, and it must be applied for through VFS Global in New Delhi. The rest of this guide covers the D visa process.
⚠️ Belgium has no visa department in Nepal for long-stay visas. All D visa applications from Nepal are processed through the VFS Global Visa Application Center in New Delhi, which covers applicants from Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. You will need to travel to New Delhi in person for your biometrics appointment.
Visa Fees (2026)
Belgium’s visa fees are updated periodically. The figures below reflect current rates — always verify the latest amounts at dofi.ibz.be before applying, as the Immigration Office explicitly warns that fees change regularly.
Handling Fee (paid to VFS/Embassy)
- Long-stay D Visa: €180 (paid in Indian Rupees at current exchange rate at the VFS centre)
- Plus VFS service charge: INR 2,226 per application (Delhi centre rate, inclusive of GST)
Additional Contribution Fee (paid to Belgian Immigration Office)
A separate contribution fee is payable directly to Belgium’s Immigration Office for certain D visa categories including student visas:
- €236 — private universities, au pair programmes, special humanitarian cases
- €245 — public universities
⚠️ These contribution fee amounts were last confirmed in mid-2025 and may have been updated for 2026. Check the current rate at dofi.ibz.be before making payment.
How to Pay the Contribution Fee
Transfer the contribution fee in Euros directly to the Belgian Immigration Office before your VFS appointment:
- Bank: BPOST SA, Centrum Monnaie, 1000 Brussels
- IBAN: BE57 6792 0060 9235
- BIC: PCHQBEBB
- Payment reference: Your full name + nationality + date of birth (DDMMYYYY)
⚠️ If you make a payment error, do not pay again. Email infodesk@ibz.fgov.be with proof of payment to resolve it. The contribution fee is non-refundable even if your visa is refused.
⚠️ Dollar/foreign currency cards: Several readers have asked about paying VFS fees with dollar cards. The VFS Delhi centre accepts cash only — card payments are not accepted at the Delhi location. Bring exact Indian Rupees in cash for the handling fee and VFS service charge on the day of your appointment. The contribution fee to the Belgian Immigration Office is a separate bank transfer in Euros — use your bank’s international transfer service from Nepal before travelling to Delhi.
Required Documents for the Belgium Student D Visa
Download the official Visa D for Students checklist (PDF, updated March 2026) from the Belgian Embassy New Delhi website. The standard documents required are:
- Valid passport — minimum 12 months validity beyond your intended stay, at least 2 blank pages. Bring photocopies of all pages including the cover.
- Completed visa application form — fill online via Visa on Web, print, and sign.
- University admission/enrolment letter — official letter from your Belgian institution confirming acceptance into a registered programme.
- Proof of financial means — evidence you can support yourself during your stay. This includes bank statements (ideally showing at least 6 months of financial history), scholarship letters if applicable, or a sponsor’s financial guarantee with their supporting documents.
- Health insurance — valid for your entire stay in Belgium. Must cover medical costs, hospitalisation, and emergency repatriation.
- Proof of accommodation — university housing confirmation, lease agreement, or host family letter.
- Proof of payment — both the handling fee receipt (VFS) and the contribution fee bank transfer receipt (Belgian Immigration Office). Both must be presented at the time of application — without proof of the contribution fee payment, your application is inadmissible and will not be processed.
- Cover letter — explaining your study purpose, programme details, and the address to which your passport should be returned after processing.
- Medical certificate — required for D visa applications. See the Kathmandu option below.
- Legalised official documents — birth certificate, academic certificates, police clearance, and any other official Nepali government documents must be legalised before submission. See the legalisation section below.
Medical Certificate — Get It in Kathmandu
Many Nepali applicants don’t realise you don’t need to get your medical examination done in New Delhi. The Belgian Embassy has certified a doctor in Kathmandu:
Nepal International Clinic (also known as Travel and Mountain Medicine Center)
GPO Box 3596, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 434 642
Get your medical certificate from this clinic before travelling to New Delhi. It will be accepted by the Belgian Embassy. This saves you the cost and complexity of arranging a medical in India.
Document Legalisation — A Step Many Students Miss
All official Nepali government documents (birth certificate, academic certificates/diplomas, police clearance certificate, affidavits) must be legalised before you submit them in your visa file. Unlegalised documents will cause your application to be rejected or delayed.
Legalisation in Nepal typically means obtaining an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Kathmandu, or following the legalisation chain required by Belgian authorities. Documents not originally in English must also be translated by a sworn translator into one of Belgium’s national languages (French, Dutch, or German). Check the full legalisation process at the Belgian Embassy legalisation page.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Get your university admission letter. You must have an official acceptance from a Belgian institution before starting the visa process. Without this, you cannot apply.
- Pay the contribution fee via bank transfer. Transfer the correct amount in Euros to the Belgian Immigration Office IBAN (details above) and keep the bank receipt. This must be done before your VFS appointment.
- Get your medical certificate in Kathmandu. Visit Nepal International Clinic (details above) for your Belgian Embassy-approved medical certificate.
- Legalise your official documents. Get your Nepali government-issued documents apostilled at MoFA Kathmandu and translated if necessary. Allow 1–2 weeks for this process.
- Complete the Visa on Web application form. Fill in your application at visaonweb.diplomatie.be. Print and sign it.
- Book your VFS appointment. Appointments open on the first Monday of every month for the following month at the VFS Global website. Slots fill extremely fast — be ready at the exact opening time.
- Travel to New Delhi for your appointment. Attend in person at the VFS Global centre. Bring all original documents, photocopies, and exact cash in Indian Rupees for fees. Biometrics (fingerprints + digital photograph) are collected at this appointment.
- Your passport is returned to you temporarily. After submission the embassy will contact you when your visa is processed. Processing time varies — apply at least 3 months before your intended travel date.
- Collect your passport. Once approved, collect in person, via an authorised family member (with authorisation letter, their ID, and your receipt), or via courier to your home or office address only — not to travel agencies.
Checking Your Application Status
Once your file is submitted to Belgium’s Immigration Office, you will receive a file number from the embassy. Use this number to track your application at dofi.ibz.be or by contacting:
- Address: Boulevard Pacheco 44, 1000 Brussels
- Phone: +32 2 793 80 00
- Email: infodesk@ibz.fgov.be
For visa-specific questions before applying, contact the Belgian Embassy New Delhi at newdelhi.visa@diplobel.fed.be.
Quick Tips Summary
- Apply at least 3 months before your intended travel date — processing times are unpredictable
- Book your VFS appointment on the first Monday of the month — slots go fast
- Cash only at VFS Delhi — no cards accepted
- Get your medical done in Kathmandu — no need to arrange it in New Delhi
- Legalise all official documents before travelling to Delhi — missing this will cause rejection
- Verify current contribution fee amounts at dofi.ibz.be immediately before paying — fees are updated regularly
- The contribution fee is non-refundable even if your visa is refused
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