BelgiumVisits and short stays

Belgium Medical Treatment Visa

Schengen short-stay visa (type C) – medical treatment

In short

Treatment in a Belgian hospital lasting up to 90 days is done on a Schengen C visa issued for medical purposes. The file must show the diagnosis from your doctor, written acceptance and a cost estimate from the Belgian hospital, and money to pay for treatment and stay.

Apply on Visa on Web (Belgian online visa application) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
Validity
Single, double or multiple entries. Frequent travellers who used earlier visas lawfully can receive multiple-entry visas valid for 1 year, then 2 years, then up to 5 years, never beyond the passport.
Fee
€90Standard Schengen visa fee for applicants aged 12 and over; EUR 45 for children aged 6 to 11, free under 6. An external service provider, where the mission uses one, adds its own service charge. Not refunded after a refusal.
Funds required
€95 per dayBelgian reference amount when you pay for a hotel; EUR 45 per day if you stay with a private host. A host can instead sign a formal obligation (Annex 3bis) legalised by their Belgian municipality.
Processing time
The consulate normally decides within 15 calendar days of a complete application; in individual cases this can be extended up to 45 days.
Work
No paid work. Short business activities such as meetings, negotiations and trade fairs are allowed.
Path to permanent residence
No. A short-stay visa does not lead to residence; long stays require a separate type D visa.
Where to apply
Online form on Visa on Web, then an in-person appointment at the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, or the external service provider it uses.

Medical documents required

Provide a certificate from a doctor or medical institution in your country of residence, an official document from the receiving Belgian institution confirming it can perform the treatment and will admit you, with information on the cost, proof that you can pay for treatment and related expenses, proof of full or partial prepayment where requested, and any correspondence between the doctors.

Required documents

Identity

  • Visa on Web application form, printed and signed (signed by both parents for a minor)

Travel

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after the planned departure from the Schengen area, with two blank pages
  • Flight reservation or other proof of the travel route

Money

  • Bank statements showing the last three months of movements, plus salary slips for the last three months or a pension booklet
  • Proof you can pay the treatment, and prepayment receipt if requested

Work

  • Proof of your occupation: employees an employer letter addressed to the Belgian mission (position, start date, leave dates); business owners company documents; students a certificate of enrolment

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance valid in all Schengen states for the whole stay, covering at least EUR 30,000 including repatriation

Other

  • Proof of accommodation: hotel booking, or Annex 3bis formal obligation from a host in Belgium
  • Medical report from your doctor or hospital
  • Letter from the Belgian hospital: acceptance, planned treatment and estimated cost

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Family

  • Minors travelling alone or with one parent: notarised consent of the other parent or notarised proof of sole custody

Other

  • Correspondence between the referring doctor and the Belgian hospital

Funds for treatment and stay

Besides the treatment cost confirmed by the hospital, show funds for your stay: EUR 95 per day if you pay for accommodation, EUR 45 per day if you stay with a private person, or an Annex 3bis formal obligation from a host. An accompanying relative applies separately with the same purpose and their own funds.

Application route and timing

Start with the online form on Visa on Web, Belgium's visa application portal. You then lodge the application in your country of residence at the competent Belgian embassy or consulate, or at the external service provider it has appointed. The provider receives the file, takes biometrics and returns the passport, but has no role in the decision.

The decision normally comes within 15 days. In justified urgent cases consulates may accept an application later than 15 days before departure.

  1. Obtain the Belgian hospital's written acceptance and cost estimate, and make any prepayment it requires.
  2. Check that Belgium is your main destination (longest stay or main purpose); otherwise apply to the other Schengen state.
  3. Create an account on Visa on Web, fill in the short-stay (C) form and select medical treatment as the purpose.
  4. Book an appointment with the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, or with its external service provider, as the Belgian mission instructs.
  5. Attend in person with the original documents and copies; give fingerprints and photo and pay the visa fee and any service charge.
  6. Follow the progress of the file, for example through your account with the service provider; the Belgian authorities take the decision.
  7. Collect the passport at the centre or by paid courier, and check the visa sticker (dates, entries, days) before travelling.

Forms

After you arrive in Belgium

If you do not stay in a hotel or other lodging that registers guests, you must report your address to the municipality within three working days of arrival and receive a declaration of arrival (Annex 3). Since 10 April 2026 this can also be done online through the Immigration Office's "My Address in Belgium" service. Entering Belgium by air or sea outside an official border crossing point can lead to a EUR 200 administrative fine.

If treatment takes longer

If a medical condition prevents you from leaving before the visa expires, apply for an extension at the municipality before your authorised stay ends, with medical evidence and insurance for the extra period. An extension for force majeure or humanitarian reasons is free. Treatment longer than 90 days requires a type D visa under the general residence rules.

Refusal and remedies

A refusal is notified on the standard EU form with the reasons ticked. Against Belgian short-stay visa decisions you can lodge an appeal with the Council for Alien Law Litigation, generally within 30 days of notification; the decision letter states the remedy. You may also file a new application with stronger documents, paying the fee again.

Frequently asked questions

Does travel insurance have to cover my planned treatment?

No. The mandatory EUR 30,000 travel insurance covers unforeseen emergencies; the planned treatment is proven through the hospital estimate and your own funds or prepayment.

Can a relative accompany me?

Yes. The companion applies for their own C visa, explaining the purpose and showing their own means and insurance.

Can I apply urgently?

Consulates can accept late applications in justified urgent cases, but they are not obliged to. Point out the medical urgency to the competent Belgian mission when you book.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Belgium

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Transit visa Maximum stay: Transit only: the days needed to cross the Schengen area to the next destination
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Residence for the length of studies, renewed yearly
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the research project
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Up to six months, renewable once, in the Flemish "trainee in or after training" category
  • Au pair visa Maximum stay: One year at most, including a single possible renewal

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Tied to the employment contract; Flanders can grant up to three years at once for highly skilled workers
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: For the contract period; after 24 months of Blue Card employment a three-year card is issued
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the transfer authorised by the region
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: 150 days within any 365-day period
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Up to 12 months

Family

Residence

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: Right to stay during the procedure; recognised refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection receive residence permits

Belgium visa guide