Basic Travel Requirements for Burkinabes visiting
Belgium
Travelers are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to
apply for a Belgian Visa.
- A Burkina Faso passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended arrival date and must have 2 blank pages for visa stamp.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- If the applicant is a minor, the parents/legal guardians have to sign the form.
- Passport-size photographs (35 mm x 45 mm) taken in white background.
- Travel document.
- Proof of financial support.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Copy of return flight ticket.
- Documentation showing applicant’s ties to home country, e.g. verification from applicant’s employer.
- Documentation confirming the purpose of travel.
- Copy of travel itinerary.
Belgium Visa for Burkinabes
Facts about Belgium
Belgium is a prime tourist site due to its historical landmark, modern architecture and rural idylls. Also, the country is visited by a lot of business tourists. The country is also famous for its long traditions in arts, fashion, and its cuisine. Tourists in the country can be guaranteed of a very good time as there are a lot of things to see all over the city and activities like hiking, biking and camping to engage in. While in the country, there are various festivals to attend at different periods throughout the year. Mussels, Balletjes, Stoemp, Waffles, and other special Belgian delicacies will leave you asking for more, be sure to try these cuisines out.
Tourism in Belgium has been on the up since 2009. The number of visitors who visited Belgium in 2009 was just over 12 million which increased to 16 million in 2017. It has been estimated that these numbers will continue to increase in the years to come. The tourism industry generates about 2.8% of Belgium’s gross domestic product and employs about 3.3% of the working population.
Foreigners are not allowed to enter or leave the country with more €10,000 or its equivalent in any currency. Avoid wearing expensive jewellery and watches as this may attract petty criminals to you.
Types of Belgium Visa
| Types of Visa | Processing Time | Duration of Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa | 15 – 30 days | 90 days |
| Business visa | 15 – 30 day | 90 days |
| Work visa | 15 – 30 days | 1 year + |
General Requirements for Belgium Visa
- A Burkina Faso passport valid for at least 6 months from the intended arrival date and must have 2 blank pages for visa stamp.
- Duly completed and signed visa application form.
- If the applicant is a minor, the parents/legal guardians have to sign the form.
- Passport-size photographs (35 mm x 45 mm) taken in white background.
- Travel document.
- Proof of financial support.
- Proof of accommodation.
- Copy of return flight ticket.
- Documentation showing applicant’s ties to home country, e.g. verification from applicant’s employer.
- Documentation confirming the purpose of travel.
- Copy of travel itinerary.
Belgium Tourist Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- Burkinabés planning to visit Belgium for a short-term trip can apply for a tourist Schengen Visa to Belgium.
- This visa is valid for 90 days.
- The Schengen visa allows barrier-free travel between all its member states, however, if you want to apply for a visa through the Belgium embassy, you need to be sure whether you are either going to spend most of your travel time in Belgium or you intend to enter other Schengen regions through a Belgian city. This information will be asked of you during your visa interview.
- Belgian authorities offer you the opportunity to choose in which of the three national languages of Belgium you wish your application to be treated (French, German or Dutch). On the other hand, if you choose to complete the application in English, please choose “no preference”.
- You are required to submit a document, which confirms that you have purchased travel insurance for Belgium and the whole territory of Schengen, with a minimum of €30,000 coverage for medical emergencies, and repatriation in case of death.
- Proof of sufficient financial means for the period of stay in Belgium must be provided. According to the Belgian Immigration Office, a traveler has to attest possessing €95 per day if staying in a hotel, and €45 when planning to get accommodated by cheaper means.
- You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Belgium are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
- Emergency services are efficient and responsive. For police emergencies, dial 101 by phone within Belgium. For all other emergencies, dial 112.
- The Belgian tourist visa does not serve study purposes. You cannot be enrolled in any of the institutions of learning in the country.
- You are also not allowed to take up paid work on this visa.
Belgium Business Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- The Belgium business visa is for Burkinabés looking to travel for business purposes.
- You will need to provide a letter from the Belgian company you will be visiting. This letter will also contain their detailed address, accompanied b the date and actual purpose of your trip.
- If the intention is to attend a meeting or seminar, confirmation/invitation from the conference organizer/institution is required.
- The invitation letter must also mention how the expenses of the applicant are going to be covered during his/her travel. It must be made clear whether it will be sponsored by the employer or the local company.
- In most cases, you will also need to submit a ‘no-objection’ letter. This letter is required to validate your current status and assure the embassy that your have permission to travel. A no-objection letter is typically obtained from your employer or school authorities.
- If you are employed, you will have to present a certificate from your employer stating or allowing your business travel.
- Your bank statement from the last 6 months is needed. Self-employed people will submit proof of business registration.
- You cannot be gainfully employed while you are in the country with this visa.
- Having a visa does not necessarily mean you will be allowed to enter Belgium. Upon checking your documents, the Belgian border officer will give the final decision whether you should be permitted to enter Belgium or not.
- Once you pose no threat, you will be allowed to enter Belgium and any Schengen Area. Make sure the Belgian border officer gives you an entry stamp in your passport when you enter Belgium. Without a stamp, you could be fined or detained in Belgium.
Belgium Work Visa Eligibility &
Requirements
- Burkinabés planning on taking jobs in Belgium should get a work permit first.
- Foreigners must have a work permit, usually applied for by their potential employer, in order to be legally entitled to work in the country.
- Generally, you need to have a work permit before you can apply for a long-stay visa in Belgium.
- The work permit is also known as a Blue Card in Belgium.
- There are three types of work permit in Belgium:
- C work permit- is valid for all professions and all employers. It is valid for a limited time and must be renewed each year.
- B-work permit – valid for one employer and runs for one year, after which it can be renewed (by the same employer, usually for the same job or job classification). If you change employers, your new employer must apply for a new B permit. You may find that you have to return to your home country and re-apply for a residence visa before you can start your new job! Once you’ve renewed a B permit four or more times, i.e. have lived and worked in Belgium for four years on the same permit, you can receive an unlimited A permit.
- A-work permit – allows you to work for any employer in Belgium for an unlimited period of time. These permits are issued only to any foreigner who has lived and worked in Belgium for four years on a B permit and those with ten years’ uninterrupted (legal) residency in Belgium.
- The B permit is the standard form of work permit for most foreigners. Applying for a B permit is the responsibility of the employer wishing to hire a non-EU foreigner.
- You must give your potential employer a certificate of good health and three passport-size photos, which he then submits along with a copy of the proposed employment contract to the Ministry of Labour.
- Before issuing the work permit, the Ministry of Labour must determine that there’s no Belgian or other EU national who can fill the position and they may send the employer candidates for the job from their lists of Belgians drawing unemployment benefit.
- In the case of managerial positions, the permit is usually granted with little or no question. It can take up to 12 weeks for a B permit to be granted.
- Some categories of foreign employees and self-employed (EU citizens, too) must declare their activities in Belgium before starting to work in Belgium. This is called LIMOSA Declaration.
Belgium Visa Fees
Tourist visa
60.00 (EUR)
Business visa
60.00 (EUR)
Work visa
60.00 (EUR)
Belgium Visa Application Centres & Embassies in
Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou
Belgian Embassy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Blauwduifweg 5 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso
www.diplomatique.be/ouagadougou/
ouagadougou@diplbel.org
(+226) 50.31.21.64