News

From 1 July 2026, the fee for long-stay visa (D visa) applications will increase to €250.

If you already have an appointment scheduled on or after 1 July 2026, the new fee will apply when you submit your visa application.

Please ensure that you pay the updated fee on the day of your appointment.

From 9 July 2026, Algeria will join the Hague Apostille Convention. As a result, public documents issued by Algerian authorities and intended for use in Belgium will generally require an apostille instead of the traditional legalisation process.

Public documents

If your document is considered a public document by the Algerian authorities, you must obtain an apostille from the competent Algerian authority. This apostille replaces the previous legalisation chain.

The embassy of Belgium is not involved in this procedure.

Other documents

Documents that are not considered public documents by the Algerian authorities will continue to require legalisation before they can be used in Belgium.

Applications for document legalisation must be submitted through TLScontact legalisation services.

Individual signatures

Requests for the legalisation of individual signatures (Annex 32, powers of attorney, etc.) must continue to be submitted directly to the embassy by appointment.

To request an appointment, please contact: algiers.visa@diplobel.fed.be.

For more information, please consult the HCCH website.

As of 10 April 2026, the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational across Schengen countries, including Belgium. At the same time, Belgium has introduced a simplified online arrival declaration process for short-stay travellers.

What is the Entry/Exit System (EES)?

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system that registers non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay each time they cross the external borders of participating European countries.

Instead of stamping passports, the system records:

• Entry and exit dates
• Biometric data (fingerprints and facial image)
• Information from travel documents
• Refusals of entry

This applies to travellers staying up to 90 days within any 180-day period, whether they require a visa or not. No prior action is required from travellers.

For more information, check the EU website.

Arrival Declaration in Belgium: New Online Process

Any person entering Belgium for a short stay (up to 90 days within a 180-day period) must declare their presence within three days of arrival, unless they are staying in a hotel, hospital, or prison.

Since 10 April 2026, travellers can complete their arrival declaration online via the electronic form: My Address in Belgium (MAB).

This means you no longer need to register your arrival at the local municipal administration.

Non-EU foreign nationals registered for the entrance examination in medicine and dentistry in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation on 27 August 2026 must apply for a C visa, and no longer a D visa as was the case in the previous three years.

Eligibility criteria for the examination

Candidates must meet two conditions:

• Meet the general conditions for access to higher education studies referred to in Article 107 of the Decree of 7 November 2013 defining the landscape of higher education and the academic organisation of studies in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation;
• Be admitted to the entrance and admission examination in medicine and dentistry organised by the Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES).

Examination date and registration procedure

Registration for the examination is open from 18 May 2026 to 5 July 2026 included. Candidates must register on an online platform: www.concoursmd.be.

The examination will take place on Thursday 27 August 2026 at Brussels Expo. Candidates must be physically present (written selection test).

Visa application process for students wishing to sit the examination

Non-resident candidates must apply for a C visa, and no longer a D visa as was the case in the three previous years.

The documents to be submitted with the C visa application are as follows:

• A certificate of registration for the medicine and dentistry entrance examination issued by ARES;
• A diploma or certificate of studies that grants access to Belgian higher education (secondary school leaving certificate or baccalaureate);
• Equivalence of the diploma or baccalaureate, or proof that an equivalence application has been submitted;
• Academic report cards;
• Any information establishing that registration for the entrance examination is a plausible continuation of the applicant's academic or professional path;
• Proof of accommodation valid for the entire duration of the stay (sponsorship declaration, hotel reservation, etc.);
• Proof that the applicant has sufficient personal financial means for the duration of their stay, or a financial guarantee undertaking signed by a person who meets the conditions to act as a sponsor (Annex 3bis);
• Travel medical insurance valid for the entire duration of the stay;
• Guarantees of return to the country of origin or residence before the visa expires.

If the visa is granted, its period of validity must take into account the date of the examination: 27 August 2026. The length of stay is set at 8 days.

Non-EU foreign nationals who have received a visa to sit the entrance examination must return to their country when the visa expires and await the results there. If admitted to study medicine or dentistry, they must apply for a D visa / Article 60.

For further information, please consult the official notice .

The Belgian Embassy in Algiers would like to inform applicants that it has currently reached its maximum capacity for processing visa applications.

Priority is being given to all applications that have already been submitted.

Appointments remain available for all visa categories. However, waiting times for appointments are currently longer, up to 12 weeks. For tourism visas in particular, availability remains very limited.

The Embassy places great importance on maintaining a high quality of service. To improve the situation, measures are being taken to increase processing capacity in the near future. This is expected to help reduce waiting times and bring processing closer to standard timelines.

Please note that, in some cases, additional processing time may be required if your application needs to be reviewed by the Immigration Office.

For more information on processing times, please consult: Processing times | IBZ.

If your application requires mandatory consultation with the Immigration Office, you can find the list of relevant cases here: Immigration Office consultation.

If this applies to your application, you will be informed by email.

The impact of these improvements is expected to be noticeable from this autumn.

The Belgian Embassy in Algiers thanks you for your understanding.

TLScontact informs visa applicants of the introduction of a new service fee prepayment procedure, effective from 05 January 2026. 

After selecting an appointment date on the TLScontact website, a reservation email will be sent to the email address used during registration. 

Important: The appointment will be confirmed only after completion of the service fee prepayment, which must be made within three (3) working days following online appointment validation. 

Payment procedure 

To complete the prepayment, visa applicants must visit any Algeria Post office, and present: 

• the printed appointment reservation document, 

• showing the individual application reference number and the reserved appointment date. 

Failure to complete payment within the required timeframe may result in appointment cancellation. 

Thank you for your understanding. The TLScontact team