Do India passport holders need a visa to visit BE?
Indian ordinary passport holders need a Schengen Type C short-stay visa to visit Belgium for tourism. There is no visa-free or visa-on-arrival option, and ETIAS does not apply to Indian nationals. Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, and India is not on the Schengen visa-exempt list. An Indian citizen holding an ordinary passport must obtain a Schengen short-stay (Type C) visa before traveling to Belgium for tourism. This allows a stay of up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area. Applications are filed online via VisaOnWeb and submitted in person at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre, where biometrics (10 fingerprints and a photo) are captured. The handling fee is EUR 90 plus a VFS service charge. Standard processing is 15 calendar days but can extend to 45 days in complex cases. ETIAS, which launches in Q4 2026, applies only to visa-exempt nationals and therefore does NOT replace the visa requirement for Indian travelers; they continue to need a full Schengen visa. From October 2025, the Entry/Exit System (EES) also registers biometric data at the Schengen external border for all non-EU travelers, including Indian visa holders.
VISA REQUIREDTOURISMFLEXIBLE ENTRYLast verified 2026-05-30
For guidance only — visa rules change with little notice. Always confirm directly with the destination's embassy or foreign ministry before booking non-refundable travel. Information here applies to ordinary (non-diplomatic) passports unless noted.