Visa for Belgium from Iraq: price, documents and processing time 2026

Yes. Holders of an Iraqi passport must obtain a short-stay visa before travelling to Belgium, from the competent Belgian representation. The visa allows a stay of up to 90 days per 180-day period, a ceiling distinct from both the visa's validity and the processing time. The full conditions are set out on the official information page of the Belgian foreign affairs service.

• Government fee90 EUR
• Application centre feeCapped at €45
• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top
• ExtrasVariable

The file generally includes the signed form, a valid passport with blank pages, compliant photos, medical travel insurance for the whole stay and proof of accommodation, financial means and purpose of travel. The official fee recorded is 90 EUR, to which an application centre may add a service charge. The up-to-date list is provided by the competent Belgian representation.

First check which Belgian embassy or consulate handles applications filed in Iraq and whether it uses an application centre. Then book an appointment, fill in the visa application form and attend in person with your complete file; fingerprints and a photo may be taken at that time. Where the appointment is booked online, the file is nonetheless handed in at the counter.

• Your application goes to the state that is your main destination. If Belgium is where you spend the longest, it handles the file, whatever the entry point.
• With no main destination, the competent state is the one you enter first.
• If Belgium has no consulate in Iraq, another Schengen state may act on its behalf under a representation arrangement, or the file goes to the post accredited for your country.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Iraq, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Iraq but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

Once the file is submitted, the recorded processing time is 15 to 45 days, varying with the season and the applicant's situation. Also allow time to obtain an appointment, and do not buy any non-refundable ticket before the decision. On receipt, check the validity dates, the number of entries and the length of stay shown on the visa.

An incomplete file, unconvincing bank statements or an accommodation booking that does not match the itinerary are among the most common reasons for refusal. Many applicants also confuse the 90 days per 180-day period with the visa's validity. Finally, avoid intermediaries who promise a quick appointment or a guaranteed visa: only the Belgian representation examines the application.