Belgium
Nationality · visas, permits and migration
- Moved to OECD countries, 2023
- 28,992
- Top destination, 2023
- France
- U.S. non-immigrant visas, FY2025
- 8,176
- UK visas issued, 2025
- 1,552
- Schengen visa refusal rate, 2024
- 11.2%
NA<BEBELGIUM<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< BE9<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<8
Visa requirements for a short visit
Whether citizens of Belgium need a visa for a short tourist or business visit, according to the legal lists. Rules change; check the official source before travelling.
| Destination | Short visit | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen area | Free movement (EU/EFTA citizens) | Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 (consolidated 30.12.2025) |
| United Kingdom | No visa; electronic travel authorisation (ETA) required | Immigration Rules, Appendix Visitor / ETA National List |
| Canada | No visa; electronic travel authorization (eTA) needed to fly | IRPR s. 190, Schedule 1.1 |
| Hong Kong | No visa for visits of up to 90 days | Immigration Department (HKSAR), visit visa requirements, 31.12.2025 |
Where people from Belgium move
Inflows of foreign nationals by country of nationality, as recorded by each destination (OECD).
Inflows to all OECD countries by year
Data table
| 2000 | 10,910 |
| 2001 | 11,103 |
| 2002 | 11,240 |
| 2003 | 10,209 |
| 2004 | 10,940 |
| 2005 | 11,083 |
| 2006 | 10,885 |
| 2007 | 11,631 |
| 2008 | 11,824 |
| 2009 | 11,021 |
| 2010 | 12,273 |
| 2011 | 14,085 |
| 2012 | 16,875 |
| 2013 | 22,055 |
| 2014 | 24,476 |
| 2015 | 24,125 |
| 2016 | 23,739 |
| 2017 | 24,882 |
| 2018 | 25,357 |
| 2019 | 25,878 |
| 2020 | 21,456 |
| 2021 | 27,483 |
| 2022 | 28,405 |
| 2023 | 28,992 |
- Share going to the top destination
- 26.9%
- Destinations recording arrivals
- 15
Living abroad
People born in Belgium who live in another country: mid-year estimates of the international migrant stock (UN DESA). Where a destination records citizenship rather than country of birth, its foreign citizens are counted.
Living abroad by year
Data table
| 1990 | 312,709 |
| 1995 | 305,533 |
| 2000 | 313,188 |
| 2005 | 374,297 |
| 2010 | 405,732 |
| 2015 | 438,560 |
| 2020 | 482,561 |
| 2024 | 521,884 |
- Living abroad, 2024
- 521,884
- Change since 2000
- +66.6%
- Share living in the largest destination, 2024
- 32.4%
United States
Visas issued to citizens of Belgium by U.S. consulates (fiscal years, October–September) and certified PERM labor certifications.
- B1/B22,400
- NATO21,088
- J1943
- F1801
- C1/D678
- L1375
- L2274
- E2217
- A2215
- P1152
Non-immigrant visas by fiscal year
Data table
| 2017 | 5,447 |
| 2018 | 8,816 |
| 2019 | 9,038 |
| 2020 | 4,126 |
| 2021 | 4,525 |
| 2022 | 8,155 |
| 2023 | 8,570 |
| 2024 | 9,179 |
| 2025 | 8,176 |
- IR131
- CR114
- IR28
- IR57
- F37
- E17
- SQ37
- DV5
- Immigrant visas, FY2025
- 104
- Certified PERM labor certifications, FY2024 (latest year with citizenship)
- 44
Green cards and U.S. citizenship
People born in Belgium who became U.S. lawful permanent residents (green cards) or U.S. citizens, and admissions of citizens of Belgium with an I-94 record (DHS, fiscal years).
Green cards by fiscal year
Data table
| 2015 | 660 |
| 2016 | 690 |
| 2017 | 630 |
| 2018 | 540 |
| 2019 | 710 |
| 2020 | 630 |
| 2021 | 600 |
| 2022 | 550 |
| 2023 | 670 |
| 2024 | 540 |
- Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens290
- Employment-based preferences220
- Family-sponsored preferences10
- Diversity visa lottery10
- Refugees and asylees10
- Intracompany transferees (L-1)3,450
- Spouses and children1,980
- Extraordinary ability (O-1, O-2)1,480
- Specialty occupations (H-1B)780
- Other temporary workers370
- Athletes, artists and entertainers (P)330
- Seasonal agricultural workers (H-2A)10
- Seasonal non-agricultural workers (H-2B)10
- Green cards, FY2024 (born in Belgium)
- 540
- Naturalizations, FY2024 (born in Belgium)
- 600
- I-94 admissions, FY2024 (citizenship)
- 303,410
United Kingdom
Entry clearance visas issued to nationals of Belgium (Home Office) and students with a permanent address in Belgium (HESA).
- Work835
- Study496
- Family106
- Visitor88
- Other27
Visas issued by year
Data table
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 28 |
| 2021 | 1,248 |
| 2022 | 1,383 |
| 2023 | 1,388 |
| 2024 | 1,467 |
| 2025 | 1,552 |
- Students at UK universities, 2024/25
- 1,605
Canada
Permits and invitations for citizens of Belgium, by year the permit took effect (IRCC).
| Year | TFWP work | IMP work | Study | Permanent residents | Express Entry invitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 170 | 1,390 | 635 | 515 | 110 |
| 2024 | 315 | 1,625 | 635 | 495 | 120 |
| 2023 | 280 | 1,625 | 700 | 550 | 80 |
| 2022 | 155 | 1,430 | 800 | 605 | 40 |
| 2021 | 140 | 995 | 1,205 | 575 | 85 |
| 2020 | 100 | 920 | 320 | 345 | 95 |
| 2019 | 130 | 1,475 | 550 | 465 | 110 |
| 2018 | 115 | 1,490 | 400 | 415 | 130 |
| 2017 | 140 | 1,410 | 425 | 515 | 90 |
| 2016 | 210 | 1,240 | 435 | 455 | 45 |
| 2015 | 105 | 965 | 310 | 375 | 40 |
Australia
Temporary skilled visas (subclass 457 to 2018, then 482) granted to primary applicants who are citizens of Belgium, by financial year ending 30 June (Home Affairs).
Primary visas granted by financial year
Data table
| 2005–06 | 93 |
| 2006–07 | 179 |
| 2007–08 | 169 |
| 2008–09 | 206 |
| 2009–10 | 187 |
| 2010–11 | 173 |
| 2011–12 | 435 |
| 2012–13 | 405 |
| 2013–14 | 248 |
| 2014–15 | 231 |
| 2015–16 | 141 |
| 2016–17 | 153 |
| 2017–18 | 124 |
| 2018–19 | 142 |
| 2019–20 | 111 |
| 2020–21 | 57 |
| 2021–22 | 83 |
| 2022–23 | 119 |
| 2023–24 | 107 |
| 2024–25 | 134 |
| 2025–26 | 137 |
- Core Skills64
- Specialist Skills56
- Labour Agreement10
- Medium-term4
- Short-term3
- Granted, 2025–26
- 137
- Share of all Australian grants, 2025–26
- 0.2%
Japan
Citizens of Belgium living in Japan at the end of each December, by status of residence (Immigration Services Agency of Japan). 2020 and 2021 were published only as database tables.
Foreign residents in Japan
Data table
| 2012 | 655 |
| 2013 | 625 |
| 2014 | 679 |
| 2015 | 770 |
| 2016 | 774 |
| 2017 | 861 |
| 2018 | 955 |
| 2019 | 991 |
| 2022 | 1,097 |
| 2023 | 1,083 |
| 2024 | 1,172 |
| 2025 | 1,284 |
- Permanent Resident308
- Student270
- Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services230
- Spouse or Child of Japanese National194
- Dependent88
- Highly Skilled Professional33
- Business Manager23
- Professor22
- Designated Activities21
- Intra-company Transferee17
- Residents, December 2025
- 1,284
- In work-related statuses
- 369
- Share in work-related statuses
- 28.7%
- Students
- 270
Schengen visas in Belgium
Short-stay (C) visa applications at Schengen consulates located in Belgium, 2024. Applicants are mostly, but not only, its citizens.
| Schengen state | Applications | Issued | Not issued | Refusal rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 40 | 33 | 4 | 10.0% |
| Luxembourg | 20 | 11 | 5 | 25.0% |
| Belgium | 16 | 13 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Italy | 5 | 4 | 1 | 20.0% |
| Bulgaria | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Germany | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Greece | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
Applications by year
Data table
| 2009 | 525 |
| 2010 | 166 |
| 2011 | 65 |
| 2012 | 179 |
| 2013 | 189 |
| 2014 | 126 |
| 2015 | 154 |
| 2016 | 91 |
| 2017 | 122 |
| 2018 | 112 |
| 2019 | 88 |
| 2020 | 43 |
| 2021 | 48 |
| 2022 | 88 |
| 2023 | 79 |
| 2024 | 89 |
- Refusal rate, 2024
- 11.2%
- Refusal rate, 2019
- 4.5%
National statistics in Europe
Citizens of Belgium in the figures of national statistics offices: residence permits granted in Denmark, immigrations by grounds for settlement in Sweden and immigrants with a non-EU/EFTA nationality by migration motive in the Netherlands; Finland and Austria publish immigration and emigration by citizenship only.
Foreign embassies and consulates in Belgium
Countries with an embassy or consulate in Belgium, as recorded in Wikidata.
| Country | Embassies | Consulates-general | Consulates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1 | — | — |
| Albania | 1 | — | — |
| Algeria | 1 | — | — |
| Andorra | 1 | — | — |
| Angola | 1 | — | — |
| Argentina | 1 | — | — |
| Armenia | 1 | — | — |
| Australia | 1 | — | — |
| Austria | 1 | — | — |
| Azerbaijan | 1 | — | — |
| Bahamas | 1 | — | — |
| Bahrain | 1 | — | — |
| Bangladesh | 1 | — | — |
| Barbados | 1 | — | — |
| Belarus | 1 | — | — |
| Belize | 1 | — | — |
| Bhutan | 1 | — | — |
| Bolivia | 1 | — | — |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | — | — |
| Botswana | 1 | — | — |
| Brazil | 1 | — | — |
| Brunei | 1 | — | — |
| Bulgaria | 1 | — | — |
| Burkina Faso | 1 | — | — |
| Burundi | 1 | — | — |
| Cambodia | 1 | — | — |
| Cameroon | 1 | — | — |
| Canada | 1 | — | — |
| Cape Verde | 1 | — | — |
| Central African Republic | 1 | — | — |
| Chad | 1 | — | — |
| Chile | 1 | — | — |
| China | 1 | — | — |
| Colombia | 1 | — | — |
| Comoros | 1 | — | — |
| Costa Rica | 1 | — | — |
| Croatia | 1 | — | — |
| Cuba | 1 | — | — |
| Czechia | 1 | — | — |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 1 | — | — |
| DR Congo | 1 | — | — |
| Djibouti | 1 | — | — |
| Dominica | 1 | — | — |
| Dominican Republic | 1 | — | — |
| Ecuador | 1 | — | — |
| Egypt | 1 | — | — |
| El Salvador | 1 | — | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | 1 | — | — |
| Eritrea | 1 | — | — |
| Estonia | 1 | — | — |
| Eswatini | 1 | — | — |
| Ethiopia | 1 | — | — |
| Fiji | 1 | — | — |
| Finland | 1 | — | — |
| France | 1 | 2 | — |
| Gabon | 1 | — | — |
| Gambia | 1 | — | — |
| Georgia | 1 | — | — |
| Germany | 1 | — | — |
| Ghana | 1 | — | — |
| Greece | 1 | — | — |
| Grenada | 1 | — | — |
| Guatemala | 1 | — | — |
| Guinea | 1 | — | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1 | — | — |
| Guyana | 1 | — | — |
| Haiti | 1 | — | — |
| Honduras | 1 | — | — |
| Hungary | 1 | — | — |
| Iceland | 1 | — | — |
| India | 1 | 1 | — |
| Indonesia | 1 | — | — |
| Iran | 1 | — | — |
| Iraq | 1 | — | — |
| Ireland | 1 | — | — |
| Israel | 1 | — | — |
| Italy | 1 | — | — |
| Jamaica | 1 | — | — |
| Japan | 1 | — | — |
| Jordan | 1 | — | — |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | — | — |
| Kenya | 1 | — | — |
| Kosovo | 1 | — | — |
| Kuwait | 1 | — | — |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 | — | — |
| Laos | 1 | — | — |
| Latvia | 1 | — | — |
| Lebanon | 1 | — | — |
| Lesotho | 1 | — | — |
| Liberia | 1 | — | — |
| Libya | 1 | — | — |
| Liechtenstein | 1 | — | — |
| Lithuania | 1 | — | — |
| Luxembourg | 1 | — | — |
| Madagascar | 1 | — | — |
| Malawi | 1 | — | — |
| Malaysia | 1 | — | — |
| Maldives | 1 | — | — |
| Mali | 1 | — | — |
| Malta | 1 | — | — |
| Mauritania | 1 | — | — |
| Mauritius | 1 | — | — |
| Mexico | 1 | — | — |
| Moldova | 1 | — | — |
| Monaco | 1 | — | — |
| Mongolia | 1 | — | — |
| Montenegro | 1 | — | — |
| Morocco | 1 | 3 | — |
| Mozambique | 1 | — | — |
| Myanmar | 1 | — | — |
| Namibia | 1 | — | — |
| Nepal | 1 | — | — |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | — |
| New Zealand | 1 | — | — |
| Nicaragua | 1 | — | — |
| Niger | 1 | — | — |
| Nigeria | 1 | — | — |
| North Macedonia | 1 | — | — |
| Norway | 1 | — | — |
| Oman | 1 | — | — |
| Pakistan | 1 | — | — |
| Palau | 1 | — | — |
| Panama | 1 | — | — |
| Papua New Guinea | 2 | — | — |
| Paraguay | 1 | — | — |
| Peru | 1 | — | — |
| Philippines | 1 | — | — |
| Poland | 1 | — | — |
| Portugal | 1 | — | — |
| Qatar | 1 | — | — |
| Republic of the Congo | 1 | — | — |
| Romania | 1 | — | — |
| Russia | 1 | — | — |
| Rwanda | 1 | — | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | — | — |
| Saint Lucia | 1 | — | — |
| Saint Vincent and Grenadines | 1 | — | — |
| Samoa | 1 | — | — |
| San Marino | 1 | — | — |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | — | — |
| Senegal | 1 | — | — |
| Serbia | 1 | — | — |
| Seychelles | 1 | — | — |
| Sierra Leone | 1 | — | — |
| Singapore | 1 | — | — |
| Slovakia | 1 | — | — |
| Slovenia | 1 | — | 1 |
| Solomon Islands | 1 | — | — |
| Somalia | 1 | — | — |
| South Africa | 1 | — | — |
| South Korea | 1 | — | — |
| South Sudan | 1 | — | — |
| Spain | 1 | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | — | — |
| Sudan | 1 | — | — |
| Suriname | 1 | — | — |
| Sweden | — | 1 | — |
| Switzerland | 1 | — | — |
| Syria | 1 | — | — |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 1 | — | — |
| Tajikistan | 1 | — | — |
| Tanzania | 1 | — | — |
| Thailand | 1 | — | — |
| Timor-Leste | 1 | — | — |
| Togo | 1 | — | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | — | — |
| Tunisia | 1 | — | — |
| Turkmenistan | 1 | — | — |
| Tuvalu | 1 | — | — |
| Türkiye | 1 | 2 | — |
| Uganda | 1 | — | — |
| Ukraine | 1 | — | — |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 1 | — | — |
| Uruguay | 1 | — | — |
| Uzbekistan | 1 | — | — |
| Vanuatu | 1 | — | — |
| Venezuela | 1 | — | — |
| Vietnam | 1 | — | — |
| Yemen | 1 | — | — |
| Zambia | 1 | — | — |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | — | — |
- Countries
- 182
- Missions
- 193
Remittances
Money that migrants send home: personal remittances received by Belgium, in current US dollars (World Bank).
Remittances received by year, US$ million
Data table
| 2000 | 4,005 |
| 2001 | 3,933 |
| 2002 | 4,535 |
| 2003 | 5,778 |
| 2004 | 6,563 |
| 2005 | 6,884 |
| 2006 | 7,269 |
| 2007 | 8,992 |
| 2008 | 10,479 |
| 2009 | 11,091 |
| 2010 | 10,994 |
| 2011 | 11,729 |
| 2012 | 11,171 |
| 2013 | 11,695 |
| 2014 | 12,161 |
| 2015 | 10,465 |
| 2016 | 10,786 |
| 2017 | 11,435 |
| 2018 | 12,449 |
| 2019 | 12,430 |
| 2020 | 13,112 |
| 2021 | 14,286 |
| 2022 | 14,037 |
| 2023 | 14,642 |
| 2024 | 15,481 |
| 2025 | 16,347 |
- Remittances received, 2025
- US$16,347 million
- Share of GDP, 2025
- 2.3%
All corridors from Belgium
Destinations with a dedicated page for citizens of this country.
- Belgium → France
- Belgium → Spain
- Belgium → Netherlands
- Belgium → Germany
- Belgium → Switzerland
- Belgium → United States
- Belgium → Portugal
- Belgium → Luxembourg
- Belgium → Canada
Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more