visa
Nationals of the fifteen European Union countries and the following countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland need no visa. An identity card or passport is sufficient to allow them to enter Belgium and remain there, provided their stay is regularised with the municipal authorities.
All other nationalities must apply for a Temporary residence permit, namely the TYPE D Schengen visa, at the Belgian embassy in their own country. This document allows them to come to Belgium.
Do not come to Belgium on a tourist visa. You will then have to return to your country of origin to apply for a student visa. During the application period for the student visa – the handling of which may take over three months – you cannot stay in Belgium, but must remain in your own country. This means that you would miss a large part of the academic year!
For a temporary residence permit the following documents are required:
- a travel document (passport) valid for at least 12 months
- a document proving enrollement at the Flanders Operastudio Vlaanderen.
These enrollement-forms can be provided at any time by Emilie Lauwers.
- a health certificate
- a certificate of good conduct
- a written commitment to settle charges
(f.ex. a letter from the parents in which they declare to take full financial responsibility for the student)
or proof of a scholarship or other income to the amount of at least 464 €/month.
This temporary residence permit can be converted into a student visa in Belgium.
WEB More information about coming to Belgium can be found on www.diplobel.org
Formalities in belgium: registration
All foreign students – also students from the European Union countries – must register with the municipal Registration Office of the town in which they reside within 8 working days of arrival.
If they stay in Ghent, they can register with the Foreigners’s Registration Office at the following address :
Dienst Bevolking, Afdeling Vreemdelingen
Woodrow Wilsonplein 1 – 9000 Ghent
Tel 09 266 71 50 – Fax 09 266 71 69
Monday till Friday from 8 a.m. till 1 p.m.
Wednesday also from 2 p.m. till 6.30 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m. till 11 a.m.
At a first visit to this Registration Office you will only need your identity card or passport.
At a next visit the following documents are required:
- Proof of enrollement at Flanders Operastudio Vlaanderen
(this form can be provided at any time by Emilie Lauwers)
- Temporary residence permit (only for students of non EU-countries)
- 3 passport photographs
- 7 € (payment new identity card)
- a proof of health insurance, valid in Belgium (only for students of EU-countries)
- copy of rental agreement
health insurance
In Belgium health insurance is mandatory.
Students from EU countries or countries Belgium has a health insurance agreement with, have to apply for an E128 form or another certificate of insurance from a health insurance body in their own country before departure. We recommend them to contact a local mutual-insurance company upon arrival in Belgium.
Students from countries Belgium has no health insurance agreement with, must look after health care insurance themselves. They can arrange a private insurance in their own country or subscribe, immediately after the arrival in Belgium, to the Belgian health care insurance (Mutual Fund) which costs +/- 44 € /quarter.