How to apply for Belgium Long Term (Type D) visa from India!

Getting a visa is always a tedious task and it becomes more complicated if you are applying it for first time. To make this process simpler, I have come up with this post which will definitely help you get a Belgium visa type D (work permit visa) without any support of an agent. I use to think applying visa includes complexity but internet had changed everything and made this process much simpler. However, some of the visa process jargons can make your senses go confused and getting an answer to it, can be time consuming. I didn't had much time to apply for visa for me and my wife and these jargons had blown my mind. Therefore, took help from an agent (money makers - heavy brokerage for long term visa), which was the biggest mistake. So, after reviewing couple of processes, I thought, if I get the visa approved then I will write a post which can benefit people without spending money on agents. The whole process can be done by you, just follow this post without making any mistake and also go through the given websites, in case visa process had been updated by the Belgium Embassy.

Hypothesis:

• Main applicant had been offered a job in Belgium
• Received offer letter and employment contract
• Additionally, applying dependent visa for spouse

Documents required for your type D visa (long term):

• Work Permit from Employer (Belgium)
• Medical Certificate
• PCC - Police Clearance Certificate
• Birth Certificate (Must be in English, if not then take this on priority)
• Diploma/Degree Certificate
• Passport
• Application Form
• Accommodation Proof
• Health Insurance
• Travel Tickets
• Offer letter and Employment contract
• Marriage Certificate
• Proof of additional contribution fee (Work visa - EUR 350, Dependent Visa: EUR 200)
• Six months latest bank statement (to prove your expense coverage)

Before starting any procedure, go through the website to get the latest update on the requirements:
Reference 1: Long Term Visa (Type D)
Reference 2: Documents Requirement ("Visa D-WORK (more than 90 days)" for main applicant and "Visa D-FAMILY REUNION with NON-EU SPOUSE (art. 10&10bis)" for Spouse)


Let us go step by step (Procedure to apply):


Step 1:   Work Permit from Employer (Belgium) 

• This is the first step to get yourself approved for the working in Belgium. However, you don't have to do anything except sending Work Permit Medical certificate and a photograph to your Belgium company (you can confirm with your company, if they need any additional documents).
• There are two types of medical certificates required for your visa process: Work Permit and Visa. Make sure, you get both at one go to get a discount else you need to pay it separately.
• List of approved medical center by Belgium embassy. Click Me!
• Cost of Medical certificate: INR 3000 each (if you take both the certificates together than total is INR 3,500). 
• Cost of Courier to Belgium (DTDC - Standard): INR 1600 (for medical certificate and a photograph) (Delivered in 5 business working days)

          Note: 

• Medical certificate is valid for 90 days.
• Get the medical certificate for your spouse at INR 3000 (only for visa).
• Getting an appointment and collecting the certificate takes 2 weeks, so plan ahead. Example: Planned to move to Belgium in May, apply for medical certificate in February.

Step 2:   Don't stop and proceed with other steps

• Work permit is considered much easier than actual visa process and you don't have to run behind officials to get it done, your company will make it happen for you in Belgium (Type B - valid for an year) (there are rare cases of rejection).
• It normally takes 3 to 6 weeks to get an approval for your work permit and then company will send you the original work permit through courier. 
• If you have enough time to arrive in Belgium then you can wait for your work permit else I would suggest to get other work done because they are quite time consuming (I wasn't aware about the other time consuming steps and wasted crucial time - don't let that happen).

Step 3:   Police Verification (PCC Clearance)

One of the most tedious work to be done in India. Here are steps to be followed:

• Fill your online application HERE
• Pay INR 500 for each applicant and schedule an appointment (most probably you will get after a week's time)
• On the day of appointment carry scheduled appointment letter (SMS will also work), passport, address proof and other documents given in the website.
• Once you are at passport seva kendra for appointment (don't be late - reach at least 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment, to be ahead in the queue): You have to go through different departments as follows:

• Reception: Documents and appointment letter verification.
• Proceed to department A (wait for your turn but fastest department (10-15 minutes)): application submission, photograph click and SMS service (INR 90 - cash)
• Proceed to department B (wait for your turn (25-30 minutes)): document verification
• Proceed to department C (wait for your turn (25-30 minutes)): Finally, you will get a confirmation that your request will be forwarded to the respective police station for a visit to your home.
• Exit but don't forget to take the acknowledgement receipt before you leave.

                Note - You can check the application status through website but you'll also receive SMS notification (if you had paid for it). Once your application had been forwarded to the respective area police department, you have two options to proceed as follows:

• Option 1: Visit the police station visa department and ask them to verify, mentioning, that you need it asap or you won't be available at home for next couple of days for verification (remember, they will ask for the bribe, so get yourself prepared, usually INR 1000-1500 per application). You won't believe they asked me 10K and settled at 7K because I was running out of time, my passport address and current address were different and finally, passport department had sent the application to wrong police department, so now, both departments wants to have it. Even though, my case was strong enough for an approval (proper documents), I have to pay them with no other option. They will also go through your application to charge you, based on the country you are traveling. Don't make such mistakes, be cautious.

                    Note - This procedure completes in 2 or 3 working days.

•  Option 2: Wait for police to make a visit at your home and this procedure may take 2 to 3 weeks depending on the bribe amount of INR 500-1000 per application.
• Once police verification is completed, you will receive an SMS confirming an approval of PCC certificate and when to collect (before 4 PM).
• Each applicant must visit the passport seva kendra with the acknowledgement receipt and the passport, to collect the PCC Certificate but remember, you again need to wait at department C for the collection of the certificate (15-20 minutes). You will receive two stamped certificates for each applicant.

Heave a Sigh of relief - Yeah! You made to a milestone but still many to complete. Let's go ahead.


Step 4:   Apostille documents

What is Apostille? Same question, I had in mind! 
So, it is legalization of public documents required in foreign country which is stamped (legalized) by Ministry of External Affairs.

You need to get the following 4 documents to have an Apostille (go through the website for the updated information):

• PCC for both applicant
• Birth certificate for spouse
• Marriage certificate

Cost of Apostille: There are many brokers (google it) who can get it done at INR 2000-2500 per document (do negotiate the price). You can get Apostille on all documents within INR 10,000. Again, the mistake I had made in hiring an agent for my visa process had hit me hard and he charged me INR 17,000 for Apostille. Don't think, I had an extra money but I'd lost my hard earned money (savings) because there wasn't anyone to detail every procedure and I don't want you to repeat to loose your money.

Process time: 2 weeks


Step 5:   Time to book flight (if not provided by company)

Don't buy travel insurance from airline and make sure, you have date changing option for your flight (with minimal charges).
           Cost of flight (per person): Depends on advance booking, season and overall flight time.
             
           Example (Per person): 
                Advance booking - 2 months
                Price - INR 22-27,000
                Season - Off
                Halt - 1
                Flight time - 13 hours
 
                Advance booking - 1 month
                Price - INR 27-31,000
                Season - Off
               Halt - 1
               Flight time - 13 hours


Step 6:   Travel Insurance

Most of the foreign countries have a criteria to get a travel insurance, so does Belgium. You need to get a travel insurance for both applicants of 30,000 Euros (insured amount and not payable, LOL) for minimum of 90 days from the date of arrival to Belgium. You can try with ICICI Lombard or Bajaj Alliance which can be purchased at INR 3500 per person. I would recommend to take for more than 90 days because even though if you are short of 1 day for insurance then your application would be put on hold. I have gone through it, my agent made a mistake and we were short by few days to complete 90 days which again cost me INR 3000 and some stressful nights. So, don't make same mistake and get it for at least 120 days (from the data of travel or arrival). Also, go through the website to get the latest information on insurance.


Step 7: Proof of additional contribution fee and bank statement (6 months)

Another important step to be performed before submitting visa application. Again, my agent didn't know about it and I made him educated about this contribution fee and its importance (wasted money on Agent). Given procedure can be performed in any order.

      Note: If you don't do it then your application won't be submitted at Belgium Visa Application Center.

• Find your contribution fee HERE.
• Normally it is: 350 Euros for work permit holder (Article 9) and 200 Euros for your spouse as family reunion (Article 10)
• This amount needs to be paid to the below given account (Verify the account details HERE):

           IBAN                   :           BE57 6792 0060 9235

           BIC                     :            PCHQBEBB

           Bank name       :            BPOST NV

           Bank address   :           Muntcentrum (zonder nr.), 1000 Brussel

           Beneficiary       :            FOD   Binnenlandse Zaken, Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken, Antwerpsesteenweg 59B, 1000 Brussel 

           Note: 

• Some Indian banks needs a bank account, so you can take last 12 digit from IBAN as an account number (6792 0060 9235).
• The following information has to be visible in the communication of the transfer (remarks for both applicants)

            Example: Mr. Abhishek Sakhuja born on 01 April 1900 in Dehradun applies for a work permit visa (article 9). Whoever makes the payment will ask the bank to register the following communication in the bank transfer:

                      SAKHUJA_Abhishek_INDIA_01 April 1900_Art.9_Law15 December 1980

            Note: In case the communication in transfer is limited to a certain number of characters, this first part has at least to appear:

                       SAKHUJA_Abhishek_INDIA_01 April 1900

•  HDFC online banking has an option to add these comments with limited number of characters (2nd example can be adjusted) whereas most of the other banks (online) doesn't have remarks option. So, visit the bank branch and pay the fee with a remark.
• Get a receipt from your bank branch and if you had made an online payment, you will get the receipt in your email inbox within two working days.
• At last, get a stamped 6 months bank statement. This is required for you to prove that you can cover your expenses in Belgium.

           Note: If you are using HDFC Bank, it's better to take a print of the statement from your end and get it stamped else they would charge your INR 180.

Step 8:   Get your visa photograph clicked as follows (check website to get the updated information):

• 80 % face covered
• White background
• Matte finish
• 35*45 mm
• Ears should be visible

Step 9: File visa application

So, we are all set for filling the visa application. Follow the below given steps to submit your application:

• Create a single login for both the applicants HERE
• Fill the application form (Note: You must have a flight ticket, your actual date of arrival to Belgium city and an accommodation). If your company is providing an accommodation then ask them to provide you the address else book through Airbnb to get the best deals (coming to Brussels then you can look for areas such as Ixelles, Saint Gilles, Forest, Etterbeek or Uccle). Also, for long term, you need to file your stay for 365 days.
• Submit the application for each applicant.
• Make an appointment (early morning is the best - 8 AM).
• Preparing documents for submission:
• 2 sets of documents in the given order (Long Term Visa (Type D))
• 1 set for backup
• Carry additional documents (again 2 sets and 1 for backup): Last 3 years of ITR, Degree, Diploma and mark sheets.
• 3 visa size photographs (Step 8)
• Attest (signature) all pages of insurance (both applicants)
• Originals (to be submitted at VFS): Passport, photographs, work permit and Apostille documents (spouse birth certificate, marriage certificate and PCC).
• Cover letter: It is always a good idea to create a cover letter as follows:

• Addressing to:

                              Example:

                              To,

                                    The Visa Officer,

                                    Belgium Consulate,

                                    Mumbai/Delhi/... India

• Subject

                              Example: Issue long term work permit visa or dependent visa (Family re-union) for Passport No. <passportNumber>

• Reason for long term visa
• Date of travel
• Accommodation details
• Covering your expenses in Belgium

Step 10:   Visa appointment day

• Visit VFS global center for visa application submission and fee payment (don't carry laptop, pen drive, hard drive or disk else you'll be charged INR 100).
• You will be required to submit your documents including originals (Step 9.5.f) and same will be received through courier.
• Visa Application Fee (to be paid in cash) (Verify HERE)
• INR 1377 per application for Delhi, Mumbai & Chennai Centers (Inclusive of Goods and Service Tax –SGST @9% and CGST@9%).
• INR 1620 per application for Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune , Hyderabad , Goa, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Puducherry, Jalandhar and Gurgaon Centers(Inclusive of Goods and Service Tax –SGST @9% and CGST@9%).
• There is an optional facility where the VFC can courier your passport back to you for a small extra fee of INR 300 per passport per individual(Inclusive of Goods and Service Tax –SGST @9% and CGST@9%).
• Additional INR 90 for SMS (do take it).
• Collect the receipt. Take care of the receipt because it must be shown to courier person during passport delivery (Delivery service provider: Blue Dart).

Whew! What a relief. Now, fingers crossed for Belgium official decision.

Step 11:   Track Visa Application (Finally!)

You can track the visa application through their website. Just key in your application reference number and Last name. However, you'll receive SMS (if you have subscribed at VFS). It takes a week time for Belgium Embassy to make a decision but if there is a missing document then your application will go on hold until you submit the document to VFS global center (additional 3-4 working days). You won't be able to know their decision until your receive your passport through Blue Dart. Blue Dart delivery is quite effective and you receive it within 1 or 2 working days. You can also track your courier delivery status on Blue Dart website with your reference number but their delivery is faster than the status update on their website.

You may have this question at the end: How will I come to know that my application had been dispatched? You must look for this message: "You application reference number <> has been dispatched".

Tout le meilleur et à bientôt en Belgique!

P.S. - Special thanks to Aneesh on expat.com for answering my questions.