Belgium visa options for Canada passport holders

Visa types & longer-stay routes for Belgium

Rules are written for non-EU/EEA/Swiss (third-country) nationals; EU/EEA and Swiss citizens move and work freely without visas, and many nationalities (e.g. US, UK, Canada, Japan) are exempt from the short-stay visa though not from the underlying 90/180 rule. Note: the EU's ETIAS travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals is expected to launch around late 2026 with a transitional grace period into 2027, so it is not yet a hard entry requirement.

• Most nomadsTourist

  Schengen Short-Stay Visa (Type C)

  Up to 90 days within any 180-day period

  Insurance

  Required— travel medical insurance valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay, minimum EUR 30,000 coverage including medical care and repatriation.

  Good for

  Tourists, family/friend visitors and short business travellers from visa-required third countries; many nationalities (US, UK, Canada, Japan, etc.) are exempt but still limited to the same period.

  Requirement

  Valid passport, proof of purpose/accommodation and sufficient funds; application lodged 15 days to 6 months before travel. No work permitted. Visa-exempt nationals will additionally need ETIAS authorisation once it takes effect (expected late 2026, with a grace period).

• Most nomadsWork

  Single Permit (combined work + residence)

  Tied to the employment contract (issued for up to ~3 years), renewable; can lead to long-term/unlimited residence

  Insurance

  Required— must be covered for health risks in Belgium (employees join the Belgian statutory health-insurance system via a mutual fund).

  Good for

  Non-EU employees with a Belgian job offer staying over 90 days; the mainstream employment route. Employer files the application.

  Requirement

  Employer-sponsored application via the federal single-permit counter; the Region approves the work part and the Immigration Office the residence part. 2026 highly-qualified salary thresholds apply from 1 March 2026 and vary by region (e.g. Brussels approx EUR 3,703 gross/month; Wallonia approx EUR 53,220/yr; Flanders approx EUR 48,912/yr, with executive and ICT tiers higher — verify by region).

• Work

  EU Blue Card (highly qualified workers)

  Tied to the contract, up to a maximum of ~3 years, renewable; faster route toward long-term EU residence

  Insurance

  Required— proof of health insurance (or proof of application); holders are enrolled in the Belgian health-insurance system.

  Good for

  Highly qualified non-EU professionals with a higher-education degree (or equivalent experience) and a qualifying high-salary job offer in Belgium.

  Requirement

  A form of the Single Permit with a higher regional salary threshold — Wallonia approx EUR 68,815/yr, Brussels approx EUR 4,748 gross/month (approx EUR 56,976/yr), Flanders approx EUR 55,052/yr (approx EUR 63,586/yr for the junior/under-30 variant) in 2026 — plus recognised qualifications; decision target around 90 days. Verify thresholds by region.

• Study

  Student Visa (Type D, higher education)

  Duration of studies (renewed annually)

  Insurance

  Required— health insurance valid from arrival, minimum EUR 30,000 for medical care, repatriation and death, valid in Belgium for at least 3 months from arrival; after arrival you must affiliate with a Belgian health-insurance fund.

  Good for

  Non-EU students enrolled in a recognised Belgian higher-education institution for stays over 90 days.

  Requirement

  Proof of enrolment, sufficient means (approx EUR 1,062/month for 2026-27, often via a blocked account or an Annex 32 guarantor), medical certificate and clean criminal record.

• Digital nomad

  Professional Card (self-employed / freelancer)

  Card issued for up to 5 years (often 2 years initially), renewable; validity is tied to the right of residence

  Insurance

  Required— must show health-insurance cover; self-employed register with a social-insurance fund and a Belgian health-insurance fund. Private cover (e.g. min ~EUR 30,000) is typically needed for the initial entry period.

  Good for

  Non-EU self-employed people, freelancers and entrepreneurs — also the de facto route for remote workers, as Belgium has NO dedicated digital nomad visa.

  Requirement

  Regional approval (Brussels/Flanders/Wallonia) of a viable business plan showing economic usefulness, plus a long-stay (D) visa, a medical certificate and a recent criminal-record extract. There is no fixed statutory minimum income, but you must show the activity is viable and self-sustaining. Working remotely on a tourist visa is not permitted. Fees approx EUR 140 application + EUR 90/yr (verify by region).

• Residence

  Family Reunification Visa (Type D)

  Initially a 12-month (D) visa/permit aligned with the sponsor's residence status; renewable and can become permanent

  Insurance

  Required— family members must be covered by health insurance in Belgium or, if using travel insurance initially, at least EUR 30,000 covering medical care, repatriation and death.

  Good for

  Non-EU spouses, registered partners and dependent family members joining a sponsor (Belgian, EU or settled third-country national) in Belgium.

  Requirement

  Application in person at the Belgian consulate; sponsor must show stable, regular and sufficient means, adequate housing, health insurance and a genuine family link. Under the Law of 18 July 2025 the income bar rose to 110% of the GAMMI — approx EUR 2,408.79 net/month (indexed 1 April 2026) plus 10% per additional dependent — with a transition period to mid-2027 (older approx EUR 2,174 net/month rule may still apply to some pending cases).

• Residence

  Long-Term Resident EU Status / Permanent Residence

  Indefinite (long-term resident-EU 'L card')

  Insurance

  Required— must hold medical insurance covering the risks in Belgium.

  Good for

  Non-EU nationals who have lived legally and continuously in Belgium for 5 years and want long-term/permanent residence.

  Requirement

  Proof of 5 years' legal, uninterrupted residence; stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence (approx EUR 1,038/month for a single person plus approx EUR 346 per dependent); no public-order or security risk.

Figures are indicative and change frequently — salary thresholds are re-indexed yearly (and some 2026 Flanders/Brussels figures await new Statbel wage data), and the family-reunification income rules are mid-transition under the Law of 18 July 2025. Always confirm current requirements with the Belgian Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be), the relevant Region (Brussels/Flanders/Wallonia) and your Belgian consulate before applying. Last checked: 2026-06

Last verified June 2026

Canada → Belgium: frequently asked

Do Canada passport holders need a visa to visit Belgium?

Visa-free · up to 90 days. Enter without a visa, usually for a set number of days. Always confirm with the official source before booking.

Can a Canada passport holder live or work long-term in Belgium?

Yes, via a long-stay visa. Belgium has 7 documented visa types covering work, study, residence and — where it exists — digital-nomad routes.

Do I need travel insurance for Belgium?

Entry to Belgium never includes health cover, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended. Several Belgium visas also require proof of insurance before they're granted.