Belgium tourist visa
Required documents, fees and processing time for a Belgium tourist Schengen visa when you apply from Ireland.
SCHENGEN · VISA C✈ DOCUMENTS
🇧🇪 Belgium·····✈·····🇮🇪 from Ireland
To
Belgium
Type
C · TOURISM
Apply at
IE
Centre
VAC
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Action neededTourism — short stay (Type C) · applying from Ireland.
Documents ready00 / 10
Competent authority
Embassy of Belgium in Dublin (jurisdiction over residents of Ireland).
Application centre
None - apply directly to the Embassy in Dublin. Applicant completes the form and books the appointment via VisaOnWeb (visaonweb.diplomatie.be); the Embassy explicitly states it is NOT necessary to use an agency and doing so gives no advantage.
Recommended — commonly expected even when not on the official list
Cover letterA letter of introduction stating who you are and why you are travelling.
Fees
Consular (Type C)
€90
Service fee
—
Est. total (adult)
€90
Long stay (Type D)
€250
The short-stay (Type C) consular fee is harmonised at €90 for adults across all Schengen states; collected in EUR · centre: direct_consulate.
Fee notes
Handled directly by Belgian Embassy Dublin (VisaOnWeb + in-person). No external VAC, no service fee. Type D rose to €250 on 1 July 2026 (was €180).
Timeline
medium confidenceProcessing
15–45 days
End-to-end
3–14 weeks
Centre
VAC
Appointment wait
Embassy advises securing an appointment at least 3 months in advance due to very high demand; appointment days limited (Mon-Thu 09:00-12:30).
Application centre
Embassy-direct — no VAC. Register on VisaOnWeb, book via 'Make an Appointment', submit in person at the Belgian Embassy, Dublin.
Timeline notes
Belgium runs its own consular intake in Dublin (no outsourced VAC). Processing ~10 working days from in-person submission, but the ~3-month appointment advice drives the long lead time.
Funds to show
high confidenceThe amount you must be able to prove, per the Schengen Borders Code reference amount. It depends only on the destination — not on your nationality or where you apply.
Per day
Scale
Minimum
—
In EUR ≈
as shown
staying with a private individual (no financial credit)
€45 / day
staying at a hotel (no financial credit)
€95 / day
Notes
Approximately EUR 45/day (hosted by a private individual) or EUR 95/day (hotel), per person, plus a return travel ticket. A signed, municipally-authenticated letter of guarantee (declaration of liability) by a solvent host can substitute for personal funds. Per day of planned stay.
Consulates apply discretion and may expect a buffer above this figure — treat it as a floor, not a guarantee.
Funds source ↗⚠ Special cases & caveats
- Irish, EU/EEA and Swiss citizensVisa-exempt for short stays; a Schengen C visa is not required.
- Third-country nationals resident in IrelandMust hold a valid Irish residence permit (IRP), generally valid at least 3 months beyond the planned return date.
- Prior-consultation nationalitiesCertain nationalities trigger prior consultation of Schengen partners/Brussels, extending processing well beyond the standard ~10 working days.
- MinorsBirth certificate and signed consent from both parents/legal guardians (with ID copies) required.