Marriage or cohabitation in Belgium

More detailed information can be found on the website of the Immigration Office: Dutch, French.  

All documents must be introduced in 1 single set of original documents.  

Applicants  must submit the following documents:  

1. Visa application form (signed and dated) + clear and recent passport photograph in colour.  

2. A valid international passport (still valid for at least 1 year) + copy of national ID-card of the applicant.  

3. Proof of payment of the administrative fee .  

4. Proof that the visa applicant and the person to join in Belgium are single (proof of unmarried status) and over 21 years old.  

5. Copy of identity card of the person to join in Belgium.  

6. For Cohabitation: Proof of a durable relationship.  

7. For Marriage: Chronological overview of the relationship and Certificate of the notification of the intended marriage (has to be obtained at the local town hall in Belgium). 

8. Proof that the sponsor has health insurance.  

9. Proof that the sponsor has sufficient housing.  

10. Proof that the sponsor has stable, regular, and sufficient means of subsistence. The applicant must provide all documents and information enabling the Immigration Office to determine the means available to the sponsor and their family to avoid becoming a burden on public authorities.  

11. A valid International Travel Insurance Document + 1 copy. The amount insured should be minimum 30.000 EUR (equivalent in PKR) insurance and should cover the whole Schengen territory as well as the whole duration of the stay in Schengen territory. If the insurance cannot be obtained in Pakistan, the applicant should obtain insurance from Europe.      

12. Medical certificate, from a doctor accredited by the Embassy, attesting that the applicant is not suffering from any disease putting public health at risk. The medical certificate will be handed over by the doctor to the visa applicant in a sealed envelope and should be submitted in this sealed envelope along with the other supporting documents at the Visa Application Centre.  

13. Extract from criminal record.  

For minor children of the visa applicant, the following additional documents have to be presented:  

1. Visa application form (signed and dated) + clear and recent passport photograph in colour.

2. A valid international passport (still valid for at least 1 year); + 1 copy + copy of national ID-card.  

3. Proof of unmarried status.  

4. Birth certificate of the child(ren);  

5. A valid International Travel Insurance Document + 1 copy. The amount insured should be minimum 30.000 EUR (equivalent in PKR) insurance should cover the whole Schengen territory as well as the whole duration of the sojourn in Schengen territory. If the insurance cannot be obtained in Pakistan, the applicant should obtain insurance from Europe.    

6. Medical certificate, from a doctor accredited by the Embassy, attesting that applicant is not suffering from any disease putting public health at risk. The medical certificate will be handed over by the doctor to the visa applicant in a sealed envelope, and should be submitted along with the other supporting documents at the Visa Application Centre.  

7. Divorce certificate of the previous marriage + An official document proving who has the custody of the child;  

8. the consent of the other custodial parent, in cases of joint custody; or Death certificate of the other parent.  

Important  

1. Language of documents submitted as part of a visa application  

Official documents must be in English, French, Dutch or German. If your document is established in Urdu, you must have it translated by a certified translator in Belgium. Certified translators can be found here.  

2. Requirements for official Pakistani documents   

Apostille as part of visa applications. All official Pakistani documents as part of a visa application file for long stay have to get an apostille from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs first (however, for diplomas, degrees and transcripts, please see below). More information can be found on the Apostille website created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan. Once the visa applicant has all the necessary apostilles, he/she can submit a complete visa file with the application form and all the supporting documents.  

3. Requirements for official Afghan documents  

We do not currently legalize any Afghan documents. Documents submitted as part of a visa application will be accepted in the state in which they are presented to us.  

4. Procedure regarding fingerprints  

Fingerprints will be collected for all visa applications (short stay (type C) and long stay (type D)). This concerns all applicants from the age of 12 (C visa) or 6 (D visa). Applicants will have to come in person to the Visa Application Center of VFS/Gerry’s International for the collection of their fingerprints.  

Exceptions are foreseen for the following applicants:  

• Persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible (e.g. because of a physical impairment).  

• Diplomatic and consular personnel accredited to an Embassy or Consulate of their country in Belgium, as well as their family members, in possession of a  diplomatic or official passport.