I've run into a situation that I'm hoping you all can help me navigate. My American citizen parents are planning to travel to Belgium next week for a visit. Their plan was to spend a few weeks visiting us now, then travel elsewhere in Europe over the next few months, then come back to Belgium to spend Christmas with us. They do not plan to leave the Schengen zone during that time (approximately 120 days).
They were aware of the 90-day travel limit, but had erroneously thought that applied per country rather than to the Schengen zone as a whole. It appears what they need is a D visa to allow them to stay in the Schengen zone as long as they had planned, but they're planning to leave too soon to be able to apply for a D visa from the local consulate in the States.
This page indicates that it may be possible for them to apply for D visa status from the local municipality after arrival in Belgium. Does anyone here have any experience with that process? I assume they'll need to show that they have income to support themselves as well as health insurance. What other documents are required? I'm particularly concerned about two documents on the list provided in the page I linked above: the certificate of good conduct (there doesn't seem to be any such thing for the United States since law enforcement is generally a State-level competency there) and the medical certificate (what does that entail?)
by Accurate_Rent5903
2 comments
It would be wiser to contact your embassy for such questions… just saying…
I’m unsure that ‘residence’ for more than 90 days, requiring a lease, covers your situation. You also need to know that Belgian bureaucracy is bonkers and this might quickly overshadow their entire trip. I’d recommend checking this website: https://www.vreemdelingenrecht.be/. Are you an EU citizen? Then your parents have the right to visit Belgium (not Schengen) for three months although that’s a C visum. A D visum is likely for international students or for family reunification purposes.