Dinant in October

Visa needed before you fly for up to 90 days, about ₹11,840

1. Apply for a Schengen short-stay (type C) visa at a VFS Global Belgium centre in India, 4-8 weeks before you fly, and at least 6 weeks ahead for May to August, when appointments are scarce (no earlier than 6 months). Apply to Belgium if it is your only or longest stay in Schengen. The fee is €90 (about ₹9,600; €45 for children 6-11) plus the VFS service charge, and it is not refunded if the visa is refused.
2. Your application goes to the Belgian Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai, which handles the southern states since the Chennai consulate closed. At the appointment give your fingerprints and photo (skipped if you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months). A decision usually takes about 15 days, and up to 45 if more checks are needed.
3. If you have lawfully used two Schengen visas in the last three years, ask for a multiple-entry visa: under the EU's 2024 cascade rules for Indians you can be given a two-year visa, then a five-year one.
4. On your first arrival in the Schengen Area your fingerprints and face are scanned at passport control (the EU Entry/Exit System, in full use since April 2026) instead of a stamp. Allow extra time at Brussels Airport.

Carry: Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen Area, with two blank pages; Completed visa application form and two recent photos (35 x 45 mm); Travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover, valid in every Schengen country for the whole trip; Return flight booking and a day-by-day itinerary; Hotel bookings for every night; Bank statements for the last 3-6 months, income-tax returns, and a leave letter from your employer (or business or college papers).

One Schengen visa covers Belgium and every other Schengen country (France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and more) for up to 90 days in any 180, but not the United Kingdom, which needs its own visa even for a day trip on the Eurostar. ETIAS is only for visa-free travellers, so it does not affect you. Appointment waits and VFS charges vary by centre and season: check visa.vfsglobal.com for your city before you book flights.

Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.