Belgium visa requirements for Burundian citizens

Embassy of Belgium in Bujumbura

Burundian nationals need a Schengen visa, and the Embassy of Belgium in Bujumbura handles their applications and those of people living in Burundi on a long-stay visa. The form is completed on Visa On Web and the appointment is booked free of charge from the same form; the Embassy warns that scammers sell appointments and that paying for them speeds nothing up. Visa questions are only answered by email, at bujumbura.visa@diplobel.fed.be. The fee is paid in cash in Burundian francs, new notes only: 315,000 for adults and 157,500 for ages 6 to 12. Not every applicant is interviewed: the decision rests on the documents, so the file should be complete, including the family data sheet. Since 1 August, Burundians who only change planes at a Belgian airport need an airport transit visa (visa A), unless they hold a Schengen visa or residence permit, among other exceptions. Once in Belgium, arrival has to be declared within three days; since 10 April 2026 this can be done online with the "Mon adresse en Belgique" form.

Official application site →

Fee

315,000 BIF

Amount published by the consular post that handles this corridor; the country page may give another consulate's figure.

Processing time

Where the trip requires a Schengen visa, the consulate must decide within 15 calendar days of an admissible application being lodged. That period may be extended to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, particularly where the application needs closer examination; in justified urgent individual cases the decision is taken immediately (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 23). An application may not be lodged more than six months before the intended trip and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before it; where the consulate requires an appointment, it is normally given within two weeks of being requested (Art. 9).

Required documents

• A valid passport or travel document, issued within the previous ten years and valid for at least three months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen area (Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Art. 6(1)(a))
• A valid visa, if your nationality requires one. It is not needed if you hold a valid residence permit or long-stay visa issued by a Schengen State (Art. 6(1)(b))
• Documents justifying the purpose and conditions of the intended stay: an accommodation booking or a declaration of invitation from your host, and a return or onward ticket (Art. 6(1)(c) and Art. 6(3), which points to the non-exhaustive list in Annex I)
• Proof of sufficient means of subsistence for the whole stay and for the return to your country of origin, or of being in a position to acquire such means lawfully. They are assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay, by reference to average prices for board and lodging in budget accommodation (Art. 6(1)(c) and 6(4)). Cash, traveller's cheques, credit cards and declarations of invitation or of sponsorship all count as proof (Art. 6(4))

Health insurance

Mandatory to apply for the Schengen visa: minimum coverage of €30,000, valid across the whole Schengen area and for the entire length of the stay (Regulation (EC) 810/2009, Art. 15).

Which policies meet the €30,000 requirement →

When travel insurance is mandatory → Travel insurance policies ↓

How long you can stay

Schengen rule: a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area.

Calculate your available Schengen days →

Why isn't your passport being stamped? The EES system →