Belgium visa requirements for Dominican citizens

VFS Global application centre in Santo Domingo used by the Netherlands, which also takes applications for Belgium

In the Dominican Republic the Schengen visa for Belgium is submitted at the Netherlands' application centre, run by VFS Global in Santo Domingo. The Dutch Government says so for Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Luxembourg and Norway, and advises checking with the Belgian embassy which requirements apply. Only residents of the Dominican Republic can apply there. The appointment is booked on the VFS website, one per person and without intermediaries. Applicants attend in person, minors included, give fingerprints and pay the fee plus the VFS service charge. The normal fee is 90 euros (45 euros from 6 to 11 years), in cash and in Dominican pesos at the current rate. The Netherlands does not accept expired Dominican passports with extended validity.

Official application site →

What the visa centre can and can't do →

Fee

€90

The €90 is the short-stay Schengen visa fee, set by Article 16 of the Visa Code (Regulation (EC) 810/2009) as amended by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1415, in force since 11 June 2024. It is not a fee set by Belgium: the same amount is paid at any Schengen consulate. Children from the age of 6 and under 12 pay €45, and children under 6 are exempt. Travellers entering without a visa pay no fee at all.

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))

How much money you need to show

€95 per day if you stay in a hotel, or €45 per day if you stay with a private host

If you stay with a private host, the amount can be replaced by the formal obligation of support (Annex 3bis) that your host signs and has authenticated by their town hall. You must carry the full document to show at the border, and officers may still ask to see funds of your own. Cash counts, and so do bank, credit or prepaid cards that can withdraw cash in Belgium. A return ticket is usually required as well.

What each Schengen country asks for →

Source: European Commission, Annex 25 to the Practical Handbook for Border Guards (reference amounts notified by each State), version of 8 June 2026, and Belgian Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be, page on reference amounts for short stays). Checked on 1 November 2026.

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 →