LAST UPDATED – 2/16/24 – Belgium Entrance Requirements
If you are traveling to Belgium from outside of the country, you should be aware of the passport, VISA, and immunization requirements before planning your travel. If you do not meet the Belgium entrance requirements, you will be denied entry into Belgium. This is not something that I would wait until the last minute to take care of as you might not have enough time to sort out any issues at the last minute should you run into them.
To assist you in making sure you meet the necessary Belgium entrance requirements, I have outlined all of the requirements you need to be concerned about in this article. Furthermore, I have also created the handy checklist I linked below for you to use as a point of reference and to track all of the requirements as you meet them.
View Belgium Passport, VISA, Customs, and Immunizations Checklist
Belgium Passport Requirements
Requirement: Your passport must be valid for 3 months after your trip.
You will need to make sure that your passport is not only valid but that it will be valid for at least 3 months after your trip. So, if your passport is set to expire a month after you get back, you won’t be let into the country. That is something that frequently trips travelers up, so make sure you check the expiration date of your passport closely.
Belgium VISA Requirements
Requirement:Â No VISA is required for travelers visiting from VISA-exempt countries if you stay for less than 90 days. However, starting in mid-2025, all visitors from outside the Schengen Zone of Europe will be required to apply for an ETIAS Electronic Authorization.
If you don’t hold a passport from a VISA-exempt country, you will need to apply for a travel VISA on the Belgium diplomatic website before visiting Belgium.
Belgium Immunization Recommendations
Requirement:Â No immunizations are required for entry, but there are recommendations.
While there are no immunization requirements to enter Belgium and no specialized immunizations that are recommended for protection while visiting (such as the Yellow Fever, Rabies, or Japanese encephalitis vaccinations), the Centers for Disease Control does recommend several different vaccinations before traveling to Belgium.Â
Recommended Travel Vaccinations
Routine Vaccinations
| Vaccine |
|---|
| Chickenpox (Varicella) |
| Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis |
| Flu (influenza) |
| Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) |
| Polio |
| Shingles |
Other Recommended Vaccines
| Vaccine | Recommendations | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 | All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information. | COVID-19 vaccine |
| Hepatitis A | Consider hepatitis A vaccination for most travelers. It is recommended for travelers who will be doing higher risk activities, such as visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where a traveler might get infected through food or water. It is recommended for travelers who plan on eating street food. | Hepatitis A – CDC Yellow Book |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to Belgium. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to Belgium. | Hepatitis B – CDC Yellow Book |
| Measles | Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series. | Measles (Rubeola) – CDC Yellow Book |
| Rabies | Belgium is free of dog rabies. However, rabies may still be present in wildlife species, particularly bats. CDC recommends rabies vaccination before travel only for people working directly with wildlife. These people may include veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers working with specimens from mammalian species. | Rabies – CDC Yellow Book |
| Tick-borne Encephalitis | Avoid bug bites. | Tick-borne Encephalitis – CDC Yellow Book |
Non-Vaccine Preventable Diseases
Avoid Contaminated Water
| Disease | Commen Ways it Spreads | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Leptospirosis |
|
Avoid contaminated water and soil |
Airborne and Droplet
| Disease | Commen Ways it Spreads | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Hantavirus |
|
|
| Tuberculosis (TB) | Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing. | Avoid sick people. |
Belgium Customs Restrictions
Another of the Belgium entrance requirements that you will need to consider before your trip is the customs restrictions for the country. To make sure you are in compliance, please review the sections below.
Requirement: Firearms, knives, narcotics, certain plant products, and non-native animal products are controlled. There are also limits on the amount of tobacco and alcohol that can be brought into the country.
The Following Items Cannot Be Brought In:
- Counterfeit coins and banknotes
- Counterfeit or pirated goods
- Goods bearing false origin statements in any form
- Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
- Radioactive products
- Explosives
- Firearms
- Knives that have a locking blade mechanism
- Review Other Items Here
Travelers MUST declare the following items:
- Animal Products
- Plant Products
- Alcohol Products
- Tobacco Products
- Review Full Declaration Requirements Here
Traveling With Controlled Drugs
If you are traveling with controlled substances such as medications, you must make sure you are following the correct protocols for bringing those substances into the country. If you are traveling with medications, make sure you consider the following:
- You are only carrying substances prescribed for yourself or someone in your care (parent/child or nurse/patient).
- You declare the substance(s) on your Passenger Arrival Card which is inspected by Customs.
- You carry a copy of the prescription from your doctor for the substance.
- The controlled substances are carried in their original containers.
- You are carrying a supply that does not exceed a month’s supply of the controlled substance.
Belgium Currency Requirements
The final of the Belgium entrance requirements that you will need to consider before your trip is the currency restrictions for entering and leaving Belgium. For more details on the currency restrictions, please review the information below.
Requirement:Â If you are traveling with more than EUR 10,000, the money must be declared.
If you are traveling to or from any country outside of the EU with currency exceeding 10,000 Euros or the equivalent in another currency (banker’s draft and cheques of any kind included), you must declare the money.
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Thank you for the detailed and informative write-up!
Thank you so much for the kind words!! 😀