Visa type Required to Retire
It is possible to move to Belgium as a foreign national without working on the condition that you have sufficient means to live on. As with almost all Belgian visas, it is necessary to apply from the embassy/consulate in your home country before you leave. Applications are processed within 3 months. You will need to apply for the D Visa and prove you have adequate means to support yourself, though there is no amount set in stone. The following link allows you to enter all criteria in helping determine what visa you need and where to get it,
Requirements
- Travel document/Passport valid for at least 12 months with space for a visa.
- Two completed visa applications http://www.diplomatie.be/en/pdf/visa.pdf, signed and with two recent passport sized photos.
- A medical certificate http://www.diplomatie.be/en/pdf/medischattesten.pdf filled out by a doctor approved by the embassy or consulate no older than six months.
- Judicial record no older than 6 months covering the last 5 years of your life if older than 18.
- Evidence of funds showing you are able to live in Belgium without working and proof that these funds are transferable to Belgium.
- Very good character references from Belgian residents.
- Evidence of Belgian ties.
These are basic requirements and additional information may be required by the embassy/consulate. Documents issued abroad in a language other than Dutch, English, French or German must be translated by a sworn translator.
Processing the Application
It is advisable to apply as early as possible in the event there may be delays in the processing of the application and may take over a month for the visa to be issued.
When the application is complete, it is sent, in some instances, to the Immigration Service at Federal Public Service Home Affairs in Belgium, which decides whether or not a visa may be issued (Chaussée d’Anvers 59B Antwerpsesteenweg, B-1000 Brussels, Tel.: +32 (0)2 206 15 99, Fax: +32 (0)2 02/274.66.91, helpdesk.dvzoe@dofi.fgov.be, http://www.dofi.fgov.be).
If the visa is issued, you must go in person to the municipal authority in your place of residence within eight days of your arrival in Belgium.
