The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation has recently recruited new visa officers to manage visa applications submitted at Belgian diplomatic posts abroad. These officers will play a crucial role in facilitating international travel and ensuring that visa procedures are handled with professionalism and in accordance with Belgian, EU and international law.

On 2 October, EMN Belgium organised a comprehensive information session tailored specifically for these new visa officers. The session aimed to provide them with a thorough understanding of the Belgian institutional framework governing migration and asylum policies, helping them to perform their duties effectively and navigate the complexities of the Belgian migration system.

Three practical cases illustrated common scenarios that visa officers are likely to encounter. The first involved a third-country national applying for a short-stay visa for tourism. The second focused on an international student seeking a study visa. The third examined an applicant requesting international protection, highlighting the humanitarian and legal aspects of asylum requests.

To contextualise these cases, EMN Belgium also shared up-to-date statistics related to migration flows and visa applications, helping participants understand the scale and diversity of migration trends affecting Belgium.

Overall, the information session served as an introduction to the responsibilities facing the new visa officers, and provided key information to support their work within Belgium’s migration and visa system.

For further details on the institutional framework governing migration and asylum policies in Belgium, please refer to the attached document.