This guide covers the UK visa from Belgium in 2026: the ETA Belgian passport holders now need, current fees in euros, processing times, and the visa routes for work, study, and non-EU residents. Around 31,000 Belgian-born residents live in the UK, and the Brussels–London Eurostar takes under two hours. Since Brexit, Belgian travellers need a €24 ETA approved before boarding.
UK Visas from Belgium
UK Visa from Belgium 2026: ETA Requirements, Cost & Belgian Passport Entry
UK Entry Requirements for Belgian Citizens
Belgian citizens do not need a visa for visits of up to six months, but they do need an ETA (€24, valid two years) obtained through the UK ETA App. Non-EU residents of Belgium need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) instead, with biometrics at the Brussels visa centre. For work, study, or family stays, Belgian nationals apply for the relevant visa and verify their identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App.
Few neighbours share more history: the medieval wool trade tied England to Flemish cities like Bruges and Ghent, Waterloo was fought on Belgian soil in 1815, and the UK sheltered a quarter of a million Belgian refugees in the First World War. With the Eurostar taking under two hours, Belgium has one of the quickest routes to the UK — but since Brexit, Belgian travellers face the same ETA system as other visa-exempt nationals, checked at boarding.
- A valid passport: covering the duration of the stay — a Belgian ID card is not accepted.
- An approved ETA: €24, valid two years, via the UK ETA App.
- Evidence of return or onward travel.
- Accommodation details: a booking or a host's address.
- Enough funds: to support the visit without working.
- Genuine intention to leave within six months.
At the border, officers may ask about your plans, accommodation, and funds, though detailed questioning is rare for Belgian visitors. Keeping your Eurostar ticket and return details on your phone speeds things up. Travellers from elsewhere in the region face the same system, including those covered by our France guide.
Do Belgian Citizens Need a Visa for the UK?
It depends on your nationality, not your residence. Free movement between the EU and UK ended on 31 December 2020, so Belgian citizens are now visa-exempt nationals for short visits — they can visit without a visa but cannot work, study courses over six months, or access public funds. According to the official gov.uk ETA guidance, Belgian citizens have needed an ETA since 2 April 2025, with a 99.6% issue rate — approval is effectively automatic. Those settled before Brexit may hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme and need neither an ETA nor a visa.
The full rules, exemptions, and how the scheme works across nationalities are covered in our guide to the UK ETA. The same ETA route applies to travellers covered by our Netherlands guide.
UK Visa Fees from Belgium 2026 (in Euros)
Home Office fees are set in pounds and shown in euros for applicants in Belgium and the eurozone. The figures below are pulled from the official fee calculator, apply identically across euro-currency countries, and are non-refundable.
UK visitor and short-stay fees from Belgium (2026)
| Visa Type | Fee (EUR) | Max Stay Per Visit |
|---|---|---|
| ETA (Belgian citizens) | €24 | 6 months |
| Standard Visitor (6 months) | €164 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (2 years) | €615 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (5 years) | €1,097 | 6 months |
| Long-term Visitor (10 years) | €1,371 | 6 months |
| Marriage Visitor | €164 | 6 months |
| Direct Airside Transit (DATV) | €50 | Airside only |
| Visitor in Transit | €91 | 48 hours |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros; ETA per GOV.UK.
UK work, study and family visa fees from Belgium (2026)
| Visa Category | Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Student | €678 |
| Skilled Worker (up to 3 years) | €995 |
| Skilled Worker (over 3 years) | €1,966 |
| Health and Care Worker (up to 3 years) | €394 |
| Youth Mobility Scheme | €413 |
| Partner / Family visa | €2,508 |
| Adult Dependent Relative | €4,417 |
| Priority service | +€608 |
| Super Priority service | +€1,215 |
Source: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule, as displayed in euros.
The Immigration Health Surcharge
Any visa over six months also carries the Immigration Health Surcharge, charged in pounds at £1,035 a year — students and Youth Mobility participants pay £776. It is paid on top of the visa fee and is not converted to euros. Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt.
UK Tourist Visa from Belgium
“UK tourist visa from Belgium” means different things by nationality. A Belgian passport holder visiting as a tourist only needs the €24 ETA — covering tourism, family visits, business meetings and negotiations (never paid work), short courses up to 30 days, private medical treatment, and transit. A non-EU national living in Belgium must apply for a Standard Visitor visa, regardless of how long they have lived there.
Processing Time for a UK Visit from Belgium
For Belgian citizens there is nothing to process beyond the ETA, which is usually approved within minutes and at most three working days — apply before booking, not at the station. For non-EU residents, the Standard Visitor visa takes about three weeks from biometrics in Brussels, so frequent travellers should build that lead time into any trip.
For repeat trips, the 2, 5 or 10-year visitor visa allows unlimited entries over two, five, or ten years while still capping each stay at six months — it spreads the cost for frequent Eurostar travellers.
UK Visa from Belgium for Non-EU Residents
Belgium has large Moroccan, Turkish, and Congolese communities who may need to travel to the UK for family, business, or tourism. A Belgian residence permit does not grant visa-free UK travel — only your passport nationality decides the requirement. Visa-national passport holders pay €164 for a six-month Standard Visitor visa; the application goes through the visa centre in Brussels and takes about three weeks.
Belgian Residence Strengthens Your Application
Legal residence in Belgium — especially permanent residence — helps a UK visitor application by showing strong ties and a clear reason to return. Assemble your evidence using our UK visa supporting documents checklist, and if a relative is hosting you, our guide to the sponsor letter shows what to include. If a visit was refused before, see why UK visas are refused and the odds when reapplying.
Working and Studying in the UK
A Belgian passport no longer confers UK work rights — free movement ended on 31 December 2020, so Belgian nationals now need permission to work or study long-term. The upside is convenience: as an EU national, you verify your identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check App rather than attending a visa centre, and UK visa grant rates for Belgian applicants are high across all routes. The same applies to German nationals visiting the UK.
Skilled Worker, Youth Mobility and Student Routes
The Skilled Worker route needs a job offer from a licensed sponsor and a salary meeting the £41,700 general threshold; the fee is €995 for up to three years or €1,966 beyond, leading to ILR after five years. Belgian citizens aged 18 to 35 can use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413, two years). For courses over six months, the Student visa costs €678; after a degree the Graduate route gives two years' post-study work. A partner visa (€2,508) carries a £29,000 income requirement.
How to Apply for a UK Visa from Belgium
Belgian citizens do almost everything by app: the ETA App for short visits, and the ID Check App for full visa applications — no visa centre visit needed. Non-EU residents use the Brussels visa centre for biometrics. For an ETA there is no form beyond the app itself — download it, scan your passport, take a photo, and pay.
- Complete the online application and pay the fee in euros at gov.uk.
- Belgian citizens: give biometrics via the UK Immigration: ID Check App from home.
- Non-EU residents: book biometrics at the Brussels visa centre.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Wait for the decision — about 3 weeks standard, 5 days on priority.
- Receive your eVisa or a vignette in your passport.
Processing Times and Delays
Standard processing is about three weeks for non-settlement visas and up to twelve weeks for settlement routes; ETAs are usually decided within minutes. If a decision runs late, our guide on delayed UK visa decisions explains how to chase it, priority and super-priority services can speed things up where available, and you can track timelines with our guide to post-biometrics waiting times.
For official confirmation, use the gov.uk visa checker and the Standard Visitor visa guidance. Neighbouring guides cover the Austria fees guide, travellers from Ireland, and the UK visa from Switzerland. Sources: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026 schedule; GOV.UK ETA guidance. Figures verified August 2026 against the 8 April 2026 fee schedule.
Frequently Asked
Questions about UK Visas from Belgium
No visa is needed for visits up to six months, but Belgian citizens must hold an ETA before travelling. It costs €24, lasts two years, and is obtained through the UK ETA App. The requirement has applied since 2 April 2025 and is enforced at boarding — without an approved ETA, carriers will not let Belgian travellers board the Eurostar or a flight to the UK. For work or study, the appropriate visa is required.
For Belgian citizens the cost of a UK visit is simply the €24 ETA — there is no visit visa to buy. Non-EU residents of Belgium pay €164 for the six-month Standard Visitor visa, with longer options at €615 for two years, €1,097 for five, and €1,371 for ten. Those applications run through the Brussels centre and take about three weeks.
No. Since 1 October 2021, EU identity cards are no longer accepted at the UK border for most travellers, so Belgian visitors need a full passport plus the ETA. The main exceptions are those with EU Settlement Scheme status, who can still use a national ID card. If your passport has expired, renew it before booking — the ETA links to the passport you apply with.
ETAs are usually decided within minutes, up to three working days. Standard visa processing is about three weeks for visitor and other non-settlement visas, and up to twelve weeks for settlement visas such as partner routes. Priority service (€608) targets five working days for visitor visas, and super priority (€1,215) aims for the next working day where available.
Not without a work visa. The main route is the Skilled Worker visa (€995–€1,966), needing sponsorship from a licensed UK employer and a salary at or above the £41,700 general threshold. Belgian nationals aged 18–35 may also use the Youth Mobility Scheme (€413). Business meetings are allowed on an ETA, but paid work is not.
No. A Belgian residence card proves your status in Belgium but carries no UK travel rights. Visa-national passport holders — Moroccan, Turkish, Congolese, and others — still need a Standard Visitor visa (€164) for any UK trip, while visa-exempt nationals need an ETA. Only your passport nationality decides the requirement, however long you have lived in Belgium.
Yes — for Belgian and other visa-exempt passport holders, an approved ETA is all that is needed to board at Brussels-Midi, where UK border checks happen before departure. The ETA must already be approved when you check in; applying at the station risks missing your train, even though most applications clear within minutes. Visa nationals need their visa, not an ETA.
The UK ETA App is for applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which Belgian citizens use for short visits up to six months. The UK Immigration: ID Check App is for giving biometrics when applying for an actual visa — work, study, or family. In short, the ETA app is for visiting and the ID Check app is for longer stays that need a visa.
Nee — voor bezoeken tot zes maanden volstaat de ETA, die €24 (£20) kost, twee jaar geldig is en via de UK ETA App wordt aangevraagd. De verplichting geldt sinds 2 april 2025 en wordt bij het instappen op de Eurostar of het vliegtuig gecontroleerd. Voor werk, studie langer dan zes maanden of gezinshereniging is het bijbehorende visum nodig; wie status heeft onder het EU Settlement Scheme heeft geen ETA of visum nodig.
L'ETA pour les visites coûte €24. Les visas complets : Standard Visitor €164 (six mois), visa étudiant €678, Skilled Worker €995 (jusqu'à 3 ans), Youth Mobility €413 et visa de partenaire €2,508. Les frais se paient en ligne lors de la demande, et les citoyens belges vérifient leur identité via l'application UK Immigration: ID Check — sans passer par un centre de visas. Les résidents non européens donnent leurs données biométriques au centre de Bruxelles.