D visa with the purpose of legal cohabitation with a Belgian or non-EU citizen in Belgium

Last updated on

June 20, 2025

A non-EU foreign national wishing to declare cohabitation in Belgium with a Belgian national or a non-EU foreign national authorized to reside in Belgium, and who wish to apply for family reunification after declaration of legal cohabitation needs to apply for a D visa at the Embassy of Belgium in Tokyo if the applicant resides in Japan.

Both the applicant and the partner should be over 21 years old. If this is not the case, please refer to *1.

Please note that you may submit your visa application only from 6 months before the intended date of departure.

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible.

If you hold a special passport or travel document such as Diplomatic/Official/Service Passport, etc., please contact us by e-mail.

List of supporting documents

Please prepare 1 set of original documents and 2 sets of copies in the order mentioned below.

List of supporting documents
	DOCUMENT	TYPE	COMMENT
For the non-Belgian visa applicant
1	Visa Application Form	2 originals	Printed from VOW Signed and dated. Do not use a hyphen (-) to input your telephone number in VOW; this could result in an error in the system.
2	Passport	1 original + 2 copies of the data page	Issued less than 10 years ago. Valid for at least more than 3 months beyond the validity of the requested visa. With a minimum of 3 consecutive blank pages with the mention ‘visa’ available (for affixing the visa sticker) Undamaged.
3	Recent photographs (for passports, IDs etc.)	3 originals	Conform to ICAO standards 1 photo to be attached to each application form 1 photo to be submitted separately Full name to be written on the back of each photo.
4	National identity card	1 original + 2 copies	If you are in possession of one
5	Valid Japanese residence card	1 original + 2 copies of the front and back	Only for non-Japanese Should be valid for at least 6 more months on the date of submission of your visa application file to this embassy
6	Certificate of criminal record	1 original	See the directions
7	Medical certificate	1 original + 2 copies	See the directions Submit both the certificate and the test results (provided by the doctor in detail)
8	Travel insurance	1 original + 2 copies	Valid at least up until the date when the applicant will start being covered by the Belgian mutual insurance. See number 15 below. Covering any costs of repatriation for medical reasons, emergency medical care, and/or emergency hospital care during stay/s on the Schengen territory. The minimum cover should be 30,000 EUR.
9	Birth certificate	1 original + 2 copies	A certified true copy of the birth certificate (if the applicant is Japanese, Koseki-Tohon), duly legalized and accompanied by a translation into one of the Belgian national languages; French, Dutch or German. For the translation and legalization of a document delivered by a Japanese public authority, click translation and legalization For the legalization and translation of a document delivered by a non-Japanese or non-Belgian public authority, please inquire with the Belgian embassy or consulate in the relevant country.
10	Certificate of single status	1 original + 2 copies	A document proving your unmarried status Also known as certificate or celibacy/certificate of capacity of marriage/certificate of no impediment, etc. Duly legalized and accompanied by a translation into one of the Belgian national languages; French, Dutch or German. For the translation and legalization of a document delivered by a Japanese public authority, click translation and legalization For the legalization and translation of a document delivered by a non-Japanese or non-Belgian public authority, please inquire with the Belgian embassy or consulate in the relevant country.
11	A chronological history/account of relationship with the partner in Belgium	1 original + 2 copies	Any proof of a lasting and stable relationship between the applicant and the partner in Belgium.
12	Proof of payment of the administrative fee to the Belgian Immigration Office	1 original + 2 copies	To be paid directly to the Belgian Immigration Office. For more detailed information, go to directions > administrative fee
For the partner in Belgium
13	Belgian ID card / residence card in Belgium	3 copies	Copy of the front and back
14	Certificate of single status	1 original + 2 copies	A document proving unmarried status Also known as certificate or celibacy/certificate of capacity of marriage/certificate of no impediment, etc. Duly legalized and accompanied by a translation into one of the Belgian national languages; French, Dutch or German. For the translation and legalization of a document delivered by a Japanese public authority, click translation and legalization For the legalization and translation of a document delivered by a non-Japanese or non-Belgian public authority, please inquire with the Belgian embassy or consulate in the relevant country.
15	Proof that the partner in Belgium is affiliated with a mutual insurance/has medical insurance	1 original + 2 copies	Certificate of registration at a Belgian mutual insurance
16	Proof of stable, regular, and sufficient means of subsistence	1 original + 2 copies	For more detailed information, please refer to the comment below*2
17	Proof of sufficient housing	1 original + 2 copies	Rental contract with a MyRent registration OR Proof of ownership of a residence For more detailed information, please refer to the comment below*2
Visa fee Free of charge for Japanese, Moroccan, Israeli, Turkish, and San Marino nationals. NEW : From 1 March 2025, only electronic payment methods will be received at the Belgian Embassy in Toyo. Cash will no longer be accepted. For accepted types of payments, please see below: Image Click here for detailed information on prices and exemptions

*1

If the applicant and/or the partner in Belgium is/are under 21 years old but over 18 years old, it is possible to apply for a visa only on the condition that they have been living together for at least 1 year before the applicant's arrival in Belgium.

*2

The following webpage of the Belgian Immigration office provides more information in detail regarding the above list, please be sure to check it very carefully to complete your visa application file:

NL: Visum met het oog op huwelijk of samenwoning in België

FR: Visa en vue de se marier ou de cohabiter en Belgique

Important notes

No application will be accepted without VOW (visa on web) and an e-appointment. Please refer to the “VOW Guidance”.
The final outcome of your visa application will be a direct result of the information that can be found in the supporting documents you have presented. If you wish for a specific outcome, please provide sufficient documents to prove the necessity of that outcome.
The final decision for this type of visa is made by the Belgian Immigration Office, and in such a case, it can take several months for the result to be communicated to the visa desk. Only when the visa desk receives permission from the Immigration Office, the visa can be delivered.

(In)complete documents

The visa desk reserves the right to request additional documents (even if not featured in the list above) or to invite the applicant to an interview if deemed necessary.
An incomplete application file can result in a visa refusal. However, a complete file does not guarantee the issuance of a visa. Be informed that the visa section has no obligation to ask for missing documents. If a document is missing, it will be assumed that you are unable to provide it, or that you do not wish to provide it.

Language

All official documents issued by a (foreign) public authority (e.g. birth certificate, proof of celibacy, etc.) should be accompanied by an official translation (by a sworn/professional translator) into one of Belgium’s official languages: French, Dutch, or German. Please also make sure that all official documents comply with the legalization/translation requirements.
All non-official documents (e.g. proof of relationship, bank statements, flight tickets, etc.), should be accompanied by a translation (free translation by yourself, or by sworn/professional translator) into one of Belgium’s official languages (French, Dutch, or German) or English.

Financial proof

Financial proof (salary slip, certificate of scholarship, bank statement, etc.) should always be presented in EURO. If the original currency is not EURO, please convert the sums using a reliable currency converter such as xe.com or oanda.com, and mention the conversion rate and date of conversion.

Preparation of the application file

Unless otherwise indicated, documents sent by fax or email are not accepted.
All copies must be A4 size and as single-sided copies.
Setting - in the order listed above:

1 original application form +1 set of copies of other documents listed above

and