A total of 59,103 applications for long-stay visas (more than 90 days) were submitted in Belgium in 2024, a rise of 9% on the previous year. The figures come from Federal Migration Centre Myria annual report. The number of decisions was slightly of whether or not to grant a visa was slightly lower at 53,731. Of these 43,776 were positive and 9,955 negative.
The overwhelming majority (48%) of long-stay visas issued last year were for family reasons (adoption, reunification, etc.). Study and academic visas accounted for 26% and economic migration fror 18% of the visas issued.
Humanitarian vias account for only 3% of the long-stay visas granted. According to Myria, this is due to an exceptionally high refusal rate (46%) for this type of visa. By way of comparison, the refusal rate for family visas is just 21%.
Last year, 4,676 people applied for a humanitarian visa, 314 for a short stay and 4,362 for a long stay vias. This figure is exceptionally high, as it has almost doubled (+96%) compared to 2023. However, only 1,579 applications were approved (including 1,392 for long stays). Most applications came from Syrian (33%), Afghan (21%) and Congolese (13%) nationals.
Short-stay visas
Applications for short-stay visas (less than 90 days) were increased by 10% last year. In 2024 a total of 207,097 applications were submitted, 157,589 of which were approved (78%) and 45,478 refused (22%). Short-stay visas were most often granted for economic and academic reasons (39%), followed by tourism (33%) and family reasons (19%).
The five main nationalities to which short-stay visas were granted are Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Congolese and Moroccan.
Myria warns that the figures presented above are not exhaustive as the data are not representative of all immigrants. For example, visa-exempt persons are not included. The Centre also points out that only one legal reason for migration is recorded, but that there are sometimes multiple reasons and that a positive decision does not guarantee that the person concerned has actually entered Belgium.