Which visa does a Thai spouse of an EU citizen living in Belgium need?
If your husband or wife is a citizen of an EU country other than Belgium (for example France, the Netherlands, Germany or Italy) and lives in or moves to Belgium, you can apply for a free Schengen visa C under Directive 2004/38/EC. You only prove your identity, the family link, and that you join or travel with that EU citizen. No income or housing proof in the usual case, and the decision should come quickly (as much as possible within 15 days). In Belgium you then apply for residence at the commune.
The same rules apply to the family of a Belgian who lived at least 3 months in another EU country and returns to Belgium. Spoyzy in Bangkok prepares the legalised Thai documents and checks the file.
In short
- For: spouse, registered partner, children under 21 (or dependent) and dependent parents of an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen who is not Belgian, or of a Belgian who used EU free movement
- Visa: visa C marked “BNL 11”, free of charge for spouses, registered partners and children
- Decision: as much as possible within 15 days once the documents prove you qualify
- No income, housing or Annex 3bis in the usual case
- Apply at least 2 weeks and at most 6 months before travel
- To stay more than 90 days: residence application at the Belgian commune
Why couples choose Spoyzy
- Few people know this visa: many couples pay for a long D visa they do not need
- We speak Thai, English, French and Dutch
- We prepare the Thai marriage and birth certificates: translation by our partner translator recognised by the Belgian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy legalisation
- Rated 5.0 ★ on Google
1. Who can use the EU family visa?
| Your partner or parent is… | EU family visa? |
|---|---|
| French, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish… (any EU country except Belgium), Norwegian, Icelandic, Liechtensteiner or Swiss, living in or moving to Belgium | Yes |
| Belgian who lived at least 3 months in another EU country and returns to Belgium | Yes (“non-sedentary Belgian”) |
| Belgian who always lived in Belgium | No. Use family reunification with a Belgian (visa D) |
| Non-EU national living in Belgium | No. Family reunification visa D |
Which family members?
- The spouse, or a registered partner (partnership treated like marriage)
- Children and grandchildren of the EU citizen or of the spouse/partner, under 21 or dependent
- Parents and grandparents who are dependent on them
- A parent who has custody of a minor EU citizen
- “Other family members” (for example an unmarried partner in a proven durable relationship) can also apply, but must prove the relationship and pay the normal visa fee
The visa is for joining or travelling with the EU citizen. If you travel alone, without joining your EU partner, the normal Schengen visa rules apply.
2. Documents
From the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok checklist:
- Passport valid at least 6 months from the first entry into the Schengen area, plus a copy of the data page
- Schengen application form, completed and signed, with a recent colour photo (3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background). Boxes 21, 22, 30, 31 and 32 do not need to be completed
- Form to choose the language of the decision
- Proof that your partner is an EU citizen (passport or ID card)
- Proof of the family link: marriage certificate, registered partnership, or birth certificate
- Proof that you join or travel with the EU citizen (for example a joint travel plan, or their address in Belgium)
- Proof that the EU citizen lives in or moves to Belgium (Belgian residence card, work contract, rental contract), or for a Belgian: proof of more than 3 months’ residence in another EU country
Thai documents
A Thai marriage or birth certificate must be legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translated by a translator recognised by the Belgian Embassy, and then legalised by the Belgian Embassy (€25 per document, paid in baht (1,000 THB), by appointment). Do all legalisations before you apply. The commune in Belgium may later ask for the original birth certificate, legalised and translated into its language.
3. Where to apply
For Belgium in Bangkok, the EU family visa is submitted at TLScontact (12th floor, Sathorn City Tower), with an appointment, in person, like other Belgian visas. The visa itself stays free for spouses, registered partners and children; the TLScontact service fee is separate.
4. Costs and timing
| EU family visa C | Family reunification visa D (Belgian sponsor) | |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | Free (spouse, registered partner, children) | €250 |
| Contribution fee | None for the visa | €218 |
| Income and housing proof | Not in the usual case | Yes |
| Decision | As much as possible within 15 days | Within 6 months |
Legalisation and translation costs still apply.
5. After arrival in Belgium
The visa C lets you enter. To live in Belgium for more than 90 days, apply for residence as a family member of an EU citizen at the commune where you live, and prove that you meet the conditions. If your EU partner lives in Belgium as a student or on own means (not working), you also show their health insurance covering you and enough means of subsistence.
6. Common mistakes
- Applying for a family reunification visa D (and paying €250 + €218) when the free EU family visa would apply
- A Belgian partner who never lived abroad in the EU: the Directive does not apply
- Thai marriage certificate not legalised before the application
- No proof that the EU citizen actually lives in or moves to Belgium
- Applying as an unmarried partner without strong proof of a durable relationship
7. How Spoyzy helps
- We check whether the Directive applies to you
- Thai marriage and birth certificates: translation by our partner translator recognised by the Belgian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassy legalisation
- A complete document list and a check of the file
- Advice on the residence application at the commune
Read also: Which Belgium visa do you need?, Family reunification with a Belgian spouse and Marriage registration in Thailand
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About Poy
Poy runs Spoyzy Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, a specialist for Thailand–Europe visas and official documents. Poy has handled 200+ visa cases, 150+ marriages and 800+ legalised documents, and works in Thai, English, French and Dutch.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EU family visa for Belgium really free?
Yes, for the spouse, registered partner and children of an EU citizen covered by the Directive. Other family members, such as an unmarried partner, pay the normal visa fee.
My husband is French and lives in Brussels. Which visa do I need?
The free EU family visa C under Directive 2004/38/EC, followed by a residence application at your commune in Belgium.
My wife is Belgian. Can I use this visa?
Only if she lived at least 3 months in another EU country and returns to Belgium. Otherwise you apply for family reunification with a Belgian (visa D).
Does my EU partner need a minimum income?
Not for the visa in the usual case. If your partner lives in Belgium as a student or on own means, you show health insurance and enough means of subsistence when you apply for residence.
How long does the EU family visa take?
The decision should be taken as much as possible within 15 days once your documents show that the Directive applies.
Do we need to be married?
A spouse or registered partner qualifies directly. An unmarried partner can apply as “other family member” with proof of a durable relationship, and pays the visa fee.
Can my Thai child come too?
Yes. Children of the EU citizen or of the spouse, under 21 or dependent, are family members. Bring the legalised and translated birth certificate.
Do Thai documents need to be legalised?
Yes. Legalisation by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translation by a translator recognised by the embassy, then legalisation by the Belgian Embassy, all before you apply.
Can I stay in Belgium longer than 90 days with this visa?
The visa itself is for entry. To live in Belgium, apply for residence at the commune as a family member of an EU citizen.
Sources (checked 29 October 2026): Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, checklist “Directive 2004/38/EC – Visa for family members of EU citizens (visa C)”; Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be), “Family reunification with a citizen of the EU or of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein” (articles 40bis and 47/2 of the Law of 15 December 1980, amended by the Law of 10 March 2024).
Last verified: 29 October 2026.
Written by Poy, founder of Spoyzy
Poy has handled 200+ visa cases, 150+ marriages and 800+ document legalisations for Thai–foreign couples and families. Poy speaks Thai, French and English (and a little Dutch), and explains every document to both partners in their own language.
Ask Poy on WhatsAppLast updated: October 2026
