Can my Thai girlfriend or boyfriend get a visa to visit me in Belgium?
Yes. An unmarried Thai partner applies for a short-stay Schengen visa (type C, up to 90 days) for a “family or private visit”. The Belgian Embassy in Bangkok asks for an invitation letter from you, a copy of your ID, proof or a history of the relationship, proof of money (the partner’s own, plus an Annex 3bis if you pay), and proof that your partner will return to Thailand. The application is made at TLScontact in Bangkok, at the earliest 6 months and at the latest 2 weeks before the trip.
Spoyzy in Bangkok prepares the Thai partner’s full file and helps you, the host in Belgium, with your part.
Many of my clients are couples: one partner lives in Belgium, the other in Thailand, and they are not married. For the embassy, this is a normal visit visa, but the relationship must be clear and believable. This guide explains what to show, how much is enough, and the mistakes that lead to a refusal.
In short
- Visa type: short stay C, purpose “family or private visit” (not tourism)
- From you (host): invitation letter with the trip details, copy of your Belgian ID or residence permit (front and back)
- Relationship proof: photos together over time, proof of earlier visits, and the first messages that show how you met
- Money: your partner’s own payslips and bank statements; if you pay, an Annex 3bis signed at your commune (original)
- Return ties: job letter with approved leave, property, family in Thailand
- Insurance of at least €30,000 issued in Thailand, and a return flight reservation
Why couples choose Spoyzy
- I speak Thai, English and French, and basic Dutch, so I explain each step to both partners
- I know both sides: the commune and the Annex 3bis in Belgium, the TLScontact file in Bangkok
- I help you choose the right relationship proof, so the file is clear and not 100 pages long
- 200+ visa cases, rated 5.0 ★ on Google
1. Which visa does an unmarried partner need?
A Thai girlfriend or boyfriend who visits you for up to 90 days needs a Schengen visa type C. Choose the purpose family or private visit on the visa-on-web form, because the reason for the trip is to see you. The embassy uses a separate checklist for this purpose, and it asks for different documents than a tourist visa.
| Your situation | Which visa |
|---|---|
| Not married, visit up to 90 days | Short stay C, family or private visit (this guide) |
| Married, visit up to 90 days | Short stay C (marriage certificate as relationship proof) |
| Planning to marry in Belgium | Long stay D, marriage visa (see my marriage visa guide) |
| Living together long term without marriage | Long stay D, legal cohabitation (see my cohabitation guide) |
A short-stay visa cannot be extended in Belgium, and the purpose cannot be changed later. If you plan to marry or live together, talk to me before applying.
2. What relationship proof does the embassy want?
The embassy checklist asks for “proof / history of relationship” when the couple is not married. There is no fixed list, so the goal is simple: show that the relationship is real, how it started, and that it continues.
| Proof | What to give |
|---|---|
| Photos together | A few printed photos over time (different places and dates), with a short caption: where and when |
| Earlier visits | Passport stamps, old Schengen visas, flight tickets or hotel bookings from times you met in Thailand or in Europe |
| How you met | The first messages from when you started talking (a few pages, not the whole chat) |
| Contact now | A few recent screenshots of calls or messages, with dates visible |
| Other proof (if you have it) | Money transfers to each other, trips booked together, meeting each other’s family |
Do not print 100 pages of chats. A short, clear selection is easier for the embassy to read: how it started, photos over time, visits, and the invitation letter.
If some messages are in Thai, add a short English translation of the key lines.
We met online. Is that a problem?
No, many couples meet online. The embassy simply wants to understand the story. If you have already met in person, show those visits clearly.
3. Your part as the host in Belgium
- Invitation letter: who you are, who you invite, your relationship (how and when you met), the dates of the visit, where your partner will stay and who pays. Sign it and add your phone number and address.
- Copy of your Belgian ID card or residence permit, front and back (if you are not the guarantor; if you sign an Annex 3bis, the ID goes with the 3bis)
- Accommodation: say in the letter that your partner stays with you, or send a short confirmation
- If you pay: the Annex 3bis (see section 4)
My invitation letter guide has a template you can use.
4. Money: who pays for the trip?
Your partner must show enough money for the stay: at least €45 per day when staying with you, or €95 per day in a hotel (Belgian Immigration Office). Most couples combine two proofs:
| Who pays | What to show |
|---|---|
| Your Thai partner | Payslips and bank statements of the last 3 months (in English, from the bank), credit card if any |
| You, the host | Annex 3bis (formal obligation) signed at your commune, the original, plus your proof of income and ID. You need at least €2,217.47 net per month (from 1 September 2026) |
Even with an Annex 3bis, your partner should still give their own bank statements. In my experience, a file without them is weaker. Order of steps: you sign the Annex 3bis at the commune → you post the original to Thailand → then I book the TLScontact appointment. The Annex 3bis must be used within 6 months.
See my guides on the Annex 3bis and on how much money is needed for a Belgium visa.
5. Proof that your partner will return to Thailand
This is the part that decides many partner visas. The embassy asks for as much information as possible about your partner’s life in Thailand: family, job, income and property.
- Employee: letter from the employer with the job title, start date and approved leave for the travel dates
- Self-employed: company registration and recent income proof
- Student: letter from the school or university with the holiday dates
- Property in Thailand (house or land), children or parents who depend on your partner
- No job at the moment? Give a short, honest explanation with supporting documents. The embassy accepts explanations that are “serious, objective and consistent”.
6. Full document list (checklist)
| # | Document | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visa-on-web form, printed, dated and signed + 1 photo 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background | Partner |
| 2 | Passport (valid 3 months after the return, 2 blank pages) + copies of the data page and all used pages | Partner |
| 3 | Invitation letter with the trip details | Host |
| 4 | Copy of the host’s ID or residence permit (front and back) | Host |
| 5 | Relationship proof (section 2) | Both |
| 6 | Accommodation (in the letter or a short confirmation) | Host |
| 7 | Partner’s payslips, bank statements, credit card | Partner |
| 8 | Annex 3bis original + host’s income proof + ID (if the host pays) | Host |
| 9 | Return ties: employer letter with leave, property, dependants | Partner |
| 10 | Travel insurance, at least €30,000, issued in Thailand, valid for the travel dates | Partner |
| 11 | Return flight reservation (buy the ticket after the visa) | Partner |
Source: Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, checklist “Visa for family/private visit C (Schengen)”, PDF dated August 2026 (checked 5 November 2026).
7. When to apply
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| As soon as you know the dates | Start the documents: invitation letter, relationship proof, employer letter, bank statements, Annex 3bis |
| From 6 months before the trip | Apply as early as you can at TLScontact Bangkok |
| After the visa is issued | Buy the flight tickets (often cheaper than buying early and risking a refusal) |
| Latest possible | 2 weeks before travel (not recommended) |
8. Common mistakes that lead to a refusal
- Choosing “tourism” instead of “family or private visit”
- No proof of the relationship, or 100 pages of chats nobody can read
- The invitation letter and the visa form give different dates or a different story
- The host pays, but there is no Annex 3bis (or only a copy instead of the original)
- No employer letter with approved leave, or no other proof of ties to Thailand
- A large deposit in the bank account just before applying
- Insurance that does not cover all the travel dates
Refused? Read my guide on what to do after a Schengen visa refusal.
9. How Spoyzy helps
- A personal document list for your Thai partner
- Help choosing and organising the relationship proof
- Check of the invitation letter and the Annex 3bis before you go to the commune
- Translation of Thai documents into English
- Visa-on-web form and TLScontact appointment
Read also: Belgium visa from Thailand: complete guide, Annex 3bis: inviting a visitor from Thailand, How much money you need for a Belgium visa, Invitation letter for a Schengen visa and Belgium visa types for Thai partners and family
Planning a visit?
Tell me on WhatsApp when your partner wants to travel and who pays. I will send a document list for your situation.
About Poy
Poy runs Spoyzy Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, a specialist for Thailand–Europe visas and official documents. Poy has handled 200+ visa cases, many of them Thai partners visiting Belgium, and works in Thai, English and French, and speaks basic Dutch.
Frequently asked questions
Can my Thai girlfriend or boyfriend visit me in Belgium if we are not married?
Yes. They apply for a short-stay Schengen visa (type C) for a family or private visit and show proof or a history of the relationship.
What proof of relationship does the Belgian embassy accept?
There is no fixed list. Photos together over time, proof of earlier visits, the first messages that show how you met and recent contact are the usual proof.
How many chat messages should we print?
Only a few pages: mainly the first messages from when you started talking, plus a few recent ones with dates. Do not print the whole chat.
Do I need to sign an Annex 3bis for my partner?
Only if you pay for the stay. If your partner has enough money (at least €45 per day when staying with you), their own bank statements are enough, but most couples use both.
How much do I need to earn to sign an Annex 3bis?
At least €2,217.47 net per month from 1 September 2026 for one visitor.
Does my partner still need their own bank statements with an Annex 3bis?
Yes. The embassy checklist still asks for the applicant’s own financial means, and they also help show ties to Thailand.
Which visa type should we choose: tourism or family visit?
Family or private visit, because the purpose is to visit you. The documents follow that checklist.
How early can my partner apply?
At the earliest 6 months and at the latest 2 weeks before the trip. Start the documents as soon as you know the dates and apply as early as you can.
Can my partner stay longer or change to a marriage visa in Belgium?
No. A short-stay visa cannot be extended and the purpose cannot be changed. For marriage or cohabitation, a long-stay visa D is needed.
What if my partner has no job?
Give as much proof of life in Thailand as possible (family, property, income) and a short, honest explanation with supporting documents.
Sources (checked 5 November 2026): Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, checklist “Visa for family/private visit C (Schengen)” (August 2026); Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be), “Personal sufficient means of support” and “Formal obligation” (checked 27 October 2026).
Last verified: 5 November 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 basic Dutch), and explains every document to both partners in their own language.
Ask Poy on WhatsAppLast updated: November 2026
