What is the Annex 3bis and how do you use it for a Thai visitor?
The Annex 3bis (formal obligation, “engagement de prise en charge” / “verbintenis tot tenlasteneming”) is the official Belgian form in which a host promises to pay the visitor’s stay, medical care and repatriation. The host fills it in, has the signature legalised at their own commune, and posts the original to Thailand. The host needs a net income of at least €2,217.47 per month (since 1 September 2026), and the visitor must apply for the visa within 6 months of the legalisation.
Spoyzy in Bangkok checks the form before your commune visit and prepares the Thai visitor’s full visa file.
Most Thai visitors to Belgium are invited by a partner or family member who pays for the trip. In that case, the Annex 3bis is the strongest proof of money you can give. This guide follows the official rules of the Belgian Immigration Office (dofi) and the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, step by step.
In short
- Who signs: a Belgian living in Belgium, or a foreigner with an unlimited right to stay (not an A or H card)
- Income: at least €2,217.47 net per month for one visitor, plus half that amount for each extra visitor
- Where: the guarantor’s own commune legalises the signature on parts A, B and D
- One form per visitor, one guarantor per form, printed on both sides, no corrections
- The visitor submits the original plus 1 copy with the visa application, within 6 months of the legalisation
- The guarantor is liable for 2 years for costs paid by the Belgian State or a CPAS/OCMW
Why couples and families choose Spoyzy
- We speak Thai, English, French and Dutch, so we explain the form to the host in Belgium and the file to the visitor in Thailand
- We know both sides: the commune documents in Belgium and the TLScontact file in Bangkok
- We check the Annex 3bis before you go to the commune, so you do not need a second visit
- Rated 5.0 ★ on Google
1. Who needs an Annex 3bis?
Every Thai visitor to Belgium must prove enough money for the stay: at least €45 per day when staying with family or friends, or €95 per day in a hotel. A visitor who does not have this can rely on a guarantor. For Belgium, the official way to do that is the Annex 3bis.
| Situation | Annex 3bis needed? |
|---|---|
| The Thai visitor pays everything and has enough money | No. The visitor shows their own payslips and bank statements |
| The host in Belgium pays the stay | Yes, it is the official proof that the host covers the costs |
| The visitor has some money, the host pays the rest | Recommended. A host who pays should sign the Annex 3bis |
Even with an Annex 3bis, the embassy checklist still asks for the visitor’s own proof of income and bank details. In our experience, files without the visitor’s own bank statements are weaker.
2. Who can sign as guarantor?
- A Belgian citizen whose main residence is in Belgium
- A foreigner who is allowed to stay in Belgium for an unlimited period
- Not allowed: a foreigner with a limited stay (A card or H card)
- Only one guarantor per form; two partners cannot sign the same form together
- The guarantor must have enough income personally
3. How much income does the guarantor need?
Since 1 September 2026, the reference amount is €2,217.47 net per month for one visitor. It goes up by half for each extra visitor, including forms the guarantor signed earlier that are still active.
| Visitors covered by the guarantor | Net income per month (from 1 Sept 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 | €2,217.47 |
| 2 | €3,326.20 |
| 3 | €4,434.94 |
| 4 | €5,543.67 |
Exception: an unmarried child under 18 who travels with the main visitor does not raise the amount. The child still needs its own form.
Which income counts?
| Counts | Does not count |
|---|---|
| Salary or income from self-employment; public benefits such as a pension, unemployment or disability benefit | Living wage (leefloon / revenu d’intégration), CPAS/OCMW aid, child benefit, tide-over and transitional allowances, Article 60 jobs |
Source: dofi.ibz.be, “Formal obligation” (checked 27 October 2026). The amount is indexed; check again before the commune visit.
4. Documents the guarantor brings to the commune
- Belgian ID card or residence permit (unlimited stay)
- A family composition certificate from the commune
- Proof of the relationship with the visitor, where applicable
- Proof of income: payslips from the last 3 months, or another official income document (pension slip, benefit proof, bank statements of the last 3 months, last tax assessment)
- Self-employed: at least the last tax assessment notice
- The Annex 3bis, with parts A, B and D filled in on a computer, printed on both sides
Without these documents, the commune declares the form inadmissible.
5. Step by step
- Download the Annex 3bis from dofi.ibz.be (French or Dutch version) and fill in parts A, B and D on a computer. Do not sign yet.
- Go to your commune with the documents above. You sign in front of the official, who legalises your signature.
- Post the original to the visitor in Thailand, with copies of your ID, family composition and proof of income. Use a tracked service.
- Book the TLScontact appointment in Bangkok once you know when the original will arrive.
- The visitor submits the original plus 1 copy with the visa file, at the latest 6 months after the legalisation date in part D.
Order that works in practice: sign at the commune → send the original → then book TLScontact. Delivery to Thailand can take from a few days to a few weeks depending on the service.
6. What the guarantor is responsible for
The guarantor promises the Belgian State and any CPAS/OCMW to cover the visitor’s stay, health care and repatriation costs. This lasts 2 years from the visitor’s entry into the Schengen area. If public money is spent, it can be claimed back from the guarantor by registered letter; unpaid amounts are recovered by FPS Finance. The guarantor and the visitor are jointly liable.
This is why good travel medical insurance (at least €30,000, valid in all Schengen countries) protects both of you.
7. What the Thai visitor still needs
The Annex 3bis covers the money question, not the whole file. The visitor still brings, among others:
- The visa form from visa-on-web, a photo, the passport and copies of used pages
- An invitation letter from the host, and the host’s ID card
- Proof of the relationship (birth or marriage certificate, or the history of the relationship)
- Their own proof of income and bank details
- Proof of return to Thailand: employer letter with approved leave, school letter, company registration, property, family ties
- Travel medical insurance (€30,000) and a return flight reservation
8. Timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| As soon as the dates are known | Host prepares the Annex 3bis and income documents; visitor starts collecting their own documents |
| Commune visit | Signature legalised; the 6-month validity starts |
| After posting | Original travels to Thailand; book TLScontact for after it arrives |
| From 6 months before travel | Apply as early as allowed (at the latest 2 weeks before travel) |
| After the visa | Buy the flights (a reservation is enough for the file) |
9. Common mistakes
- Filling in the form by hand with corrections, or changing it after the legalisation
- Two people signing one form, or one form for two visitors
- Income just below the amount, or income that does not count (living wage, CPAS aid)
- Forgetting earlier forms that are still active, which raises the income needed
- Sending a scan or a copy instead of the original
- Applying more than 6 months after the legalisation date
- Printing on one side only
- No own bank statements from the visitor
- No proof of the relationship for a partner visit
10. How Spoyzy helps
We work with Thai–European couples and families every week, in Thai, English, French and Dutch.
- Check of your Annex 3bis and income documents before the commune visit
- A personal document list for the Thai visitor
- Help with the invitation letter
- Translation of Thai documents into English
- Help with visa-on-web and the TLScontact appointment
Read also: Belgium visa from Thailand: complete guide, How much money you need for a Belgium visa and Invitation letter for a Schengen visa
Get your Annex 3bis checked
Send us on WhatsApp the filled-in form (before you sign) and tell us who is visiting and when.
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 and family members visiting Belgium, and works in Thai, English, French and Dutch.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the Annex 3bis?
Download it from the Immigration Office website (dofi.ibz.be) in French or Dutch, fill in parts A, B and D on a computer, and sign it at your own commune.
How much do I need to earn to sign an Annex 3bis?
At least €2,217.47 net per month (since 1 September 2026) for one visitor, plus half of that amount for each extra visitor.
How long is the Annex 3bis valid?
The visitor must submit it with the visa application within 6 months of the date the commune legalised the signature.
Can my partner and I sign the Annex 3bis together?
No. Only one guarantor can sign a form, and the guarantor must have enough income alone.
Can a foreigner living in Belgium sign the Annex 3bis?
Yes, if they are allowed to stay in Belgium for an unlimited period. A foreigner with a limited stay (A or H card) cannot.
Does the visitor need the original?
Yes. The embassy needs the original Annex 3bis plus 1 copy, printed on both sides and without changes, with copies of the guarantor’s ID and proof of income.
With an Annex 3bis, does my Thai partner still need bank statements?
Yes. The embassy checklist still asks for the visitor’s own proof of income and bank details, and they also help show that the visitor will return to Thailand.
What am I responsible for as guarantor?
For 2 years after entry into the Schengen area, the Belgian State or a CPAS/OCMW can claim back costs of stay, health care and repatriation they paid for the visitor.
Does an Annex 3bis guarantee the visa?
No. It proves the money, but the embassy also checks the purpose of the trip, the relationship and the visitor’s ties to Thailand.
Is the Annex 3bis needed if I only host my visitor but they pay?
No. A visitor who pays can show their own funds (at least €45 per day when staying with you). An invitation letter and your ID card then explain the stay.
Sources (checked 27 October 2026): Immigration Office (dofi.ibz.be), FAQ short stay “Formal obligation” and “Personal sufficient means of support”; Belgian Embassy in Bangkok, “Guarantor” and checklist “Visa for family or private invitation (Visa C)” (August 2026); Royal Decree of 8 October 1981, articles 17/2 to 17/9.
Last verified: 27 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
