Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn
This particular type of visa (in Dutch: Machtiging tot Voorlopig Verblijf) allows the holder to stay in Belgium for a period longer than three months. This visa is also referred to as Visa Type D. For non-EEA students, the Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn is also commonly known as the ‘Student Visa’ or Visa Type D.
As a rule, students must apply for this visa at the Belgian Consulate or Embassy in their own country or in the country where they legally reside, and not from the public authorities in Belgium itself. If there is no Belgian Consulate or Embassy in their home country, they may submit their application at the Belgian Consulate or Embassy in one of the neighbouring countries.
Non-EEA Researchers and Visiting Professors are also required to apply for the Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn in order to enter and stay in Belgium for a period longer than three months.
However, non-EEA Researchers and Visiting Professors who legally reside in a Schengen country can enter Belgium without any visa and apply for the Authorisation for Provisional Sojourn at the city hall of their place of residence in Belgium on the condition that they bring all the required documents for the visa application with them.
ATTENTION: Students should not enter Belgium with a tourist visa if they intend to stay longer than 90 days or three months. K.U.Leuven will not support an application for a change of status or visa.
Click here for more information about Schengen countries and the Schengen visa
