Belgium’s Embassy in Canberra quietly updated its website on 29 January 2026 to reiterate that, with immediate effect, all visa applicants in Australia and New Zealand must submit their files through six designated VFS Global centres. The embassy will no longer accept applications by post, except in narrowly-defined humanitarian circumstances.
The reminder follows complaints from students and ICT assignees who attempted to courier files directly to the chancery, only to face return delays that jeopardised travel dates. Under the outsourced model, biometrics, document intake and fee collection are handled by VFS, while decision-making remains with Belgium’s Immigration Office and regional authorities for single-permit cases.
To help applicants stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ offers a streamlined online platform that walks travellers through Belgium’s latest requirements, verifies documentation, and provides real-time fee updates before they ever book a VFS slot. Whether you’re a student, an ICT assignee or an HR manager coordinating multiple transfers, VisaHQ’s pre-check and courier services can minimise errors and speed processing—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
![Belgian Embassy in Canberra confirms VFS Global will remain sole filing channel for all visas]()
For corporate mobility planners moving talent from Australia to Belgian headquarters, the key implication is timing. Appointment slots in Sydney and Melbourne can book out three weeks in advance during peak relocation periods. Employers should therefore align assignment start dates with the Schengen 15--day decision target and factor in additional transit for couriering passports back from the embassy.
The Canberra post also reminds applicants that they must consult regional fee schedules for the federal immigration contribution—currently €217—as well as any new administrative surcharges introduced at regional level, such as Flanders’ planned €200 processing fee from 1 January 2026.
HR teams should update relocation checklists and employee briefings to reflect the VFS-exclusive filing route and ensure that medical-certificate and police-clearance documents meet Belgium’s apostille and translation standards before the VFS appointment, reducing the risk of file incompleteness and consequent re-scheduling.
The reminder follows complaints from students and ICT assignees who attempted to courier files directly to the chancery, only to face return delays that jeopardised travel dates. Under the outsourced model, biometrics, document intake and fee collection are handled by VFS, while decision-making remains with Belgium’s Immigration Office and regional authorities for single-permit cases.
To help applicants stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ offers a streamlined online platform that walks travellers through Belgium’s latest requirements, verifies documentation, and provides real-time fee updates before they ever book a VFS slot. Whether you’re a student, an ICT assignee or an HR manager coordinating multiple transfers, VisaHQ’s pre-check and courier services can minimise errors and speed processing—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
For corporate mobility planners moving talent from Australia to Belgian headquarters, the key implication is timing. Appointment slots in Sydney and Melbourne can book out three weeks in advance during peak relocation periods. Employers should therefore align assignment start dates with the Schengen 15--day decision target and factor in additional transit for couriering passports back from the embassy.
The Canberra post also reminds applicants that they must consult regional fee schedules for the federal immigration contribution—currently €217—as well as any new administrative surcharges introduced at regional level, such as Flanders’ planned €200 processing fee from 1 January 2026.
HR teams should update relocation checklists and employee briefings to reflect the VFS-exclusive filing route and ensure that medical-certificate and police-clearance documents meet Belgium’s apostille and translation standards before the VFS appointment, reducing the risk of file incompleteness and consequent re-scheduling.
