The European Commission on 29 January 2026 unveiled its inaugural EU Visa Strategy—an umbrella roadmap that will shape how Member States, including Belgium, grant short- and long-stay visas over the rest of the decade. The document responds to mounting geopolitical tension, record mobility volumes and a growing talent gap in Europe’s labour market. It sets three overarching goals: (1) reinforce the security of the Schengen area by tightening monitoring of visa-free regimes and introducing a stronger suspension mechanism; (2) bolster economic growth by making the EU more attractive to skilled workers, students, researchers and innovative entrepreneurs; and (3) advance the Union’s strategic interests abroad through calibrated use of visa policy as a diplomatic tool.
Security measures grab early headlines. The Commission wants Member States to digitise 100 % of visa files and switch to cryptographically-secure digital visa stickers by 2028, synchronised with the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Carriers, border police and immigration officers would be able to query all major EU databases with a single search, drastically cutting fraud and identity-swap risks. The Strategy also urges stricter, data-driven monitoring of partner countries that currently enjoy visa-free access, with the explicit threat of rapid suspension should overstays, asylum abuses or security concerns spike beyond new, lower thresholds.
For Belgian corporates the most eye-catching element is a parallel Recommendation on “attracting talent for innovation.” Brussels is encouraged to roll out 100 % online filing, cap standard long-stay-visa processing at 30 days, and create seamless intra-EU mobility for permit holders—such as engineers on short-term projects in Antwerp and Cologne. The paper also calls for streamlined recognition of foreign qualifications and lighter document requirements for start-ups, echoing proposals already circulating in Flanders for a 15-day “fast lane” for highly-skilled migrants.
![European Commission adopts first-ever EU Visa Strategy, pledging faster, more secure processing]()
At ground level, navigating these evolving requirements can be daunting. VisaHQ’s Belgium desk provides travellers, students and HR teams with a one-stop online dashboard, document-checking service and courier filing support for Schengen visas, work permits and residence authorisations. Their specialists continuously track EU-wide policy shifts, ensuring applications remain compliant; more details can be found at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
From a practical standpoint, HR and mobility managers should prepare for a far more digital—and data-sensitive—visa environment. Belgian companies that move staff around the EU will need to ensure payroll, border compliance and travel-data systems can interface with the new EU-wide IT platforms. They should also expect closer scrutiny of posted-worker time lines and genuine-employment tests once the upgraded suspension mechanism comes into force.
Although the Strategy is not directly binding, it sets the policy tone for forthcoming legislative proposals and funding programmes. Belgium’s Interior and Foreign Affairs ministries have already welcomed the blueprint, noting that it dovetails with the country’s own plans to introduce an administrative surcharge on single-permit filings and expand biometric infrastructure at Brussels Airport before EES goes live.
Security measures grab early headlines. The Commission wants Member States to digitise 100 % of visa files and switch to cryptographically-secure digital visa stickers by 2028, synchronised with the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Carriers, border police and immigration officers would be able to query all major EU databases with a single search, drastically cutting fraud and identity-swap risks. The Strategy also urges stricter, data-driven monitoring of partner countries that currently enjoy visa-free access, with the explicit threat of rapid suspension should overstays, asylum abuses or security concerns spike beyond new, lower thresholds.
For Belgian corporates the most eye-catching element is a parallel Recommendation on “attracting talent for innovation.” Brussels is encouraged to roll out 100 % online filing, cap standard long-stay-visa processing at 30 days, and create seamless intra-EU mobility for permit holders—such as engineers on short-term projects in Antwerp and Cologne. The paper also calls for streamlined recognition of foreign qualifications and lighter document requirements for start-ups, echoing proposals already circulating in Flanders for a 15-day “fast lane” for highly-skilled migrants.
At ground level, navigating these evolving requirements can be daunting. VisaHQ’s Belgium desk provides travellers, students and HR teams with a one-stop online dashboard, document-checking service and courier filing support for Schengen visas, work permits and residence authorisations. Their specialists continuously track EU-wide policy shifts, ensuring applications remain compliant; more details can be found at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
From a practical standpoint, HR and mobility managers should prepare for a far more digital—and data-sensitive—visa environment. Belgian companies that move staff around the EU will need to ensure payroll, border compliance and travel-data systems can interface with the new EU-wide IT platforms. They should also expect closer scrutiny of posted-worker time lines and genuine-employment tests once the upgraded suspension mechanism comes into force.
Although the Strategy is not directly binding, it sets the policy tone for forthcoming legislative proposals and funding programmes. Belgium’s Interior and Foreign Affairs ministries have already welcomed the blueprint, noting that it dovetails with the country’s own plans to introduce an administrative surcharge on single-permit filings and expand biometric infrastructure at Brussels Airport before EES goes live.
