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🇧🇪 Belgium

Belgium is no. 34 in our list of the 50 most visited destinations, with 9.6 million international arrivals in 2024. Below: visa rules for every passport, cash limits at customs and the tourist traps official travel advice warns about.

Rank 34 of 50 by international arrivals (9.6 million, 2024) · Source: UN Tourism

Check your visa route for Belgium

Pick your passport and where you live — Belgium is already filled in.

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Visa rules for your passport ↓

Explore Belgium: things to do, shopping, food and getting around

A short guide based on VISITFLANDERS. Visit Brussels' pages didn't respond when this guide was checked, so it covers Flanders only.

Places to visit

  • Bruges

    Bruges

    One of Europe's best-preserved cities. Its entire historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Groeningemuseum holds masterpieces by the Flemish Primitives.

    Source: VISITFLANDERS (official tourism agency of Flanders) – Bruges

  • Ghent

    Ghent

    See the Castle of the Counts, the city's three towers and the Adoration of the Lamb of God (the Ghent Altarpiece), plus medieval streets where the Leie and Scheldt rivers meet.

    Source: VISITFLANDERS – Ghent

Shopping

Summarised in our own words from the linked pages, official tourism boards and transport authorities first; items marked "Not official" come from other guides. Prices and opening times change, so check the source before you go. Last checked 24 Oct 2026.

Common tourist traps and how to avoid them

Scams and risky spots named in official travel advice for Belgium, plus a few reported in public visitor reviews (labelled), in our own words.

  1. Luggage theft on high-speed trains

    How it works: Bags are taken from racks at the end of carriages just before the doors close.

    How to avoid it: Keep luggage near you and watch it at stops.

  2. Thieves at Brussels stations

    How it works: Pickpockets and muggers operate at Brussels-Midi (Eurostar) and Brussels-Nord and in the EU quarter; violent robberies have occurred.

    How to avoid it: Stay alert, particularly at night, and beware of distractions.

  3. Smash-and-grab at traffic lights

    How it works: Thieves on motorbikes break car windows and grab valuables from the seats.

    How to avoid it: Keep bags out of sight, doors locked.

  4. Taxis that stop to offer rides

    How it works: Unofficial drivers tout for passengers.

    How to avoid it: Only use official licensed taxis.

  5. "Window tapping" smuggling approaches

    How it works: Truck and van drivers are approached at service stations and asked to carry goods to the UK.

    How to avoid it: Refuse and report it to police.

  6. Inflated bills on Rue des Bouchers

    How it works: Waiters tout passers-by into restaurants on this street off the Grand-Place. Visitors report misleading set menus and bills padded with bread, water and extras.

    How to avoid it: Check every price before you sit down, or eat elsewhere.

    From visitor reviews, not official Rue des Bouchers, Brussels. Sources: reddit.com · tripadvisor.com · lesoir.be. Researched 23 Oct 2026; there is no official page to re-check, so this date is not updated automatically.

Areas flagged in official advice

  • Brussels-Midi/Zuid and Brussels-Nord stations
  • Schuman (EU quarter)
  • Paris–Brussels and Amsterdam–Brussels trains

Official advice: FCDO: no areas advised against.

Emergency numbers in Belgium

Other traps paraphrased from official travel advice: FCDO travel advice – Safety and security · FCDO travel advice – Warnings and insurance · FCDO travel advice – Getting help (emergency numbers) · FCDO page updated 25 Sept 2026 · Last checked 2 Nov 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Cash you can bring in and take out

Customs rules for banknotes and other cash when you enter or leave Belgium.

EU external border (Reg. 2018/1672)

Bringing cash in
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when arriving from outside the EU.
Taking cash out
Declare cash of EUR 10,000 or more (or equivalent) when leaving to a country outside the EU.
Local currency (EUR) in
No limit (declaration only).
Local currency (EUR) out
No limit (declaration only).
Foreign currency
No limit (declaration only).
  • EU rule (Regulation (EU) 2018/1672): anyone entering or leaving the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash (banknotes, coins, bearer-negotiable instruments such as traveller's cheques, and gold coins/bullion of high purity) must declare it to customs at the point of entry/exit, using the EU cash declaration form. The threshold is per person, also for families/groups.
  • Customs can act on lower amounts if there are signs of criminal activity; undeclared cash can be detained and fined.

Official source: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu · eur-lex.europa.eu · europa.eu · Last checked 4 Oct 2026

Belgium visa rules by passport

The general rule for each passport, from official sources. Open a passport to see conditions and options that depend on where you live.

Free movement (EU/EEA/Swiss)30 passports
Visa-free63 passports
Embassy visa105 passports

Verified rules for Belgium: 197 of 198 passports; awaiting verification: 1; not yet covered: 0. A rule that is awaiting verification or not yet covered is not a negative visa decision: it only means we haven't confirmed it on an official source yet.

⚠ Unofficial sources: 1 rule for Belgium is not from an official Belgium government source (based on other governments' travel advice or secondary research). They are labelled on each page, are not counted as verified above, and should be confirmed with the embassy before travel.

Requirements for all visitors to Belgium

These apply on top of the visa rules above, whatever your passport, unless an item says otherwise.

  • Proof of fundsProof of means of subsistence: approx. EUR 45/day if staying with a private individual (letter of guarantee alternative); approx. EUR 95/day if staying at a hotel; return ticket usually required

    Applies to: non-EU/EEA/Swiss visitors at the external Schengen border, on request.

    Official source: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu · Last checked 2 Nov 2026

Nearby destinations

Official travel advice

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Plan your trip to Belgium

Verify with the embassy before you book. Visa rules change without notice. We link every rule to its official source and last checked it on 2 Nov 2026, but the embassy, official e-visa portal and your airline have the final say. MyVisaPort is not a visa agent and is not affiliated with any government.