APPLY FOR A VISA FOR A FOREIGN DIPLOMA
European diplomas (Directive 2005/36/EC)
Visa for permanent establishment
European practitioners who wish to establish themselves permanently in Belgium and practise their health profession must first apply for recognition with one of the Communities.
For Dutch-speaking applications, you can contact Departement Zorg
For French-speaking applications, you can contact the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
For German-speaking applications, you can contact the German-speaking Community
After your recognition by the Communities, the FPS Health will automatically send you your visa authorising you to practise the profession.
Temporary and occasional service provision
European practitioners who are established in another European Member State and who wish to practise their profession temporarily or occasionally in Belgium must request authorisation from the FPS Health.
The request is made using this form and must be sent to visa@health.fgov.be
Non-European diplomas
Visa for permanent establishment (all professions)
- You do not have the nationality of one of the EEA countries or Swiss nationality.
- You must first request an equivalence of your foreign diploma to one of the Communities.
- For Dutch-speaking applications, you can contact NARIC Vlaanderen
- For French-speaking applications, you can contact the Equivalences department of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
- For German-speaking applications, you can contact the German-speaking Community
- As a physiotherapist, auxiliairy nurse or paramedical practitioner1, you must also present a recognition. You can request this recognition from one of the Communities, within the following departments:
- For Dutch-speaking applications, you can contact Departement Zorg
- For French-speaking applications, you can contact the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
- For German-speaking applications, you can contact the German-speaking Community
- Then apply for your visa using the Dutch form or the French form.
Authorization for an internship/fellowship (temporary) - foreign doctors
- You are not normally entitled to exercise your profession in Belgium.
- You can obtain authorization, under certain conditions, to carry out certain activities as part of specialized training of a maximum duration of 2 years.
- Follow the Dutch procedure or the French procedure.
1 Audiologist and Audicien / Bandagist, Orthotist and Prosthetist / Dietician / Occupational therapist / Pharmaceutical-technical assistant / Logopedist / Medical laboratory technologist / Orthoptist-optometrist / Podologist / Medical imaging technologist / Oral hygienist