Business Visa for Belgium to visit Client

[MPwannadecentincome]

Well as it is now possible to visit EU countries (though I might wait for the 4th wave to die down) I am thinking how to plan a visit to my client in Belgium with the new Brexit rules on doing business in EU.

Having read the info here https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/belgium-visa/ it seems that I have to apply for a Business Visa to visit them and have meetings. I am a project manager so having meetings seems to be allowed though I didn't find a strict definition of what is allowed or not. I will not be seeking employment over there. I will be carrying one of their laptops - on loan to me since before Brexit and necessary to access their network remotely over VPN.

Looking at the criteria for any visa there are 2 choices applicable:

Belgium Visa Requirements Based on Your Employment Status


Additionally, you will need to provide the embassy/consulate with documents that prove you meet Belgium visa requirements based on your employment status:

If employed:

• Employment contract
• Current bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Leave permission from the employer - e.g. https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/obt...a-application/
• Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary

If self-employed:

• A copy of your business license
• Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
• Income Tax Return (ITR)

Self employed is no good there is no "business license" in the UK which is normal in Belgium, so that leaves Employed. Yet for employed I will have to find out if I have to write an Employment Contract.

Then additional requirements for the Business Visa are:

Required Documents for a Business Schengen Visa to Belgium


When applying to obtain a Belgium Business visa, you must provide the following additional documents, which apply to your case:

• Invitation letter from the Belgian company you will be visiting and their details and address, accompanied with the dates of your visit.
• A certificate from your employer. In this letter should be stated why you will be travelling to Belgium, and that your employer permits you to leave throughout that period.
• Business bank statement. Preferably for the last 6 months.
• Memorandum and Article of Association. It should be submitted in original certified copy (registered with joint-stock companies).
• Trade License (first issued and present renewal).
• Proof of trip financing. Regarding your expenses during your whole stay in Belgium, either the employer or the partner company must state coverage of expenses on the letter or invitation.

My client can do the letter of invitation, what seems strange is the need to supply an original certified copy of Memorandum and Article of Association.

Has anyone had to do anything similar since Brexit for any Schengen country? Has anyone used a visa service to assist?

I doubt that many have tried so far, the official Belgian Visa service at visaonweb.diplomatie.be/ doesn't even have a "UNITED KINGDOM" option on the drop down list for PASSPORT COUNTRY OF ISSUE - I have had to email them to ask how to complete that part of the form!

[Lance]

you're over-complicating it.
For a start. Ask the client........ They have a better idea.

Secondly... Entry requirements - Belgium travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Regular entry requirements

Visas


The rules for travelling or working in European countries changed on 1 January 2021:

• you can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training

business meetings are fine. It's doing actual work that requires a visa. As a PM there's no danger of that is there
Seriously though. You can go most places in the world for 'meetings' without a visa.

[MPwannadecentincome]

business meetings are fine. It's doing actual work that requires a visa.

So how do I explain the large laptop with the client's branding on it at immigration? Laptop = doing work?

I am asking as I don't know how immigration view these things.

Also you have quoted the UK gov website ... sorry but Belgian info and their perspective trumps anything the UK gov might say.

[Lance]

So how do I explain the large laptop with the client's branding on it at immigration? Laptop = doing work?

I am asking as I don't know how immigration view these things.

Also you have quoted the UK gov website ... sorry but Belgian info and their perspective trumps anything the UK gov might say.

What does the client say? They have a better idea I suspect.

And so what if you have one of their laptops? It's the purpose of your visit that matters. It's a business meeting.

The FCO site isn't just someone's opinion. It's based on international agreements backed up by law.
And agrees with this Living and Working in Belgium & UK - British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium (britcham.eu)

You don't know how immigration view these things, but I am telling you what my experience has been in many more countries outside the EU. USA, China, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Hong Kong.

It's fine for business meetings. You don't need a visa.

[zonkkk]

I went to meetings / workshops with clients across the world, both before and after Brexit, as an employee as well as a contractor. No one ever asked me for a work visa.

The answer to 'what's the reason for your visit' is business. Anything shorter than 2 weeks they won't blink an eye. Good bye, that's it.

[Fred Bloggs]

Worth echoing - You do not need a business visa to attend business meetings in another country. Attending business meetings is not regarded as working in another country.

[jamesbrown]

As above, business meetings qualify as non-productive work in every jurisdiction that I am aware of and non-productive work means that a tourist visa is fine.

[MPwannadecentincome]

sounds good - thanks all!

[MPwannadecentincome]

Thanks for link - very useful!

Living and Working in Belgium & UK - British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium (britcham.eu)