Submitting your visa application in Rwanda?

• Where, when and how can you submit your visa application?
• How much is the handling fee (cost for processing your visa application)?
• Required documents
• Checking the status of your visa application
• Schengen representation for visa
• Medical certificate and certified doctors
• Important information
• Contact
   

Where, when and how can you submit a visa application?

On 17 March 2025, Rwanda decided to break off diplomatic relations with Belgium with immediate effect. As a result, our embassy in Kigali is now closed and visa applicants need to come to Nairobi to submit their visa application.

You will find all the necessary information on the procedure for your visa application on the website of TLScontact.

Holders of diplomatic or service passports as well as family members of EU-citizens* (only for C visa) can submit their visa applications directly at the Embassy of Belgium after filling out the visa application form on the website Visa On Web and after taking an appointment on this website.

*Family members of EU nationals (including those from Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) or Swiss nationals: spouse or registered partner, children under 21 or dependent children, dependent ascendants of the EU or Swiss national, and, in the case of students, their spouse and dependent children.

Admissibility of a Schengen visa application

An application is admissible when the following formal admissibility criteria are fulfilled:

1. the application is lodged at least 15 calendar days before the intended visit (please note that an application can already be lodged 6 months before the intended visit);
2. 1 filled in and signed visa application form;
3. valid travel document (the document has to be valid at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen territory);
4. 1 photograph;
5. paid visa fee for the handling of your application;
6. the biometric data (fingerprints) have been collected (n.b.: the fingerprints have to be collected every 59 months starting from the date of their first collection).

Supporting documents

Concerning supporting documents per type of visa, please check the list of documents per specific visa type on the website of the Embassy or on the website of TLScontact.
 

How much is the handling fee (cost for processing your visa application)?

The handling fee and the TLScontact service fee have to be paid at TLScontact.

The handling fee for a short stay visa (C) is: 90€
Children: 6 to less than 12 years old: 45€
Children: 0 to less than 6 years old: no handling fee
EU family members: no handling fee
Holder of diplomatic or service passport: no handling fee (if reciprocity is assured)

The handling fee for a long stay visa (D) is 180€.

The handling fee is always paid in Kenyan Shillings (see website TLScontact) and not refundable (except when the application has been declared inadmissible by the Embassy).

An additional contribution is required for the processing of certain visa D applications, in which case you will be requested to submit a proof of payment of this additional contribution as a part of your visa application. If you are unable to do so at the time of the submission of your application, the application will be considered inadmissible.

Please note that the handling fee is to be paid at the time of the application. In case the applicant is exempt from paying the handling fee, he or she is not automatically exempted from paying the additional contribution. For more information, we refer you to the Immigration Office website.

  
Required documents
 

For a list of required documents, check Travel Purpose | TLScontact Nairobi.

Biometry - Visa Information System

All Schengen visa applicants must appear in person, except for children younger than 12, to have their 10 fingerprints and their photograph registered. These data are stored for 5 years in the VIS. The fingerprint registration procedure only takes a few minutes and identifies you with certainty as the sole licensee of the visa. It protects you against falsification or abuse of your identity (for instance, if your passport is stolen) and optimizes the border crossing. For more extensive information, we refer you to the European Union website.
 

Long stay visa (more than 90 days)

See Immigration Office

Attention: Since 01-12-2018 the 10 fingerprints of all visa D applicants above 6 years old have to be collected. The only exceptions are applicants of whom it is physically impossible to take fingerprints and diplomatic or consular staff who will be posted at their Embassy in Belgium or who will be posted at an international organization having its headquarter or representation in Belgium. This exception applies also to their family members (spouses and dependent children).

  
Checking the status of your visa application  

Belgian embassies and consulates general must submit certain visa applications to the Immigration Office of the Federal Public Service Home Affairs for a final decision. It is the only competent authority with regards to the admittance, stay, residence and removal of foreigners from Belgian territory.

In case your file has been submitted to the Immigration Office you can check its status with your file number - check My File or by sending a mail to infodesk@ibz.fgov.be.

Once a decision has been taken, the Belgian Embassy or the Visa Application Center will inform you personally.

  
Schengen representation

Belgium currently represents 17 countries for the processing of short-stay visa applications (max. 90 days) from visa applicants with residence in Rwanda: Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland (+ Liechtenstein).

Congolese nationals and foreigners having their residence in one of the Kivu provinces can only apply for a Schengen visa at TLScontact if their main destination is Belgium, Germany (only for Congolese nationals), Luxemburg or Sweden. For the other Schengen member States and for residents outside of Kivu, please contact the relevant Embassy in Kinshasa.

Belgium also represents Luxembourg for handling of long stay visa applications (more than 90 days). 

  
Medical certificate and certified doctors

 Important information

• The decision in a visa application is taken within 15 calendar days of the date of the lodging of an application which is admissible. That period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed.
   
• Visa applicants may request to retain their passport after submitting their visa application so that they can travel back to Rwanda pending a decision. Once the visa application is approved, visa applicants will be notified by the embassy and can send their passport to the embassy in Nairobi using a courier service (e.g. DHL) for issuance of the visa. The shipping costs will be borne by the visa applicant.
   
• Negative decisions on visa applications are notified to the applicant in law and in fact (see procedure to be followed in the event of an appeal on the visa refusal form).
   
• On their request and in accordance with the European Visa Code, some Schengen member States have to be informed a posteriori about visa issued to nationals of certain third countries, which are enumerated on this list (except for airport transit visa).
   
• Mere possession of a visa does not confer an automatic right of entry. Holders of visa are requested to present proof that they fulfil the entry conditions at the external border, as provided for in Article 5 of the Schengen Borders Code.

  
Contact

For information concerning your ongoing visa application you can also consult TLScontact.

Information on ongoing visa applications shall only be given if you mention your file and passport number.