Travel documents
- Necessary documents
- Travel advice
Travelling abroad requires official travel documents. These depend on the country that you are travelling to. Request these documents well ahead of time. Your airline will check if you have the required documents at check-in. Are you missing certain documents or are they invalid? If so, you will not be allowed to board.
You might need the following documents:
- Identity card
- Passport
- Visa
- Vaccination certificates
Information and travel advice
The federal government website provides all information about travel documents per destination.
The Insitute of Tropical Medicine website provides all information about vaccinations and other medical precautions.
Your airline or travel agency provides detailed information regarding the necessary documents.
Do you use prescription medicines? Make sure to bring a sufficient supply of your medication with a copy of your prescription. Forgot something? No problem, Brussels Airport has its own pharmacy.
Are you pregnant? A doctor’s certificate is required to fly once you pass the 28th week of pregnancy. Airlines usually refuse to carry passengers from their 36th week of pregnancy onwards.
General information about vaccinations and other medical precautions can be found here.
Children and babies must have a valid passport or identity card. You can apply for a Kids-ID at your local authority. This is an electronic ID for Belgian children younger than 12 years old. This enables them to travel within the European Union and several other countries.
Issuing a Kids-ID takes about 3 weeks and sometimes even longer. Made a last-minute application? You can use the accelerated application procedure, although this is more expensive.
The Visa Waiver program applies to resident of most European countries, including Belgium and its neighbouring countries.
Travelling to the US and participating in the Visa Waiver Program? Then you don’t require a Visa. But you do require a valid passport. You also must complete a mandatory online procedure: the ESTA application (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation application).
Make your ESTA application by registering on the US government’s ESTA website. It is essential that you do this in advance.
Keep in mind that your ESTA application can be refused. Want to travel to the US nonetheless? Then you must apply for a visa at the US Embassy. Always make sure to arrange your application well ahead of time.
More information
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Bring copies of all your travel documents
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Carry useful information separately (for example information related to prescriptions)
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Take an extra set of passport photos with you
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Carry medicines in your hand baggage
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Keep a copy of any prescriptions in your hand baggage