Belgium has inaugurated a new visa processing centre in the capital of Morocco, Rabat, which will initially offer services to students only.
Commenting on the opening of the new centre, the Director General for Consular Affairs at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium, Joris Salden, said that the facility, which complements the one in Casablanca, marks a significant step in efforts of both countries to improve access to consular services, Schengen.News reports.
Highlighting that the centre will initially be exclusively reserved for students only, Salden said that Belgium is happy to welcome Moroccan students to the country.
This centre fits perfectly into our strategy to bring our services closer to citizens. We are pleased to welcome these students as part of high-quality academic programs offered in Belgium, which contribute to strengthening the historic ties between our two countries.
Previously, Moroccan students enrolled in higher education programmes in Belgium had to visit the Belgian Embassy in Rabat to complete a study questionnaire and then go to Casablanca to submit their visa application.
Going forward, two separate trips will no longer be necessary as the entire process will be completed in Rabat. The visa applications can now be submitted in the new centre, while the questionnaire still needs to be completed at the Belgian Embassy in Rabat.
From now on, a single procedure will be sufficient, representing a significant simplification of the process.
Belgium Aims to Process Visa Applications Faster
In addition to the above-mentioned, Salden also noted that the digitalisation of the system permits the authorities to handle applications more efficiently.
Commenting on the matter, the Belgian Ambassador to Morocco, Gilles Heyvaert, said that the initiative aims to guarantee that Moroccans are offered quality services and that the applications are processed “within a reasonable timeframe”.
At the same time, Heyvaert emphasised that both countries are strategic partners for one another and that the new changes are part of the efforts to further strengthen the relationship between Belgium and Morocco.
According to statistics published by SchengenVisaInfoBelgium received 16,925 Schengen visa applications from Moroccans in 2024. Of the total number of applicants, 10,404 were granted a visa.
On the other hand, the Schengen visa applications of 6,249 Moroccans were rejected by Belgium in 2024.