Belgium Sees Surge in Long-Stay Visas for Moroccan Nationals, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels

In 2022, family migration accounted for 43% of the long-stay visas granted, followed by visas for student and economic migration. Turks, Moroccans and Tunisians are the most affected by these last two categories, with an almost doubled increase in the number of D visas granted between 2021 and 2022.
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The report also highlights a sharp increase in short-stay visas (C visas) in 2022 compared to 2020 and 2021, although the number remains lower than before the pandemic. The main beneficiaries of these visas are people from India and Morocco. While C visas granted for tourism, students and economic reasons are declining, those granted for family reasons are almost as numerous as before the health crisis.

However, the Belgian Federal Migration Center indicates that last year, 43% of C visas for humanitarian or medical reasons were refused, as well as 44% of D visas for humanitarian reasons. Visa refusals are most frequent in this last category.