Professional-card approval is regional, followed by the applicable D-visa procedure. Flanders offers a qualifying startup fast track; this is not a nationwide reform.
Route overview
Typical timeline / duration: Professional card/visa D route; duration set by regional/immigration decision.
Important notes
Belgian Foreign Affairs pages state foreigners wishing to exercise a self-employed activity in Belgium must have a professional card, requested in the competent Region; after obtaining the professional card, a visa D can be submitted.
Checklist may include application form, police certificate, photos, passport, professional-card decision and fees.
In force from 1 September 2026 in Flanders: eligible innovative entrepreneurs and startups can obtain faster processing with a signed letter confirming support or cooperation with a Flemish innovator, incubator or research institute. Professional-card conditions are unchanged.
Brussels and Wallonia have their own procedures. The linked London consular instructions are jurisdiction-specific, not a universal checklist for applications in China.
Preparation checklist
Identify the competent Region and its professional-card conditions before preparing a business plan.
For the Flemish fast track, obtain the required signed institutional-support or cooperation letter.
After regional approval, obtain the D-visa checklist from the consulate responsible for your legal residence.