olu101:
@buddy221 Thank you for the reply, God bless. I pray the Lord almighty bless all that you lay your hands on. Cheers

Hi. Have you gotten any feedback on your visa application?

Not at all, am just so fed up of the whole system.

And today has been day 32 still haven't heard from the embassy.

Westmorgan:
And today has been day 32 still haven't heard from the embassy.

You are not alone! My friend's own is going to 2 months soon!

Westmorgan:
And today has been day 32 still haven't heard from the embassy.

Any feedback yet?

buddy221:
Mr zik4ever! U mean 1000 pending applications? DD u really believe dat shit? I call it story for de gods! Was there 1000 pending applications during my own time? Dis is just their own way of delaying every thing! Go to history u ar gona find out dat Belgium is de worst country in visa proccessing. They just specialized in fustrating pple, dats just de fact. Ur frnd and other pple experiencing dis delays.. Shuld just wait and pray for the positive out-come their visas... Note: sometimes they stay up 3-4months before calling up the applicant. Am talking out of experience.

Did you say 3-4 months? So what will they be checking? For a short stay visa? My friend's own will be 2 months next weel!

ireosime:
Hi,i am having the same issue,i submitted at d vfs application centre to belgium on the 4/5/15 up till now i havent heard from them.and my booking date was on the 14/6/15.its more than a month since i submitted my documents to them.does anyone know d delay?

Any update on your visa?

Hello fellow NLns, i realy want to know if truly foreign affair in abuja has nøt been working for the past few weeks as å result of power failure? Please i need To know if its true, because someone incharge of legalizing my docs has been tabling this as an excuse. Please i need ur help fellas

damidamsel:
Got my passport back yesterday and yea........it was DENIED!!!. So unperturbed, would spend my summer elsewhere but Belgium embassy aint gonna stop me, will def reapply soonest. Won't appeal.

sorry for de out come of ur visa application....I knw it frm day 1 dats its gona be like dis...dis Belgium vfs is messing pple up. Ya...I agreed wit u, dnt apeal cus u will stil loose ur money and Time...jst try and reapply through French vfs they kinda faster and u will have 85percent chance of getting de visa. Sorry for evrytin

Still waiting to hear from them day 38. Hope I will laugh last by the grace of God.

travelwahala:
this happened to one of our clients. We went with the client to the embassy to complain. Their office is at Usuma street maitama. we advice our clients that want to go to a schengen country to make Germany their first port of entry. German Embassy is more straight forward.

So when you went with the client to the embassy, did they grant you audience and was the complaint addressed? How do you make Germany first port of entry if you intend to spend a month in Netherlands? Do you "claim" that you intend to visit Germany and stay more in Germany? Because I think the rule is you apply for where you are actually going, or going to stay most/more? What documents will you present for Germany if your sponsor or the event/place you are going is in Netherlands?

zik4ever:

So when you went with the client to the embassy, did they grant you audience and was the complaint addressed? How do you make Germany first port of entry if you intend to spend a month in Netherlands? Do you "claim" that you intend to visit Germany and stay more in Germany? Because I think the rule is you apply for where you are actually going, or going to stay most/more? What documents will you present for Germany if your sponsor or the event/place you are going is in Netherlands?

We went with a letter to the consular, when we got to the gate, we asked to see the visa officers, the security officer told us they dont come out to see people. We wanted to make trouble at first, but we decided to drop the letter instead. To my surprise VFS office in Lobito crescent sent us a text that the passport was ready for pick up the next day.

For the first country of entry, if you show that you will be staying in Germany for 2 to 3 days and afterwards go to Netherlands it's not a problem. They will not stamp your passport again after they have stamped it in Germany. Once you get to Germany you can go by road to Netherlands, it's about 5hours depending on the city. Or you fly for about 2hours plus. This has always worked for me and my clients.

If those inviting you to come to Europe are in Netherlands, you can still present their documents, and also your hotel reservation in Germany. You are going to sight-see in Germany first, before going to Netherlands.

As for the rules, it doesnt matter, you can apply through Spain and go to Switzerland first, but you have to touch base in Spain, because if you dont go to Spain at all, it will be difficult for you to get a visa through Spain the next time. I hope i touched on all your questions?

Thanks a lot for the very informed response. I'm sure many people would have wished to have this advice before now. You appear to be into travels, so any idea of cheapest flight options from Abuja to Amsterdam this summer?

But all said and done has anyone gotten a schengen visa particularly for Netherlands (through the French or Belgium Embassy) within 3 weeks as they advice/advertise? Seems they are notorious for delays?

Hi good people, I have been following up this issue and there is an interesting finding. A friend whose visa application has taken 8 weeks, wrote to the Netherlands Embassy in Abuja on Thursday. They replied him with apologies but explained that the decision on his visa is actually to be taken by the Belgian authorities in Brussels, Belgium and not the Netherlands Embassy Abuja or their home government back in Amsterdam! This for me is very interesting because it means the delay is caused by Belgium and its like one nation handing over its sovereignty to another? So the Belgian authorities can hold a visitor to Netheralands to ransom. They later sent another email to him saying they would write to their Belgian counterpart in Abuja. Something appears amiss or untidy about this arrangement. Its their right to do it but folks need to know so that they can plan their travels. By next week, his visa application will be 2 calendar months with no feedback.

freddie2014:
Hi Op,

Read your story and am WOW!!!

We applied for French visa, using the Vsf office same date you posted this topic, I had been pre-informed by friends about the annoying delay from the embassy. I called the Embassy and asked them that i heard that they do delay in issuing applicant visa if its true and if i should apply, They just asked that different strokes for different folks and if i choose to apply i should go ahead.

We did send in our application and it took exactly 15 days and the visa's were out. so i come dey wonder when i read your story ooo.

Just put am for prayer too!

Indeed someone who applied for French visa got his within same time frame as yours but Visa through the Belgium Embassy is something else I tell you! Anyone with contrary experience?

Am having the same issues, I applied for a Netherlands visitation visa through the belgium vfs Lagos on the 1st of June, I was told to wait for 12-15 working days now it's almost 6 weeks my status still reads your application has been forwarded to the Belgium Embassy, my travel date is August 6th, I mailed the Embassy no response, reading you all were denied gives me the chills, how long do I have to wait? Please what were the reasons given after you were denied?

mzceebaby:
Am having the same issues, I applied for a Netherlands visitation visa through the belgium vfs Lagos on the 1st of June, I was told to wait for 12-15 working days now it's almost 6 weeks my status still reads your application has been forwarded to the Belgium Embassy, my travel date is August 6th, I mailed the Embassy no response, reading you all were denied gives me the chills, how long do I have to wait? Please what were the reasons given after you were denied?

I dont know for those who were denied but my friend's own is still pending -he submitted since 14th May! It became 8 weeks last Monday and will be 2 calendar months on Tuesday. Its completely unacceptable and unbelievable.

i applied for schengen visa only for them to give me 10 days single entry meanwhile my mates who went with France got 1 year multiple entry. this was after delaying my visa issuance to the date before my trip.

I was so glad when i heard it had reverted back to French embassy. Like seriously who would even want to go to Begium embassy on a good day, Am sure they cost Netherlands a lot of foreign exchange

All,
Please if your visa is being delayed. Follow up as advised below. Someone had to send 15 email reminders:

For any queries, kindly contact us on our call centre numbers 01- 3427734
We shall respond to phone calls from 09:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday except the holidays observed by the Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria.

You can even send in your enquires to info.beng@vfshelpline.com

Feedback:

We aim to provide an efficient service to the applicants. If you have a complaint, we would like to know about it as soon as possible. Belgium Application Centre, Lagos and Abuja maintain a Complaint /Suggestion/Appreciation form for the benefit of the applicants. info.beng@vfshelpline.com

You can even e- mail your feedback to visa.abuja@diplobel.fed.be


BELGIUM EMBASSY CONTACT
Applicants who intend to contact the Belgium Embassy should kindly indicate the following details via visa.abuja@diplobel.fed.be
Last name
First name
Date of birth
Passport number
date of application

Good evening members in this forum, I applied for a belgium tourist visa on the 16th Dec 2013, it took them 32 days to refuse and return my application, a letter of refusal was sent along with my document asking me to appeal, but I didn't make an appeal since I have just have few days left for me cos I didn't really understand the reason of the refusal, I applied again for a business visa visa netherland embassy which belgium treated on the 19th of may I just got my application today took them 40 days to get back to me, still my application was refuse, the annoying part of it is that the refusal letter was written in dutch, when I tried using the Google translator, seems is the same issue why they refuse me at belgium embassy 2 years ago is the same reason I was refuse this year, I don't just understand should I stop applying for schengen visa or I should make an appeal, since is the same reason the refuse me the first time and the second time.

My friend will withdraw his visa application from the Belgium Embassy after waiting for 9 weeks and getting no response. He would do so at Abuja on Tuesday after the public holidays. By next Thursday, his application would have been 10 weeks! Any of you guys got responses or updates on your pending visa applications to The Netherlands via the Belgium Embassy?

Seems everyone has gotten their visas sorted out? My friend will withdraw his won application this Friday because its been 10 weeks (2 months plus) and no feedback.

eddymogul:
Good evening members in this forum, I applied for a belgium tourist visa on the 16th Dec 2013, it took them 32 days to refuse and return my application, a letter of refusal was sent along with my document asking me to appeal, but I didn't make an appeal since I have just have few days left for me cos I didn't really understand the reason of the refusal, I applied again for a business visa visa netherland embassy which belgium treated on the 19th of may I just got my application today took them 40 days to get back to me, still my application was refuse, the annoying part of it is that the refusal letter was written in dutch, when I tried using the Google translator, seems is the same issue why they refuse me at belgium embassy 2 years ago is the same reason I was refuse this year, I don't just understand should I stop applying for schengen visa or I should make an appeal, since is the same reason the refuse me the first time and the second time.

You didnt disclose the reasons why you were refused so not sure if we can be of much help but I dont think it would be easy if you try the third time especially since you apparently havent resolved the issue and you've gotten 2 rejections now.

freddie2014:
Hi Op,

Read your story and am WOW!!!

We applied for French visa, using the Vsf office same date you posted this topic, I had been pre-informed by friends about the annoying delay from the embassy. I called the Embassy and asked them that i heard that they do delay in issuing applicant visa if its true and if i should apply, They just asked that different strokes for different folks and if i choose to apply i should go ahead.

We did send in our application and it took exactly 15 days and the visa's were out. so i come dey wonder when i read your story ooo.

Just put am for prayer too!

Seems the French Embassy gives more favourable and speedy response. The Belgium Embassy is something else altogether! But like you said, prayer is the key because with God nothing shall be impossible.

I hear the Embassy is having network issues? Hello. Anyone in the house?

My friend finally withdrew his visa application after waiting for 10 weeks without any feedback on his Netherlands visa application. They returned his passports with all supporting documents and hurriedly gave him a 2-page letter written in Dutch. They expect him to find an interpreter to decode the message. He said someone else had earlier withdrawn his own but that one had a rejection stamped hurriedly on the passport before it was returned to him -he waited for 2 hours. I tell you its real drama and suspense!

zik4ever:
Someone whose family is visiting Netherlands this Summer, decided to re-route their travel through France so he applied for Schengen visa through the French Embassy and they were issued visas in about 3 weeks. Perhaps going through the French Embassy could be easier/faster but then the French Embassy only issues visas for applicants for Netherlands from the Southern States while Belgium handles for Northern States and Abuja.

Do you mean the French Embassy is now handling this in Lagos? I had a business meeting in London and Amsterdam in may. After getting my British visa, I applied for the shengen visa first week of may. After 3 weeks of delays, I was forced to withdraw my application so that at least I meet the appointment in London. Thanks to the Belgian embassy, I landed London the evening of the day my partners left. I missed BOTH meetings and just wasted my time flying to the UK. Plus the flight to Abuja to retrieve my passport.

I was hoping to go back in October but with all I am seeing on this thread, I am not sure I want to waste my time with the Belgians. But if the French are handling it in Lagos, then I see a possibility of going to Amsterdam in October

LewsTherin:


Do you mean the French Embassy is now handling this in Lagos? I had a business meeting in London and Amsterdam in may. After getting my British visa, I applied for the shengen visa first week of may. After 3 weeks of delays, I was forced to withdraw my application so that at least I meet the appointment in London. Thanks to the Belgian embassy, I landed London the evening of the day my partners left. I missed BOTH meetings and just wasted my time flying to the UK. Plus the flight to Abuja to retrieve my passport.

I was hoping to go back in October but with all I am seeing on this thread, I am not sure I want to waste my time with the Belgians. But if the French are handling it in Lagos, then I see a possibility of going to Amsterdam in October

Yes the French Embassy in Lagos handles for all applicants from the South but I think there is a caveat that after submission, you will still need to go to Abuja for your biometrics if you are a first time visitor. Just to be sure, you can make further inquiries in Lagos about the process. Ah, but from your experience, it looks like the Belgian Embassy have long been this inefficient? Not a good one at all! Very unacceptable and inexcusable. I dont know why Nigeria which hosts Dutch interests like Shell and Nigerian Breweries etc cannot have a full-fledged Embassy to directly handle full consular and visa services.