A new visa application and processing center for Belgium was inaugurated Thursday in Rabat, located at the TLS-Millenium Business Centre. The ceremony was attended by Joris Salden, Director General of Consular Affairs at Belgium's Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Gilles Heyvaert, and Bassem Missaoui, North and West Africa Director at TLScontact, the external visa service provider. This new center complements the existing one in Casablanca and aims to improve access to consular services. «It reflects our commitment to a transparent, professional, and accessible service», said Salden. Initially, the Rabat center will handle only student visa applications to simplify the process for those pursuing higher education in Belgium. Until now, students had to travel to Casablanca to submit their documents and then to Rabat for a required questionnaire. With this new center, all steps can now be completed in Rabat on the same day. «This represents a major simplification of the process», Salden noted, adding that the digitization of the system ensures faster, more efficient processing while introducing new digital workflows. Ambassador Heyvaert emphasized the strategic importance of Morocco to Belgium and said that visa policy is part of the broader bilateral relationship. «This initiative guarantees high-quality service and reasonable processing times», he said. TLScontact, which has worked with Belgium since 2016, highlighted that the new center marks an extension of operations beyond Casablanca. «We are committed to providing optimal conditions for applicants», Missaoui affirmed. The Belgian Embassy in Morocco currently handles over 20,000 visa applications per year—a number that continues to rise.
