08/05/2026
The procedure for obtaining the authorisation to practise medicine in Belgium varies according to the origin of the diploma and the nationality of the holder.
For more information, check the following public and official website:
1. Procedure for physicians holding a diploma obtained in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
The following information concerns diplomas (basic medical training and specialist medical training) that meet the requirements for the application of European Directive 2005/36/EC of 7 September 2005 of the European Parliament and the Council on the recognition of professional qualifications (articles 24, 25 and annex 5 of Directive 2005/36/EC).
1. 1. Permanent practice in Belgium (the term “establishment” is commonly used)
A physician holding a diploma obtained in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland seeking the authorisation for permanent practice in Belgium is required to have the following documents in order to be registered on the List of the Belgian Order of Physicians.
a. Recognition of professional qualifications: to be requested from one of the Communities (article 104 of the coordinated law of 10 May 2015 related to the practice of healthcare professions).
For any inquiry related to the submission or compilation of your file, the following authorities need to be contacted:
- For applications in Dutch: the Departement Zorg of the Flemish Community
- For applications in French: the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (part of the French-speaking Community of Belgium)
- For applications in German: the German-speaking Community
b. The visa constitutes the "authorisation to practise" (article 104 of the coordinated law of 10 May 2015 related to the practice of healthcare professions and article 10, paragraph 1, of the law of 22 April 2019 related to the quality of healthcare practice).
It is mandatory to have a visa to practise medicine in Belgium as a physician. It is issued by the FPS Public Health, Food chain safety and Environment (visa-international@health.fgov.be).
Once the physician has obtained recognition of his diploma by a Community, the FPS Public Health automatically sends him his visa (he does not need to submit an application) on the condition that the physician has provided proof of his knowledge of one of the three national languages of Belgium.
The administration contacts the applicant physician to ask him to provide proof of his language skills if these are not apparent from his file. Proof of language proficiency in one of the national languages may be provided by producing one of the following documents (article 11 of the law of 22 April 2019 related to the quality of healthcare practice):
- A secondary education diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking educational establishment;
- A higher education or university diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking establishment;
- A C1 language certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, with the exception of the writing skill, for which a B2 language certificate is sufficient.
c. Registration on the List of the Belgian Order of Physicians (article 2, paragraph 2 of Royal Decree no. 79 of 10 November 1967 related to the Order of Physicians and article 21bis of the Royal Decree of 6 February 1970 regulating the organisation and functioning of the councils of the Order of Physicians).
Registration is requested from the competent provincial council of the Order of Physicians in the location where the physician intends to establish his medical domicile, i.e. the place where he will perform his main activities. Contact details for the provincial councils of the Order of Physicians can be found in the following link: https://www.ordomedic.be/fr/conseils-provinciaux/les-conseils-provinciaux/.
The application for registration on the List of the Order must be submitted along with the following documents:
- A copy of both sides of the Belgian applicant’s eID card or a copy of the foreign applicant’s passport;
- A copy of the physician’s basic diploma;
- A copy of the ministerial decree recognizing the basic diploma issued by one of the Communities of Belgium;
- A copy of the visa issued by the FPS Public Health;
- An extract from the criminal record. Please note:
- If the applicant is not domiciled in Belgium, he must provide a criminal record extract issued within the last three months, or, failing that, an equivalent document from the country where he is domiciled;
- If the applicant has been domiciled in Belgium for less than 3 years, he must submit a criminal record extract issued by Belgium (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code) AND a criminal record extract from the country where he was previously domiciled – the documents must be less than three months old;
- If the applicant is domiciled in Belgium, he must provide an extract from the criminal record issued by the Belgian authorities (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code); this document must be less than 3 months old.
- If the physician has previously practised medicine in the other country of origin or provenance, or in another country, he must provide a document issued within the last three months by the competent authority in that country (such as the National Order of Physicians or an association with similar powers) certifying that no disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on him. Alternatively, the document includes a list of any professional, administrative, or criminal sanctions related to the practice of the profession. This original certificate from the disciplinary authority must cover the entire period from obtaining the basic diploma to the application for registration. If the physician has practised in several foreign states, he must produce a certificate of good professional conduct from the competent authority in each of these states for the period during which he practised there (The terms “good standing certificate” are commonly used).
Please note: any physician with basic medical training seeking to start a specialisation in Belgium must be registered on the Order of Physicians.
The registration procedure can be initiated via https://ordomedic.be/en/register?original=fr.
d. Recognition of specialist training (if applicable)
At the same time as applying for recognition of the basic diploma (see point 1.1. a.) or after obtaining the visa to practise and registration on the List of the Order of Physicians, the physician who has a specialist training must apply for its recognition from the Community which recognised his basic diploma.
1.2. “Temporary and occasional” practice
The temporary and occasional service arrangement may be requested for a single service, for example the practice of medicine in Belgium for the duration of a sporting competition.
This arrangement can be made for a physician who is legally established in a member country (which is part of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland) where he practises his profession, and who comes to practise temporarily and occasionally on Belgian territory (article 107 of the aforementioned law of 10 May 2015 and Title II, freedom to provide services, of Directive 2005/36/ of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications).
The EEA includes the member states of the European Union, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
The procedures for the recipient of this arrangement must be undertaken with the FPS Public Health, Safety of the Food Chain and Environment. Details can be found at the following link: https://www.health.belgium.be/en/professionals/health-professionals/human-health/gezondheidszorgberoepen/toegang-tot-gezondheidszorgberoepen/visa-foreign-diploma.
Applications must be sent to visa-international@health.fgov.be.
Proof of language proficiency must be annexed to the application sent to the FPS Public Health. This proof can be provided by producing one of the following documents (article 11 of the law of 22 April 2019 on the quality of healthcare practice) https://www.health.belgium.be/en/professionals/health-professionals/human-health/gezondheidszorgberoepen/toegang-tot-gezondheidszorgberoepen/visa-foreign-diploma :
- A secondary education diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking educational establishment;
- A higher education or university diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking establishment;
- A C1 language certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, with the exception of the writing skill, for which a B2 language certificate is sufficient.
The temporary and occasional nature of the arrangement is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Directorate-General for Healthcare, in particular according to the duration of the arrangement, its frequency, periodicity and continuity. The physician concerned may apply for a renewal of his temporary visa before it expires or submit a new application at a later date to perform a temporary and occasional activity.
The issuance of such a visa means that the physician’s registration on the Belgian Medical Association’s list is automatic, in the sense that the registration does not need to be validated by the competent provincial council.
The physician therefore formalizes its registration on the List of the Belgian Order of Physicians online via: https://ordomedic.be/en/register?original=fr.
The application for registration on the List of the Order must be submitted along with the following documents:
- A copy of both sides of the Belgian applicant’s eID card or a copy of the foreign applicant’s passport;
- A copy of the physician’s basic diploma;
- A copy of the visa issued by the FPS Public Health;
- An extract from the criminal record or, failing that, an equivalent document issued by the competent authority of the state where he is domiciled, issued less than 3 months ago;
- If the physician has previously practised medicine in the other country of origin or provenance, or in another country, he must provide a document issued within the last three months by the competent authority in that country (such as the National Order of Physicians or an association with similar powers) certifying that no disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on him. Alternatively, the document includes a list of any professional, administrative, or criminal sanctions related to the practice of the profession. This original certificate from the disciplinary authority must cover the entire period from obtaining the basic diploma to the application for registration. If the physician has practised in several foreign states, he must produce a certificate of good professional conduct from the competent authority in each of these states for the period during which he practised there (The terms “good standing certificate” are commonly used);
- A curriculum vitae;
- A letter describing the professional plans in Belgium.
In case of difficulties, the contact information for the provincial councils of the Order of Physicians is available via the following link: https://ordomedic.be/fr/conseils-provinciaux/les-conseils-provinciaux. The physician may request assistance or clarification from the provincial council where he wishes to formalize his registration.
2. Procedure for physicians holding a diploma obtained neither in the EEA nor in Switzerland
2. 1. Permanent practice in Belgium (the term “establishment” is commonly used)
A physician who holds a diploma obtained neither in the European Economic Area (EEA) nor in Switzerland and seeking to practise medicine in Belgium is required to have the following documents in order to be registered on the List of the Order.
a. The equivalence of the basic diploma must be requested from one of the Communities (article 145 of the coordinated law of May 2015 related to the practice of healthcare professions).
For any inquiry related to the submission or compilation of the file, the following authorities need to be contacted:
- For applications in Dutch: NARIC Vlaanderen of the Flemish Community
- For applications in French: Equivalences department of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (part of the French-speaking Community of Belgium)
- For applications in German: the German-speaking Community
b. the authorisation to practise (article 145 of the law of 10 May 2015 related to the practice of healthcare professions)
Please note: this point b. applies ONLY to physicians of nationalities other than EEA or Switzerland:
After obtaining a certificate of equivalence from one of the ministries of the different Communities (point 2.1.a.), the physician must submit an application for authorisation to practise the profession to the Minister of Public Health, who will seek advice from the Higher Council of Specialist Physicians and General Practitioners.
If the minister's decision is positive, the physician is issued the authorisation to practise medicine in Belgium by Royal Decree.
The application form with the list of documents that need to be submitted is available on the website: https://www.health.belgium.be/en/professionals/health-professionals/human-health/gezondheidszorgberoepen/toegang-tot-gezondheidszorgberoepen/visa-foreign-diploma.
The bundle can be sent to the FPS Public Health by e-mail to visa-international@health.fgov.be.
c. The visa constitutes the “authorisation to practise”. It is mandatory to have a visa to practise medicine in Belgium as a physician. It is issued by the FPS Public Health, Food chain safety and Environment.
It is issued:
- After obtaining equivalence of the diploma by a Community when the physician is a national of a country belonging to the European Economic Area;
- After obtaining equivalence of the diploma by a Community and the Royal Decree granting authorisation to practise the profession, when the physician is not a national of a country belonging to the European Economic Area.
To obtain a visa, the physician must provide proof of language proficiency in one of the three national languages of Belgium. This proof can be provided by producing one of the following documents (article 11 of the law of 22 April 2019 on the quality of healthcare practice): https://www.health.belgium.be/en/professionals/health-professionals/human-health/gezondheidszorgberoepen/toegang-tot-gezondheidszorgberoepen/visa-foreign-diploma :
- A secondary education diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking educational establishment;
- A higher education or university diploma issued by a Dutch-, French-, or German-speaking establishment;
- A C1 language certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, with the exception of the writing skill, for which a B2 language certificate is sufficient.
The competent services can be contacted at: visa-international@health.fgov.be.
d. Registration on the List of the Belgian Order of Physicians (article 2, paragraph 2 of Royal Decree no. 79 of 10 November 1967 related to the Order of Physicians and article 21bis of the Royal Decree regulating the organisation and functioning of the councils of the Order of Physicians).
Registration is requested online and the applicant must choose the provincial council of the Order of Physicians in the location where he intends to establish his medical domicile, i.e. the place where he will perform their main activities.
The application for registration on the List of the Order must be submitted along with the following documents:
- A copy of both sides of the Belgian applicant’s eID card or a copy of the foreign applicant’s passport;
- A copy of the physician’s basic diploma;
- A copy of the Government Decree declaring the foreign basic diploma as equivalent;
- A copy of the Royal Decree granting authorisation to practice (OPTIONAL, see point 2.1.b.);
- A copy of the visa issued by the FPS Public;
- An extract from the criminal record. Please note:
- If the applicant is not domiciled in Belgium, he must provide a criminal record extract issued within the last three months, or, failing that, an equivalent document from the country where he is domiciled;
- If the applicant has been domiciled in Belgium for less than 3 years, he must submit a criminal record extract issued by Belgium (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code) AND a criminal record extract from the country where he was previously domiciled – the documents must be less than three months old;
- If the applicant is domiciled in Belgium, he must provide an extract from the criminal record issued by the Belgian authorities (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code); this document must be less than 3 months.
- If the physician has previously practised medicine in the other country of origin or provenance, or in another country, he must provide a document issued within the last three months by the competent authority in that country (such as the National Order of Physicians or an association with similar powers) certifying that no disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on him. Alternatively, the document includes a list of any professional, administrative, or criminal sanctions related to the practice of the profession. This original certificate from the disciplinary authority must cover the entire period from obtaining the basic diploma to the application for registration. If the physician has practised in several foreign states, he must produce a certificate of good professional conduct from the competent authority in each of these states for the period during which he practised there (The terms “good standing certificate” are commonly used);
- A curriculum vitae;
- A letter describing the professional plans in Belgium.
In case of difficulties, the contact information for the provincial councils of the Order of Physicians is available via the following link: https://ordomedic.be/fr/conseils-provinciaux/les-conseils-provinciaux. The physician may request assistance or clarification from the provincial council where he wishes to formalize his registration.
e. Valuation of specialist training
A physician who has trained as a specialist in a country that is not part of the EEA and is not Switzerland must, after on the one hand obtaining the equivalence of his basic training and the authorisation to practise, and on the other hand being registered on the List of the Order, submit an application to the competent accreditation commission of one of the Communities for the valuation of his specialisation.
The commission will decide:
- Whether or not to grant the accreditation;
- Or whether the candidate must complete his training (and for how long) in order to obtain the accreditation.
If the decision is positive, a Ministerial Decree will be issued authorising the physician to use the title of specialist physician in Belgium.
Please note : physicians with basic medical training seeking to start a specialised training in Belgium are required to be registered on the List of the Order of Physicians.
2. 2. Training in Belgium of physicians from non-EU countries as part of medical and scientific cooperation with non-EU countries (article 146 of the coordinated law of May 2015 related to the practice of healthcare professions).
Under the conditions that it defines, article 146 of the aforementioned coordinated law of 10 May 2015 authorises the King to grant special dispensations to physicians who are not authorised to practise the medical art in Belgium so that they can practise certain acts of healing in order to acquire limited clinical training in Belgium.
Special dispensations for the practice of certain acts in the art of healing granted by Royal Decree are conditional and limited to those acts that are likely to enable the specific training in question to be acquired.
The physician who is granted such dispensations may not, under any circumstances, practise under his own responsibility. The training authorised by these dispensations takes place in or under the coordination and supervision of a university hospital or a university department designated by the King, under the direction and supervision of a training supervisor approved by the competent Minister of Public Health. The training supervisor in question must be affiliated as an autonomous academic collaborator to a faculty of medicine offering a complete study programme. Only one physician may be trained on the basis of this article 146 with the training supervisor in this training department.
His activities may not be taken into consideration for the performance of services causing an intervention referred to in the law relating to compulsory health care insurance and allowances coordinated on 14 July 1994.
The training periods are only valid in the context of the application of article 146 of the law of 10 May 2015 relating to the practice of healthcare professions and may under no circumstances be taken into consideration in order to obtain the recognition of a training plan or an accreditation as a specialist physician, in accordance with the provisions of the Royal Decree of 21 April 1983 defining the procedures for the accreditation of specialist physicians and general practitioners.
In order to follow limited clinical training in Belgium, an application must be made to the Minister of Public Health, who will seek advice from the Higher Council of Specialist Physicians and General Practitioners. If the decision is positive, the physician will be granted special dispensations by Royal Decree to perform certain activities relating to the art of healing, subject to certain conditions.
For further information and contact details for the relevant authorities, see the section Authorisation for a (temporary) internship/fellowship – foreign physicians on the website : https://www.health.belgium.be/en/professionals/health-professionals/human-health/gezondheidszorgberoepen/toegang-tot-gezondheidszorgberoepen/visa-foreign-diploma.
The recipient of this training must register to the relevant provincial council of the Order of Physicians and forward to it:
- A copy of both sides of the Belgian applicant’s eID card or a copy of the foreign applicant’s passport;
- A copy of the physician’s basic diploma;
- A copy of the Royal Decree granting authorisation to the conditional and supervised practice of certain acts of healing essential to the acquisition of knowledge in a speciality, issued by the FPS Public Health;
- A copy of the visa issued by the FPS Public Health;
- An extract from the criminal record. Please note:
- If the applicant is not domiciled in Belgium, he must provide a criminal record extract issued within the last three months, or, failing that, an equivalent document from the country where he is domiciled;
- If the applicant has been domiciled in Belgium for less than 3 years, he must submit a criminal record extract issued by Belgium (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code) AND a criminal record extract from the country where he was previously domiciled – the documents must be less than three months old;
- If the applicant is domiciled in Belgium, he must provide an extract from the criminal record issued by the Belgian authorities (Form 596-2 of the Criminal Procedure Code); this document must be less than 3 months.
- a document issued within the last three months by the competent authority in the country of origin or provenance (such as the National Order of Physicians or an association with similar powers) certifying that no disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on him. Alternatively, the document includes a list of any professional, administrative, or criminal sanctions related to the practice of the profession. This original certificate from the disciplinary authority must cover the entire period from obtaining the basic diploma to the application for registration. If the physician has practised in several foreign states, he must produce a certificate of good professional conduct from the competent authority in each of these states for the period during which he practised there (The terms “good standing certificate” are commonly used).
Please note: the basic diploma, the good standing certificate(s) and the extract from the criminal record must be issued in French, Dutch, German or English. If not, said documents must be submitted along with their certified translations in one of those four languages.
3. Registration on the List of several states
As a general rule, simultaneous registration on the List of several states is permitted provided that the conditions of practice are met.
The physician must inform the provincial council of the Belgian Order on whose List he is registered if he is also registered in another state, whether it is in the EEA + Switzerland-zone or not.