BRUSSELS — As thousands flee the Iranian capital of Tehran amid escalating conflict, the Flemish Green Party (Groen) is urging the Belgian government to immediately implement an online visa application system. The party argues that forcing civilians to physically visit the embassy in a war zone is “absurd” and life-threatening.
“Asking People to Face Death”
Under current regulations, individuals seeking a humanitarian visa or family reunification in Belgium must appear in person at the Belgian Embassy in Tehran. With the city under heavy duress and mass displacement underway, Green Party MP Matti Vandemaele is calling for a radical change in procedure.
“Asking people to travel to the embassy in Tehran for a visa application is asking them to face death,” Vandemaele stated. “Enabling online applications is the absolute minimum we can do to protect those trying to escape the violence.”
A Legal and Humanitarian Necessity
The Green Party’s proposal focuses on two primary groups:
- Family Reunification: Partners and minor children of Belgian nationals who have a legal right to join their families.
- Humanitarian Visas: Individuals at extreme risk due to medical conditions, humanitarian crises, or existing family ties in Belgium.
Groen maintains that the initial application should always be possible online. This position aligns with previous rulings from the European Court of Justice, which spoke out against the systematic requirement for in-person visa applications, especially in high-risk zones.
Minimizing Risk in War Zones
While the party acknowledges that a physical appearance may be necessary at a later stage—for example, to verify biological ties or identity—they insist this should only happen when it is safe.
“We want these movements to be kept to an absolute minimum, especially when bombs are falling around the embassy,” Vandemaele concluded.
The Flemish Greens are now calling on the Foreign Affairs Ministry to modernize its consular services to meet the reality of the 2026 conflict, ensuring that bureaucracy does not become a death sentence for those seeking refuge.
