Belgium
Due to the impact of COVID-19, more conferences are taking place virtually, while others are cancelled.
In order to create clarity regarding visa applications, Mdeon has written new guidelines on virtual conferences.
Virtual meetings
The obligation of an Mdeon visum also applies when you pay a healthcare professional as a speaker in a virtual meeting or conference that lasts for several days or whenever you offer the registration fee to a healthcare professional to grant virtual access to a multiple day scientific conference.
Because the visa application form has not yet been adapted, it is recommended to clarify in section B.8 that it concerns a virtual event.
Cancellation due to COVID-19?
If you have already obtained a visum for a scientific event that is postponed because of COVID-19, you can keep this visum on condition that only the date of the event changes and there is no other substantive impact. A new visum application must be submitted in the following cases:
- Modification of the scientific program;
- The number of sponsored participants doubles or increases even more;
- Addition or important increase of transport costs, meals, overnight stay, etc.
Source: https://www.mdeon.be/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/200603-virtuele-congressen-cv.pdf