Inviting family members

Introduction

Sometimes there are cases when you would like to invite your family members / friends / relatives to Germany. Some reasons for the same could be:

• 1. Birth in your family

  2. Tourist visit

  3. General meet

  4. or any other reason

Visa Options

There are two options

Tourist Visa

Visit Visa (Visit to Relatives or Friends)

Please use it only for your trust-worthy friends and relatives. Otherwise, you can get into legal and financial trouble.

How to get such a visa for your family members?

Prerequisites

You need to get sponsorship/invitation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) from the Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Offices) or Bürgerbüro. You have to get it from the town you’re registered in. For that following are pre-requisites

• 1. Following info about the family member, you want to invite to get

     • Passport No.

     • First Name

     • Last Name

     • Date Of Birth

     • Place of Birth

     • Scan copy of the first and last page of passport

     • Your relationship with the visitor

  2. Filled form. Google for "Antrag auf Ausstellung einer Verpflichtungserklärung" and use form based on your city.

  3. Your own passport

  4. Residence permit

  5. German House Rent agreement: Your flat area should be sufficient to accommodate guests. The definition is that for each person 12 square meter. So if you have 2 guests + 2 hosts . It should be 48 m2

  6. Last 6 months Salary slips to prove that you can sponsor their visit. Additionally, you can carry Steuerbescheid from your last year's income tax return.

  7. Bank statements of last 6 months

  8. Self-employed has to bring along a Bescheinigung from your Steuerberater.

  9. Euro 25

In special cases they might require:

• • To check your SCHUFA

  • German work contract

Procedure to apply for visitor VISA

• 1. The visitor should have a valid passport. Apply for Passport if you don’t have one. http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/welcomeLink .

  2. Go to your KVR office and get the sponsorship/invitation letter

  3. Send this letter to India by post using courier or any other mode based on urgency.

  4. How to apply: https://india.diplo.de/in-en/service/-/1908750

  5. Get health insurance from India

  6. Book air tickets

  7. Documents’ checklist - https://india.diplo.de/blob/1867852/9ea91774c0f0d35f8dabbe3a195870dd/visit-data.pdf

  8. Photo requirements - https://india.diplo.de/blob/1862508/332690e7c0caef02dd37188bdab3bbd3/fotomustertafel-data.pdf

  9. Apply for VISA in India at VFS office.

     • Tip: Tourist visa is valid for 90 days

  10. Tourist must carry “sponsorship/invitation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung) ” with their passport while travelling to Germany.