Inviting Parents to Germany

Prepared by: Mayur Sathawane,

Disclaimer: This document is prepared based on my personal experience and does not guarantee
visa approval and also does not replace the official checklist/process by the German
Consulate/Embassy and/or ausländerbehörde.

Even though your parents have sufficient balance and they are able to show the
immovable properties/pension document or any other documents to prove that they
have sufficient means to self sponsor their travel, I highly recommend providing a

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formal obligation letter (Verpflichtungserklärung).

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Obligation Letter:
For Berlin, official reference: Declaration of commitment for a short-term stay

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(Schengen visa) - Services - Dienstleistungen - Service Berlin
1. Cost: 29 Euro (as of Feb 2023)
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2. You get an obligation letter during your appointment.
3. This original obligation document will be asked during your appointment in
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VFS/Consulate/Embassy.
4. Once your visa is processed, the original obligation letter will be sent back along
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with your passport.

5. During the appointment you can ask for a multi entry multi year visa. They can
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specifically mention x number of years in the obligation letter itself. This will be
helpful in getting multiple entry visa.
6. Validity of an obligation letter is for 6 months only, so make sure you plan it
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accordingly. For example, if you are planning to submit a visa application in VFS
in July then better take it after Feb.
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Booking Appointment:
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1. Once you have an obligation letter, book an appointment with VFS for a Family
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Visit visa.
2. Appointments can be booked and Schengen visa applications can be submitted
in all Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global all over India, regardless of your
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place of residence.
3. Link: Welcome to VFS Global | vfsglobal
Hints:
1. Make sure you have enough time to prepare all the documents, I will
recommend keeping a 20-30 days buffer from the day of booking an
appointment to prepare all the documents.
2. If you opt for the Premium lounge service then courier charges are included in
the cost and you don’t have to take the courier option separately.
 3. Appointments can only be postponed not preponed and that too only once.

Preparing Documents for VFS Appointment:

1. Once an appointment is booked or even before the appointment you can
prepare documents as per the official checklist. (Visit Visa - Federal Foreign
Office) at the bottom you have the option to download the page as PDF.
2. If there are some documents in local languages make sure you have English
translations of them.I used service from PEC Attestation & apostille services

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Filling application form:

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Fill the application form on VIDEX website

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https://videx.diplo.de/videx/desktop/index.html#start
Once you are done,
1.
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Please download the application form as PDF and json file.
2. make sure that all the information is correct.
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3. If everything is correct print application form
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4. Arrange all other documents as per the checklist.

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Travel Tickets:
1. It’s not mandatory to provide confirmed return tickets.
2. There is no preference given in the approval process even if you provide
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confirmed tickets.
3. You can get ticket confirmation from any travel agent by paying 1000-2000 INR.
4. Get this confirmation 1-2 days before the appointment.
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Travel Insurance:
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1. I highly recommend ADAC Travel insurance for foreigners. (ADAC

Auslands­krankenversicherung)
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2. In Berlin you can visit directly in the ADAC office along with a traveler's passport
and get it done on the same day.
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3. If the visa is rejected they refund the amount by deducting ~15 €.

4. If travel is postponed due to any reason you can change the dates.
5. They also provide confirmation letters which can be submitted to the
VFS/Embassy.
6. The coverage is Europe wide, and you don’t have to pay first and then reimburse
the cost like other Indian Insurance companies. (Except for doctor visit, in this
case you have to pay first and then process reimbursement)
Sequence of the documents:
Arrange all the documents as per the checklist mentioned in chapter 3.

Photographs Specifications: Photograph Specifications

If you opt for Premium lounge, they have the possibility to capture photos if they are
not as per specifications.

Invitation letter:
Please prepare an invitation letter and sign it, you must send the original copy of this

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letter.

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Template available here: https://bit.ly/VisitVisaInvitationLetterTemplate

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Cover Letter:

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This is the request letter signed by the applicant.

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Template available here: https://bit.ly/VisitVisaCoverLetter
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Experience at VFS:
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1. Be there 15 minutes before the appointment time.

2. One of your family members can accompany you, you just have to request and
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convince the security at entrance.

3. Staff at VFS can speak local languages (At least in Premium lounge)
4. Make sure you have all the original documents, verify it and return it.
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5. They don’t ask many questions but it's always better to be prepared for basic
questions like where, when, why etc.
6. They keep the original passport, original obligation letter and send it back once
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the visa decision is made.

7. You can pay Visa fees by cash or card, make sure you have multiple cards as a
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backup.
8. Visa fee is updated frequently here Visa fees for Schengen Visa - Federal Foreign
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Office
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Tracking Visa Application Status:

1. You can track visa application status on the respective VFS website.
2. Link: https://bit.ly/VFSGermanyApplicationTracking

Tracking Passport:
Once your visa is processed you get notification „ Your processed visa application
REF_NUMBER has been dispatched through courier on DATE ….“

Then your passports will be dispatched by Blue dart Courier.

You can track your courier here Tracking - Bluedart using reference number of your VFS
application (not the way bill)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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