What is a sponsorship letter? This application is from the sponsor for a Schengen visa. The sponsor is usually the person concerned. Of course, these are relatives: spouse, parents, children (in relation to parents who have reached retirement age), brothers and sisters.
This list also includes state-appointed guardians or trustees. Sometimes a non-relative, for example, a “civilian” spouse, is allowed to act as a sponsor. But in this case, the likelihood that you will be denied a Schengen visa increases.
Who can be a sponsor?
If you need a business Schengen visa, invite the employing organization or the inviting company as a sponsor. For a guest visa, instead of a sponsorship letter, an invitation is prepared in which the inviting person informs that he takes responsibility for you. Of course, the invitation does not guarantee that you will be provided with funds for travel. You must have an account with the necessary amount to visit Schengen area.
When is a letter from a sponsor required?
The Schengen agreement states that only those people who have evidence that they will return to their home country can get a visa. The guest must own a permanent source of income. A Schengen sponsorship letter is only necessary when at the time of the trip you were unable to confirm the existence of finances in your bank account or income level. For Schengen countries, you must have at least 1000 euros in your bank account.
A letter from the sponsor is required for the following persons: children from 14 years old, unemployed, students or students, disabled people and pensioners.
What information does the sponsorship letter contain?
In this document, you must indicate the date of your future trip, the state you are going to visit, blood ties between the guarantor and the applicant, passport details. The main requirement for the sponsor is his solvency.
He should have enough money to pay for your transportation expenses, meals, guides and excursions, accommodation, medical services and so on. For example, a sponsorship letter to Spain should contain your obligations regarding the costs of traveling to a Schengen country. You must confirm in writing your willingness to pay all expenses.
Sponsorship letter is usually in free form. The most important condition of this document is an indication of kinship. Of course, the language of writing is only Russian, but if necessary, the document is translated into English. To do this, you can contact the appropriate translation company.
A notary is not required to certify a sponsor letter for Schengen. This is done only in cases where the sponsor cannot be called a relative. But if you want to be sure of a visa, we recommend that you notarize the letter.
What documents are attached to the sponsorship letter?
In addition to papers for Schengen, the following documents are attached to the letter:
- a certificate of salary or an extract from the personal account from the place of employment of the guarantor;
- copies of the pages of the guarantor's passport with registration and personal data;
- copies of documents confirming consanguinity.
Sample letter of guarantor
The sponsorship letter is compiled in this way.
"I (write the last name, first name and patronymic, full date of birth, passport number, address of registration), am the sponsor of the trip (indicate the relationship between the guarantor and the person traveling) and with this letter I guarantee the payment of all costs associated with finding (indicate the last name, first name and middle name, full date of birth, registration address, passport number) on the territory (the country of location is indicated) in the period from (the starting and ending dates of stay are indicated). "
We put the date and signature.
By the way, a sponsorship letter for visas to France written in this way.
Documents for Schengen
The list of papers that provide for a Schengen visa is usually the same everywhere. But, choosing a country, you may encounter minor differences. Additional documents are sometimes required. Lawyers advise you to familiarize yourself with the full package of securities that this or that country requires to apply for Schengen.
So, this category of documents is divided into two groups:
- papers provided by you personally;
- documents from the state of the Schengen agreement.
A short list of papers that you must bring:
- passport (both current and previous);
- three photographs;
- certificate from the workplace;
- certificate of availability of funds in the account;
- papers confirming economic, social and family ties with the Russian Federation;
- A photocopy of each page of the Russian passport.
And now let's get acquainted with the package of papers that the embassy requires. If you have available documents from the full list, for example, insurance, invitation or hotel reservation, provide them, then the cost of services will significantly decrease. So, it is necessary to present:
- a passport whose validity expires at least three months before the planned return;
- old passport with visas, if any;
- three photographs measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm, matte or color, made on a light background without corners and ovals;
- certificate from the workplace - it is carried out on letterhead with signature and seal; this paper indicates the size of the salary, position held, seniority in the position held, contact details (address of the organization and telephone number);
- labor book and its copy;
- individual entrepreneurs must provide a certificate of registration of the enterprise;
- financial confirmation of the visit in the amount of at least 60 euros per day. This can be a certificate of the availability of funds in the account or travel checks;
- documents certifying ties with Russia: certificate of ownership of an apartment, land or estate, marriage certificate, birth of children and so on;
- original and copy of tickets or proof of reservation for tickets (tickets are provided upon receipt of a visa);
- insurance policy valid for the entire period of stay in the Schengen visa countries;
- A photocopy of each page of the Russian passport;
- correctly completed application form.
Visa for a trip to Greece
Let's look at the design of Schengen, for example, in Greece. Do I need to write a sponsorship letter for a visa to Greece? Yes, of course you need. But it is no different from the main sample.
So, a visa to Greece is Schengen, because this country is on the list of twenty-five countries that have signed the agreement.
A visa provides an opportunity to pay a visit to any Schengen country. You only need to find the addresses of consular offices in Greece.
This visa may be refused if you have not submitted the necessary documents. Between citizens of EU member states and Russian citizens trying to strengthen ties.
To do this, Greek visa centers have been created in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg. The aim of these institutions is to improve the quality of guest services in Greece. For a Greek visa, it is better to contact professionals. They will be able to quickly write a sponsorship letter for a visa. A sample of this document is always at hand.
Clearance details
A tourist visa is issued by a travel agency. And this is very convenient, since when applying for a Schengen visa, the applicant’s personal presence at the consulate is not required.
By the way, the sponsorship letter for a visa to Germany is very similar to the letter for a Greek visa. But we will not be distracted and return to the Greek papers. A visa to Greece can be single and multiple type, tourist and commercial. The condition for applying for a multiple entry visa is the availability of previous visas. You will spend two or three days on its registration.
Types of Greek Visas
The first type can be called a Schengen short-term visa type C. It is issued for no more than 90 days. This type includes:
- visa by invitation;
- tourist visa;
- business travel visa or business visa;
- visa to participants of cultural and sports campaigns;
- visa for truck drivers;
- visa to congress participants.
The second type is a long-term national visa of type D. It is issued for a subsequent permit for short-term residence in Greece:
- wishing to get an education in this country;
- wishing to work in Greece;
- tourist representatives;
- family reunification visa;
- visa for the moments provided for in article 3386/2005 of the legislation of Greece.
An application for a long-term national visa is submitted to the Consulate General in Moscow. Applications for all short-term visas are submitted to the Visa Application Center.
Download Visa Sponsorship Letterhead
