How To Invite Your Parents To Germany from India?

If you are looking for a detailed process on how to invite your parents to Germany from India then in this post we have shared all the details and our latest experience. This post also contains all the official links to all the relevant processes and documentation to help you with the process of how to invite your parents and family members to Germany from India.

Overall Steps – How to invite your parents to Germany from India

1. Apply for invitation letter at your local Rathaus.
2. Send physical copy (original) of the invitation letter to your parents.
3. Book an appointment on VFS website.
4. Fill up the application form and other necessary documents.
5. Ask your parents to show up at VFS on the appointment date along with all the relevant details.
6. Ask your parents not to spend extra money on courier tracking. 🙂 We all know its a trap.
7. Wait for the visa to be delivered. 
8. Go to the airport to receive your parents. 🙂

 

How to get the Invitation Letter?

To invite your parents or family members to Germany, you will first need to apply for an invitation letter from the city office. For us, it was the Rathaus in Munich as we are based out of Munich. The invitation letter is a mandatory document required during the visa application process. Here is the step-by-step process for obtaining the Invitation Letter.

Apply for the invitation letter online using the online form.

1. Go to the city’s official website, click here
2. Download this PDF ( Statement of submission of the declaration of commitment ). Fill in the details and sign it. Attach this document while submitting the form. ( Step 3)
3. Go to Contact & Application, fill in all the details, attach the required documents ( your residence permit, passport ID page of your guests, and statement of submission of the declaration of commitment ) and submit the form as shown in our YT video.
4. You will get an auto-generated email. The response time of the submitted query depends on the city office. During busier months, it might take up to 4 weeks to get a reply. We got the reply in less than 2 weeks.
5. You will get an email with an appointment date.
6. On the appointment day, you have to visit the City office (Rathaus ) with your passport and your blue card/residence permit to collect the invitation letter. 
7. You have to pay the application fee which is around 29 Euros. 
8. Sign and collect the invitation letter from the officer. Do ensure to check all the details before signing the letter. If there are any errors, they will correct them and give the updated one right on the spot. 

1. Click on Contact & Application	2. Start	3. Fill in the form

 

HOW TO SEND THE INVITATION LETTER?

You have to send the original invitation letter to your family/ friends. You can opt for a normal postal service that will take at least 2 – 3 weeks. Or opt for a premium delivery service. 

HOW TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?

1. Go to – https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/deu/book-an-appointment#

• Choose your Visa Application Center, Category – Schengen Visa, and choose Subcategory -Visit family & friends from the drop-down. 

You will see the available slots.

Here’s a trick – In case you see an available slot but it does not work for you. Click on CONTINUE. Once you fill in all the details of the applicant and save. The next page will show you all the available slots for the entire month and you can choose the one that works for you. 

Note: Keep all the below details handy.

Note: You can add multiple applicants. You don’t have to book individual appointments for every applicant. 

2. Fill in all the required details and book an appointment. ( Note: You can cancel and change the appointment date if you wish to with no extra charge )

3. Once you book an appointment, you will get an email of the application letter in a PDF format from the VFS.

4. Track the validity of your appointment.

5. VFS has recently introduced Visa at Door Service to ease the process of collection of documents and for biometrics. Do check this out if you want to opt for the service. 

Documents you need to submit at the VFS Center 

Indian citizens should submit the following list of documents when applying for a German visa:

• Application Form and declaration duly signed.
• Print of the application letter received from the VFS.
• Copy of passport’s data page (A4 size copy).
  
• Valid passport – Validity of at least three months beyond your planned stay in Germany and should have at least one blank page in order to be able to affix a visa.
• Two photos – according to the standards as set by the ICAO, not older than 6 months
• Return Ticket. – Flight bookings
• Copy of your residence permit/blue card.
• Vaccination Certificates. Download the form from the Cowin Website and print it. The barcode should be readable and can be verified. Make sure to cross-check it once before submitting it. 
• Proof of civil status: Marriage certificate, birth certificate of children, death certificate of spouse, ration card if applicable.
• Travel Health insurance for the entire duration of their stay in Germany. (Kindly refer to www.india.diplo.de/visa to find out about the travel health insurances accepted) We would highly recommend ADAC. If possible do avoid Care Insurance. We had a really bad experience with the customer support team. They are slow in responding to queries. 
• Cover Letter explaining the purpose of travel. For Minors: If travelling unaccompanied by parent(s), consent letter signed by both parents & applicant Form signed by both parents Copy of the parent(s)’ passports data page.
• Proof of Financial – If employed: Payslips of the past three months/employment contract If self-employed: Certificate of Proprietorship or other proof of ownership (proof of land title, proof of income from agriculture (sales form), etc.) Personal bank statement of the past three months with sufficient funds Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Form 17 (Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary)
  
• Proof of sufficient funds for the visit: If sponsored: Verpflichtungserklärung (formal obligation letter) of your sponsor. If self-sponsored: Personal bank statements of the past 3 months with sufficient funds.
• If employed:
  • Employment contract
  • Current bank statement, of latest 6 months (Online Bank statements are not acceptable).
  • Leave permission from your employer
  • Income Tax Return (ITR) form or Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary
• If self-employed:
  • A copy of your business license in India
  • Company bank statement of the latest 6 months
  • Income Tax Return (ITR)
• If retired:
  • Pension statement of the latest 6 months.

Note:  Please DO NOT staple any documents.

German Visa Category	Fee in EUR	Fee in Rupees*
Adult	80€	7087₹
Children between 6-12 years of age	40€	3543₹
Children younger than 6 years of age	Free	Free

* The applicable German visa fee in Indian Rupees (₹) is as per the current exchange rate. It is subject to change without notice.

HOW TO TRACK YOUR PASSPORT?

To track your passport, go to the website ( https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/deu/book-an-appointment) 

You will find an option — Track your application

The status will be updated by the VFS staff, not by the embassy. 

PROCESSING TIME

Usually, it takes up to 15 days.  If you are based out of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, or Kolkatta you might get it earlier.

Note: Try to keep at least 3 weeks ( 15 working days) to a 1-month gap between your appointment date and travel date to be on the safer side.  

WHAT NEXT IF YOUR GERMAN VISITOR VISA GETS REJECTED?

Do check out this link to know how to apply for remonstration. 

Refer to Official Links In case of any Confusion

• https://stadt.muenchen.de/service/info/verpflichtungserklaerung-fuer-kurzaufenthalte-bis-90-tage/1063741/
• https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/deu/book-an-appointment#
• https://www.vfsglobal.com/en/individuals/index.html
• https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/deu/
• You can also reach out to VFS for any other queries or confusion. 

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DO CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE VIDEO

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Hope this post about How to invite your parents to Germany from India was useful for you.

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