International Office

If you want to invite your parents or some friends to Germany and they need to apply in their home country to apply for a visa there are 3 ways to support them: 

1. Formless invitation:

The immigration office Dresden issues a formless proof that you are registered and legally staying in Germany. Your guest must prove that s/he has enough financial funding to finance their stay in Germany. To do so please get an appointment via termin(at)auslaenderbehoerde.de

2. Official Invitation with formal obligation letter: 

When inviting guests who cannot travel by their own means, a host living in Germany could alternatively obligate himself to cover all costs associated with the guest's stay in Germany, including costs for potential medical treatments. This is the so-called Formal Obligation (German: Verpflichtungserklärung) at the Immigration Office. (to § 68 of the German Immigration Law or "Aufenthaltsgesetz").

This can only be done if you have a working contract, not a fellowship, and your current residence permit must still be valid for at least 6 months. Depending on your income, you may be allowed or may not be allowed to invite a person. Usually a Predoc salary is sufficient to invite one person but not two. You will need to have an appointment to do a formal obligation. 

Experience of one of our expats:

Step 1 - Get an appointment at the Welcome center.

Step 2 - Go to the Welcome center. On the day of the appointment, you need to present the following:

Last three salary slips - Original and one copy of each

1. Your work contract - Original and a copy
2. Your residence card and the additional information sheet (if you have one) and your passport.
3. An application form that contains information about the people you want to host, your salary etc.
4. A declaration form - This is to be filled and signed during your appointment.
5. 25 euros processing fee

Necessary papers to print out and fill in:

Erklärung des Verpflichtungsgebers vor der Ausländerbehörde zur Abgabe der Verpflichtungserklärung.pdf

Erhebungsbogen für die Verpflichtungserklärung.pdf

Step 3 - Once you have obtained the invitation letter, you need to send it back to your family in India.

Step 4 - After they have received the invitation letter, they can apply for a tourist visa.  

3. Paying a deposit: 

If neither the first nor second option work out, you can transfer a deposit of €3000/per guest to a blocked account belonging to the Immigration Office. For this option your current residence permit must still be valid for at least 6 months and you would also need to have an appointment.   

How to arrange an appointment                             

Please send an e-mail to termin(at)auslaenderbehoerde.de and let them know what kind of invitation you would like to do or ask the International Office to do so.