Hello Friends,
My family plans to travel to Germany to visit me ad also travel around to Schengen countries. I am writing this thread to request help from fellow bloggers about their experience and/or tips for applying visa for my family.
General Information:
Travel Dates: (Oct 15 - Nov 10)
Travellers: Parents + Sister
Consulate for Application: Mumbai

Q1. Should my family apply for "tourist" visa or "visiting family & friends" visa?
- My concern is if they apply for tourist visa, will they get visa for specified dates and not for 90days. I would like to get 90days visa so I can have flexibility in travel plans.

Q2. Do I need to book flight tickets and reserve hotels before application?
- I would like to submit my plans instead of actual booking information as I will only make bookings after visa is approved. Is this a good idea?

Q3. My dad will sponsor the trip for my family. Is this recommended? or Should I plan to show that I will sponsor the trip?

If you guys have any other recommendations that you would like to share please kindly do so. I hope I get some positive feedback soon.
Thank you in advance!

Regards,
Aakash.

Answers:

Should my family apply for "tourist" visa or "visiting family & friends" visa?
- My concern is if they apply for tourist visa, will they get visa for specified dates and not for 90days. I would like to get 90days visa so I can have flexibility in travel plans.

Visiting family and friends . For the other one you need to show hotel bookings.

Q2. Do I need to book flight tickets and reserve hotels before application?
- I would like to submit my plans instead of actual booking information as I will only make bookings after visa is approved. Is this a good idea?

You can get Verpflichungserklärung from Rathaus stating they will stay with you for whole duration. Flights - yes, you have to.

Q3. My dad will sponsor the trip for my family. Is this recommended? or Should I plan to show that I will sponsor the trip?

Better if you sponsor. Still they need to prove that they have sufficient amount in their bank accounts.


Hope it helps.

Hallo,

I have a query related to same topic. It would be helpful if some body can answer.

I am a german citizen and i am planning to invite my in laws to germany on visit visa for 3 months. I financially support my in laws since two years. Do i have to submit these financial supporting documents to vfs/german embassy or will that be sufficient if i provide Verpflichungserklärung and invitation letter stating that i take care of everything (tickets,fee,accommodation, food, etc) in India and Germany. As they are dependent on us R there any chances that , that german embassy reject their visa?

thank you
Basbrem

I do not have the direct answer to your question, but will just like to add that most important thing for visit visa  is to somehow convince the authorities that visitors have enough reasons to come back to homeland.That can be anything job, bank balance, etc.....Your documentation shall try to prove that. Most of rejections heard by me in this case have the same reason ... could not prove intend to return...

Hope it helps.

Hallo Deepak,

Thank you for the email reply. Unfortunately they do not own property or bank balances to show. They are dependent on us only. Could any one of the following be proven as that they return back after the stay in Germany.

1. Our or other childrens assets care taker.
2. On medical grounds such as pregnancy or other
3. His medical condition (as he is a heart patient and can only stay outside india for shorter period due to medical treatment) or any.

pl. let me know if some one has had this situation and a solution to provide.

thanks in advance

Hello Deepak,
Thanks for your feedback. I got the sponsor letter from German authorities and plan to apply for Visiting Friends and family visa.

Hallo,

my in laws have received visa without any problems.

I have a query related to schengen visa extension. There is a medical reason for which

my in laws might have to stay longer than expected. Is it possible to extend the

schengen visa. If so for how long? (maximum 3 more months or?)

pl. let me know if any one of you have had any situation like this and had got the

visa extension for certain period depending on the medical advice and certificate

from german doctors.

thank you
basbrem