If you are going to Spain, then obtaining a Schengen visa is a prerequisite. In order to be issued, you need to collect a package of documents, which includes a sponsorship letter.
In our article you will learn in detail about:
- What is it - a sponsorship letter.
- How to correctly compose this document.
- What are the nuances and difficulties when applying for sponsorship?
- What does the sample shape look like?
- What guarantee obligations fall on the sponsor?
Before going to the visa center, study all the information on the topic of the sponsorship letter so that neither the center staff nor you miss any important points that may become an obstacle to obtaining permission to cross the Spanish border.
What is a sponsorship letter and why is it necessary?
A letter of sponsorship helps the applicant obtain a Schengen visa, thanks to relatives
Sponsorship letter is a document that confirms the solvency of a person who intends to cross the border of a foreign state.
It is issued if the tourist himself:
- There are not enough funds in bank accounts.
- Inappropriate salary amount, which can be documented.
In this case, a sponsorship letter helps the applicant obtain a Schengen visa, thanks to relatives.
It is these persons who can guarantee that in certain cases they will bear the traveler’s expenses. Thus, the foreign state creates financial guarantees for itself.
Travel expenses to Spain that may arise:
- Accommodation in a hotel, hotel, hostel, boarding house or with a private person.
- City, suburban, rented and other transport of any kind.
- Services of guides and translators.
- On an excursion to the sights of Spain.
- Service in medical institutions abroad.
Without a sponsorship letter, a citizen may be denied a Schengen visa to Spain if his funds are not enough to cover such expenses.
If the document from your place of work contains insufficient amounts to cover future expenses, and there are such funds in your bank accounts, then send a bank statement to the visa center. In this case, do not provide a sponsorship letter.
Basic information
Compose your letter in free form, but remember some rules for its formatting.
Important! There is no specific sponsorship letter form for obtaining a Schengen visa to Spain. It is important to provide all of the above information.
Categories of persons who are required to provide a sponsorship letter for a visa
- Persons who, due to their state of health and capabilities, can work and earn money, but for one reason or another are not employed at the time of receiving a visa.
- Housewives.
- Not officially employed and unable to provide proof of their income.
- Citizens with low incomes who will not be able to cover the costs of traveling around Spain.
Students of schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and other educational institutions where they receive secondary education can travel abroad without their parents and legal representatives.
However, if you are a parent or guardian of a child, make sure to obtain a sponsorship letter in advance. If your child is traveling with you legally (there is consent from the other parent, the children are included in the passport of mom and dad, etc.), then do not write a sponsorship letter for a minor.
The main thing is that you, as parents, have a sufficient level of income or a letter from a guarantor in your name.
Students of higher educational institutions (universities, institutes, etc.), as well as colleges, technical schools and other secondary educational institutions, must also have a sponsorship letter in hand before receiving a Schengen visa.
The need for a sponsorship letter disappears for the student:
- For official employment.
- Upon presentation of an official document confirming your income level.
- If such income is sufficient to travel to Spain.
The financial support of a pensioner in our country does not always correspond to the level necessary to cover expenses when traveling to the Schengen countries. This is especially true for unemployed citizens of retirement age.
In order to take a long-awaited trip abroad on a well-deserved vacation, you will need a sponsorship letter, for example, from children or grandchildren, if they have the opportunity.
If you are a disabled or incapacitated citizen, also prepare a letter from your sponsor to have a better chance of being approved for a Schengen visa to Spain.
In practice, the rule is that the amount of income to obtain a Schengen visa must be at least 25-30 thousand rubles. In some cases, approval may be possible even with a lower income if experts consider you a worthy candidate for a visa to Spain.
Categories of persons entitled to act as a sponsor
Most European countries, in particular Spain, give preference to sponsorship letters that are drawn up by the closest relatives. It is they, according to employees of embassies and consulates, who are the guarantors of bearing the expenses for the sponsored person.
It is important to meet the requirements for sponsors
These include:
- Spouses of the visa applicant.
- Parents, legal representatives, guardians, trustees.
- Children and grandchildren of pensioners.
- Brothers and sisters.
However, simply being a relative of the sponsored person is not enough. It is important to meet the requirements for sponsors.
Namely:
- Having a close relationship.
- Sufficient funds in the sponsor's accounts and (or) his income are sufficient to cover the relative's expenses.
- The guarantor reaches the age of majority.
A letter is written on his behalf and supporting documents are attached.
General package of documents for issuing a sponsorship letter to Spain
A “naked” sponsorship letter will not be valid for a positive decision on issuing a Schengen visa. A package of documents must be attached to it. In this case, both the sponsor and the visa applicant must collect the paperwork.
So, if you are a guarantor or a traveler, provide a letter with an obligation to bear expenses to the Embassy or visa center:
Important! Have a copy of your passport, as well as other documents, certified by a notary. This way you can verify their true authenticity.
Sample sponsorship letter to Spain
As already noted, a sponsorship letter is drawn up in any form, taking into account the mandatory details and components.
Visually it might look like this:
There is nothing complicated in writing it. The most important thing is that all data is current and valid.
In some cases it may be called a “Sponsorship Statement.” This does not change its essence.
It is not always possible for a citizen to have relatives for sponsorship
It is not always possible for a citizen to have relatives for sponsorship.
But there may be close friends, neighbors, acquaintances, work colleagues who have enough money to travel to Spain.
And also, they are ready to provide this money to you.
In such a situation, the option of a sponsorship letter may not be successful, because there is no family connection between people, and it will be necessary to confirm it.
To do this, you can try another option to ensure your solvency in the eyes of employees of Embassies and visa centers:
- The person can transfer funds to your bank account in the required amount.
- To guarantee the return of these funds, draw up a loan agreement or write a receipt.
- After returning to the Russian Federation, if this money is not used, return it to its rightful owner and “close” the formalized contractual relationship.
The presence of a sufficient amount in the bank account of a traveler, tourist, or person going on a business trip, even with his minimum income at his main place of employment, is the basis for visa approval.
Of course, if there are no other reasons to deny the applicant a Schengen visa to Spain.
Applying for a Schengen visa is a sequence of simple and understandable steps. Sort of. I went to the official website of the country's embassy, downloaded a list of documents, collected them, submitted them to the visa center and received a visa.
How much easier can it be? - think Europeans, who do not know that salaries come in three colors, and money can be stored in three-liter jars of compote.
Confirmation of financial solvency is a sore point for many Russians planning to travel abroad.
Methods
Who needs a sponsorship letter?
You should include a sponsorship letter for a visa in your must-have package of documents:
- to all unemployed citizens - freelancers, housewives
- employed citizens with a salary approaching the subsistence level in the Russian Federation
- pensioners
- students
- minor children.
It is widely believed that a sponsorship letter for a Schengen visa is an alternative to official sources of income. That is, work. In fact, the letter is a substitute for a bank statement, i.e. financial guarantees.
IMPORTANT: if you have a good bank account (from 100,000 rubles), a sponsorship letter is NOT NEEDED for any of the categories listed above. A sponsor is necessary when a tourist does not have his own funds to stay in another country.
LIFE HACK: if the account is empty/there is little money, and it is inconvenient to look for a sponsor, perhaps your good friend/relative will lend the missing amount - put it into the account and make a statement. Afterwards you can immediately remove it and return it :)
You can download it in the article below
Documents for Schengen visa
To minimize the risks of being denied a visa, a potential tourist must prepare a standard set of documents:
- questionnaire
- foreigner - current + old, if he has had Schengen visas for the last 5 years
- internal passport (copy)
- accommodation and ticket reservations
- medical insurance for the period of entry and stay in the European Union
(it’s more profitable to buy it online - at or) - certificate from work/educational institution/pension certificate
- financial guarantees – most often this is a bank account statement or a sponsorship letter
- birth certificate for children under 14 years of age
- consent for the departure of a minor child from a parent (or both parents) who does not accompany him on the trip. This document must be notarized. If the parent accompanies the child only partially, for example, the father is already abroad, and the child and mother join later, consent is still required.
Who can become a sponsor?
Different countries have different rules regarding who can act as a sponsor. Visa centers Italy, France and Germany insist on a mandatory relationship between the sponsor and the applicant.
Spain, Greece, Czech Republic more loyal: any person with financial capabilities, including NOT a relative, can become a sponsor.
Great Britain considers as a sponsor the organization, relatives and friends of the visa applicant, who will also be in the country during his stay in GB.
Requirements for a sponsorship letter
How to write a sponsorship letter? The statement is made in free form and is issued in printed form. The sponsor signs personally. Before writing a letter, you need to check on the website of the visa center of a particular country in which language they accept documents for consideration.
General points that should be reflected in a sponsorship letter:
- Sponsor's full name and passport details
- A phrase about readiness to pay all expenses for the upcoming trip
- Destination country
- Travel dates
- Full name and passport details of the sponsored person
- Date of sponsorship letter
- Sponsor's signature
Does a letter from a sponsor need to be notarized? No no need. Schengen countries do not put forward such requirements for the document.
Sample sponsorship letter for Schengen visa
A sponsorship letter for a visa to Spain may look like this:
Title: Sponsorship statement
Text: I, ***, passport ***, issued by ***, date of issue ***, expiration date ***, residing at address ***,
I sponsor the trip of my son/sister/parent/friend ***, passport ***, issued by ***, issue date ***, expiration date ***, residing at address ***, in Kingdom of Spain from *** to ***.
I undertake to bear all expenses associated with the trip in full.
Number.
Signature.
You can provide a sponsorship letter to Spain in Russian or Spanish. In the Czech Republic and Greece, the sample will look the same, with the exception of the country name.
Where to look for inexpensive visa insurance?
A common mistake many tourists make is purchasing insurance directly in front of the visa center or inside, where the cheapest offers are far from being available. Making insurance online is a matter of 5 minutes and several hundred rubles. You can also go to the website, select the desired option and enter your data via your smartphone.
There are three proven services on my list; Every time I compare where the conditions are more favorable:
Insurance for 7-10 days costs 500-800 rubles. I usually make a choice in favor of reputable companies that have no problems with payments in insurance cases. For example, AlfaStrakhovanie. At the same time, their price is completely average. Uralsib offers a more economical option. Of course, anyone is suitable for a Schengen visa, the main thing is that the coverage is at least €30,000.
List of documents for the sponsorship letter (attachments)
In addition to the sponsorship letter for a visa, the 2019 sample of which is presented above, the sponsor must provide the following attachments to the visa center:
- Certificate of employment on the official letterhead of the organization, indicating the position and salary level
- bank account statement for the last 3 months
- copy of passport
- document confirming relationship with the sponsored person (birth certificate, marriage certificate), if required
Features of writing in different Schengen countries
Despite the common visa control area, the policies of different EU countries regarding requirements for sponsors differ.
🇮🇹 You can issue a sponsorship letter to Italy only if the sponsor and those he sponsors travel together. This must be confirmed by booking tickets and accommodation. Relation is required. The sponsor must be either a parent or spouse of the person requesting the visa. Written language: English or Italian.
🇫🇷 Travel to France by the visa applicant and his sponsor does not have to be joint. However, the French also insist on close family ties (parents, children, grandparents, spouses). All supporting documents must be in English or French.
🇬🇷 🇨🇿 🇪🇸 The sponsorship letter to Greece and the Czech Republic is similar to the Spanish one. These countries do not insist on relationship with the sponsor. A non-relative may pay for the trip. We accept a document in Russian.
🇬🇧 The UK, which may cease to be a member of the European Union in the foreseeable future, does not belong to the Schengen zone. The British require a separate visa. And you need to take on this business, armed with knowledge of the English language. Because all the information on the official website is in English. Of course, the sponsorship letter is written in the language of Shakespeare.
Sponsorship letter for a child
One of the most common cases when a sponsorship letter is written is to obtain a Schengen visa for a child. The peculiarities of Russian reality are such that minors rarely have a bank account. Although some European countries (particularly Norway) emphasize the priority of their own financial guarantees for each traveler, including children, most often in these cases one of the parents acts as a sponsor.
If the child still has an account with enough funds for the trip, a sponsorship letter is not needed. In addition, the parent may not issue letter if the child is under 14 years old travels with both father and mother. Which is confirmed by booking tickets and accommodation.
Sample sponsorship letter for a child
A sample sponsorship letter for a Schengen visa for a child in 2019 is not much different from the same document for an adult. You can download the sample above, adding a phrase about relationship with a minor.
If one of the family members sponsors several people, then you can write one letter, listing everyone who needs sponsorship.
Personal example: in November 2017, I applied for a Spanish visa for myself and my child. I don’t work, neither I nor the child have a bank account. My husband wrote us a sponsorship letter (one for two), provided a certificate of income from work, a bank account statement for the last 3 months and a copy of a foreign passport with an open Schengen visa. They gave us visas.
Sponsorship letter in English
In a number of countries - Italy, France, Great Britain - the sponsorship letter must be drawn up either in the native language of the country issuing the visa or in English. There is no need to be afraid of this and there is no need to order a translation from a specialized bureau. You can easily find a sample sponsorship letter for a visa in English on the Internet.
Example in English
I, ***, passport ***, guarantee full financial support to my wife/husband/daughter/son/ect. *** during his/her visit to Italy from *** till ***. Contact phone number ***.
Number.
Signature.
The application must be filled out using your passport details.
✓ If you have doubts regarding the need to provide a sponsorship letter for Schengen, it is better to clarify the information at the consulate of a particular country. The policies of different countries on this issue may vary slightly.
✓ Anyone with access to the Internet and appropriate motivation can figure out what’s what. You should not think that agencies offering their services for obtaining visas have any special knowledge or powers. The system is designed primarily for private tourists.
✓ Life hack about the benefits of preparing documents in advance. Never (!) take pictures at the visa center without good reason. There is no photographer there who will tilt his head in the right direction. There is a machine gun. It takes only the third time to take the desired photo. And not everyone! Unsuccessful attempts are paid.
✓ The main points on which a “beginner” tourist can “cut short” are:
- medical insurance and photos not purchased in advance;
- registration, notarization and translation into English of documents that are not necessary.
By spending a couple of hours of time studying the issue, you can save not a fabulous, but a pleasant amount of money. And spend it on an extra bottle of wine on the same trip.
Copying of materials is permitted only with the obligatory indication of a direct, active and indexable hyperlink to the site.
When entering most European countries, tourists are required to register. To do this, you need to submit a certain set of documents. One of the important documents is a sponsorship letter for a Schengen visa.
A sponsorship letter for a visa is an obligation of a relative or several relatives of a tourist to pay all expenses associated with a visit to the EU countries.
Who submits the sponsorship letter?
The obligation to submit such a letter arises from the requirements of the EU Visa Code, according to which a visa is issued with a guarantee of full financial coverage for the entire time spent in the country and return travel. Since persons with income themselves confirm their financial capabilities to visit EU countries, it is obvious that a letter of sponsorship is required for those citizens whose income cannot support their stay in the Schengen countries.
The following citizens include a sponsor's letter in the package of documents for submission to the visa center: 
- Children under 14 years of age traveling alone. If a child is traveling with his parents, then writing a letter is not required; a bank certificate about the account balance will be sufficient;
- Students and students;
- Persons of retirement age and disabled people;
- Unemployed.
A letter of sponsorship is also attached. citizens with unofficial sources of income or small incomes. It is better to clarify the desired amount of income at the consulate of a particular country, but in most cases for EU countries, a traveler’s income must exceed 15-20 thousand rubles per month (and to support himself while traveling, a tourist must have 50 euros for each day of stay).
Who can write a sponsor letter?
A tourist's sponsor can be a close relative who has the necessary income to pay for the trip. In practice, the sponsor letter is presented by parents (or legal guardians), siblings, children or spouses.
If the marriage is not registered, then when submitting a letter from an unofficial spouse, there is a high risk of visa refusal, and countries such as and do not accept letters of guarantee from non-relatives for consideration.
If the visit is of a production nature, then the travel expenses are reimbursed by the employer or the receiving party.
Requirements for formatting a sponsor letter
The sponsorship letter is drawn up in any form by hand or typewritten. It must contain the following data:
- Check-in and check-out dates;
- Name of the host country;
- Mention of family relationship with the sponsored citizen;
- Sponsor's passport details;
- The amount of his income;
In the letter, the sponsor confirms the assumed obligations to provide financial support for travel, accommodation, food, medical insurance and other expenses incurred by the tourist. It is recommended to notarize the sponsorship letter, this will increase the chances of issuing a visa. The sponsorship letter is written in Russian, but sometimes embassies ask to submit the document in English.
Sample sponsorship letter
Here is an example of a sponsorship letter.
Sponsorship letter
I, Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, born 03/21/1960, passport series 99 01 No. 102105, issued by the Tverskoy District Internal Affairs Directorate of Moscow on 05/21/2005, unit code 991-001, undertake to pay for the tourist trip of my daughter Svetlana Sergeevna Lavrova, passport series 99 02 No. 102106, issued by the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Federation for the Tverskoy district of Moscow on 05/22/2012, to Spain from 06/01/2019 to 06/20/2019 and I guarantee compensation for additional expenses incurred on this trip.
You can contact me by phone +7 977 177 01 02
07.05.2019 Lavrov S.V.
A sample sponsorship letter for a visa in .doc format can be downloaded.
This is an example text of a sponsorship letter, however, the content may vary slightly depending on the rules of a particular state. The letter may contain details of an all-Russian passport or a foreign passport. If the trip involves visiting several countries, then it is advisable to list them.
Required Applications
Documents confirming the specified information must be attached to the sponsorship letter of guarantee. An approximate set of documents submitted with a sponsorship letter looks like this:
- A notarized copy of a document confirming family relations. If the employer undertakes to pay for the trip, then you should attach a certificate from work justifying the operational necessity of the trip and a copy of the employment order;
- If the sponsor and the tourist have different surnames, it is required to provide a document justifying the change of surname;
- A copy of the applicant's passport, including the page with the registration address;
- , issued no earlier than a month before the visa is issued. The certificate must contain the following information: the applicant’s position, salary, contact numbers of the manager and chief accountant, company address and blue seal. If the head of the employing organization is a relative or namesake of the sponsor, then a second signature is required. If the sponsor is employed by an entrepreneur, then a copy of the state registration certificate of the individual entrepreneur must be attached to the certificate. They can be notarized, this will increase the chances of issuing a visa. If the sponsor belongs to self-employed categories of citizens (individual entrepreneurs, notaries, private lawyers), then instead of a certificate from the employer, a bank account statement confirming the availability of funds for sponsorship is submitted. He must also submit a copy of the state registration certificate, the latest income tax return and an extract from the register of individual entrepreneurs for a period of less than a month. As a general rule, the amount sufficient for the trip is 62 euros per day. But it is better to clarify the required amount of funds at the consulate of a particular country. For example, for a visit to Greece, a sponsorship letter can be issued by a citizen with an account balance of 30 thousand rubles or more.
Some visa centers allow a letter from a non-relative to be issued when applying for a visa. But in this case, its notarization is required.
Features of submitting a letter of sponsorship for different countries
Many countries have their own additional requirements for the design of the sponsorship letter form and supporting documents for it. You can find out specific conditions at the embassy of your host country.
- For example, for registration it is not enough to provide information about the amount of funds in the sponsor’s bank account. It is required to present a certificate of the movement of funds on his accounts for the last three months. To visit Italy, you will need to notarize not only the sponsorship letter, but also documents indicating the family relationship between the sponsor and the tourist.
- To apply, the sponsor’s income must be at least 40 thousand rubles (the higher the income, the lower the risk of visa refusal), as well as the presence of funds in the account in an amount equivalent to 50 euros per day + 500 euros.
A sponsorship letter is required not only for a visa to EU countries.
- For example, in order to receive it, unemployed citizens or persons with insufficient income must submit a letter from the sponsor with a mandatory translation into English. Notarization of the translation is not required. All supporting documents (certificates from the employer, account statements, evidence of family ties) must also be translated. If there are no family ties between the sponsor and the tourist, then the reason for the sponsorship should be explained in detail in the letter.
- For getting
For many, the term “sponsorship letter” is unknown. What is it and why is it even needed?
Sponsorship letter
A sponsorship letter for a visa to Spain is a kind of confirmation that a person traveling to Spain and having no income will be able to live there for the time that he is going to spend there. It is written by people who are responsible for a person leaving for Spain and not having his own financial resources. In short, if you are a housewife and have no source of financial income, your husband should write a sponsorship letter for you. In it he will indicate that he supports you and sponsors your trip to Spain.
Typically, a sponsorship letter for a visa to Spain is required for students, the unemployed, pensioners, and children. In a word, to all those who are dependent or receive small social assistance. Either a close relative or your friend or comrade who is paying for your trip can write a letter of sponsorship.
Why is this document needed? In general, so that when you arrive in Spain, you do not run to ask for help from the local government or some government departments, so that you do not collect bottles, but can calmly spend your vacation or travel days with money and in comfort. In short: if you are poor, you simply cannot survive in Spain. Without money and housing, you won’t last a day in warm, but expensive Spain.
You must remember that a person entering Spain must have at least 60 euros per day. That is, if you are going to Spain for 10 days, then you should have at least 600-700 euros in your pocket or on your bank card. Remember this.
By the way, remember that in some cases, without a sponsorship letter, a visa will not be issued at all.
How to write a letter
A sample sponsorship letter for a visa to Spain should look like this: I, Elizaveta Petrovna Petrova, confirm that I will finance all expenses associated with the trip of my brother Igor Petrovich Petrov to Spain. For the period from December 10 to December 20, 2017. I am attaching to the letter a certificate from work and a bank statement that confirm my income.
At the end of the letter you must put your signature and date.
Remember that the sponsorship letter is important. Write it correctly and may everything work out for you!
