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Checklist for a Schengen visa for Guest scientists / Research visits/ Students
Checklist for a Schengen visa for Guest scientists / Research visits/ Students
A. Personal details of the applicant
Name: | ____________________________________ |
Surname: | ____________________________________ |
Date of birth: | ____________________________________ |
Passport number: | ____________________________________ |
B. Required documents
Completely filled out and signed Schengen visa application form. Please use the VIDEX website to fill out the application online. Please ensure to print and submit all pages of the application form including the barcodes. | ||
Signed declaration of True and Complete Information | ||
Signed declaration of travel with valid medical insurance | ||
Valid passport (issued within the last 10 years and with at least 3 months' validity after the scheduled return); passports with observations regarding the front data page will not be accepted; passport must have at least two empty pages to affix visa | ||
Copy of the biometric & address page of the passport (DIN A4) | ||
Min. 1 biometric passport picture (35x45mm white background, 70%-80% face coverage), not older than six months | ||
Personal covering letter/ Proof of intended means of transport and itinerary | ||
Covering letter from the inviting institution in Germany on the institution’s letterhead including details of: - name of traveler and - passport number of traveler and - purpose of trip and duration of stay - What activities are planned | ||
Original signed sending letter from the Indian institution on institution letterhead including: |
Proof of finance of the entire trip (if not included in the sending / invitation letter) | ||
Copy of academic degree of the applicant (Bachelor, Master or PhD or equivalent if a foreign degree has been obtained, please see the special remarks under G) for further details) | ||
Proof of accommodation: | ||
Sponsor documentation - proof of financial means if trip is sponsored by a third party a) if you are sponsored by an Indian resident Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and Sponsor’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) and If sponsor is your spouse - marriage certificate or If sponsor is your parent - birth certificate b) if you are sponsored by a German/EU resident Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and copy of the German residence permit (if sponsor is residing in Germany and not a German Citizen) and If provided: Verpflichtungserklärung (formal obligation letter) of your sponsor and If sponsor is your spouse - marriage certificate or If sponsor is your parent - birth certificate c) if you are sponsored by a company in India in addition to point 7 & 8: Acknowledgement of the company's ITR Returns for the last three years (latest first, for example, 2022-2020) d) if you are sponsored by a company in Germany Sponsor letter with a passport copy of the sponsor and copy of the German residence permit (if sponsor is residing in Germany and not a German Citizen) |
Traveler documentation - proof of economic status of the applicant (also necessary if the trip is sponsored) a) If you are employed: Pay slips for the last three months and employment contract and February 2023 3 employers’ statement on approval for holidays (Leave Sanction letter from applicant’s company) and Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) and Indian income tax return (ITR) acknowledgment for the last two assessment years OR Form 16 (Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary) b) If you are a company owner or self-employed: certificate of registration of the company, including its goods and services tax (GST) registration number for companies based in India and Indian income tax return (ITR) acknowledgment for the last two assessment years OR Form 16 (Certificate of Income Tax deducted at the source of salary) and Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) c) If you are retired: pension statements for the last three months and/or proof of regular income generated by ownership of property or busines and Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) d) if you are a student: certificates of the establishment at which you are enrolled and no objection certificate from School / University and for university students: Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) e) if you are unemployed Applicant’s bank statements for the last 3 months stamped by the bank (If the pages are in continuation, kindly separate the pages; passbook copies are not accepted.) | ||
Proof of civil status: |
Flight reservation | ||
Overseas travel medical insurance that is valid for all Schengen countries and covers |
C Additional documents the applicant wants to submit (please note that VFS is not authorized to refuse acceptance of documents the applicant wants to submit but are not mentioned on the checklist)
D Information about biometric data
| Were the fingerprints of the applicant collected in the last 59 months for applying for a Schengen visa in India? If yes, please mention month and year of collection: Please note that fingerprints should be taken if the applicant submits his application in person even if the last submittal was within the last 59 months! |
| Was the applicant excused from giving fingerprints for biometrics? If so, please specify why! |
E Additional document if application is not submitted by the applicant directly
| YES | NO | |
| Signed authorization letter for the travel agent or the representative | ||
| Copy of passport of the person submitting the application |
F. General remarks of the German mission for submittal of a Schengen visa application
- The German Missions reserve the right to ask for additional documents.
- Submission of the above-mentioned documents does not guarantee that a visa is granted.
- Submission of incomplete documentation may result in the rejection of an application. The visa section is not obliged to ask for submittal of documents already mentioned on this list before denying an application.
- Applications have to be submitted not earlier than six months before and not later than 15 working days before the intended date of travel.
- Applications are processed within 15 working days from the day of arrival at the visa section. When submitting your application via VFS application center, please keep in mind that the visa application will need up to two working days to reach the visa section. Public holidays of the German missions as announced on our website will not count as working days.
- Please note that individual status inquiries cannot be answered within the standard processing time of 15 working days.
- A booked flight ticket does not result in a preferred processing of the application.
- All documents, forms and declarations have to be submitted either in German or English. All documents, forms and declarations not in German or English have to be submitted with proper German or English translation. Failing to provide proper translation will result in the document, form or declaration considered “missing”
G. Special remarks of the German mission for submittal of a Schengen visa application in the respective category
- Applicants without an academic degree (Bachelor, Master or PhD or equivalent in case of a foreign degree) cannot apply under the guest scientist category, students without degree visiting Germany for research purposes in connection with their study may apply for an internship visa
- Guest scientist visa are only possible if the inviting party is a German university or an acknowledged or public research institute; research visits at private companies in Germany cannot be applied for under the guest scientist category but have to be applied for – depending of the details of the stay – as internship visa or normal business visa with (pre-)approval of the Federal employment agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
- The regular Schengen visa fees apply. Recipients of Public German scholarships from the inviting institution may be exempt from the visa fee if detailed information about the scholarship (amount, expenses covered, funding of the scholarship) are provided with the application. Failing to provide the required details when submitting the application will result in the visa fees being charged. The visa section is legally not obliged to reimburse the visa fees if the necessary documentation is submitted later.
- Accompanying family members have to apply for tourist visas
H. Declaration of the visa applicant (to be signed by the parent(s) submitting the application if applicant is a minor or by the representative at the VFS VAC on the day of submittal)
I have taken note of the general and special remarks as mentioned under F and G on this checklist.
I have been informed that VFS Global does not have any influence on the decision about a visa application.
I confirm that the VFS officer has noted all documents submitted by me and that I want the application in its present form to be forwarded to the German mission. I am aware that original documents not submitted with a copy will be kept by the visa section.
Date: _____________________________________
Name, Surname of the applicant or representative: _____________________________________
Signature of the applicant or representative: _____________________________________
I. Confirmation of VFS on the day of submittal
Date of submittal: _____________________________________
VFS VAC in _____________________________________
Application submitted: by the applicant / the parents as holders of the custody of minor applications / a representative with proper authorization (please cross what is not applicable)
I confirm that above this checklist has been filled out together with and signed in front of me by the applicant or his / her duly authorized representative at today’s appointment at the above VAC. VFS Officer: ………………………………… Signature: ………………………
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