Without any doubt, getting your visa feels very liberating. You are now free to enter a new country or group of countries as you find suitable. However, getting this visa is not as simple. A tedious procedure is associated with the receiving of a visa, and if this is your first time applying, you need to understand, it is essential. Now, this process involves several documents, each playing a vital role in your application process. A sponsorship letter for visa is one of these documents. Your sponsorship letter for visa is a necessity as it helps you explain how your trip is being funded.
Read: How to apply for Visa? In focus – Schengen visa, H1B visa
What is a Sponsorship letter?
So, let’s start with what a sponsorship letter for visa is. A sponsorship letter for visa is a document wherein, your sponsor justifies their relation to you. Say, you are applying for a sponsorship letter for tourist visa, your family will probably fund the trip. Therefore, the Embassy would require a sponsorship letter from father or mother. Even if you are travelling for business purposes, you will be required to provide a sponsorship letter for visa from company. This serves as evidence for you to be able to sustain your trip and stay anywhere.
How do we write one?
Now, the natural question to ask next is for an example. A common visa applied for is the Schengen visa. This too requires a Schengen visa sponsorship letter. What is important to note is the format. This applies regardless of whether you are writing a Schengen visa sponsorship letter, a sponsorship letter for tourist visa or a sponsorship letter for visa from company. A sponsorship letter for visa follows a standard format which we have displayed below in a sample. The format and content contribute to whether your visa application is accepted or rejected.
Also Read: How to get your Schengen visa from India?
Tips to write a good Sponsorship Letter
- Ensure that you use formal language. Start with the salutation, ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. This will give the consular the impression that the sponsor is aware of what they are doing. This should be followed with details about the sponsor; where they stay, where they work and what post they hold, the cause for the letter and of course the relation they have.
- Keep it short and simple. Do not write too much because quantity does not equal quality. In fact, excessive content stands a chance to frustrate the consular. The more relevant your content is, the more likely it is to be accepted immediately.
- Any emotional content or matter which is too personal will be seen as unnecessary. The consular has no desire to know where you are going to eat breakfast or how much you will spend on clothing. Nor are they interested in knowing how much your sponsor cares for you. Really, they need evidence of whether your sponsor will be able to support you financially.
Know in depth: Self Introduction letter for Visa: All you need to know
- Try to see that the information you are mention in writing is backed by documents you can submit. Evidence is a must to submit. It creates less room for questions and speeds the process up.
- Do not forget to add your contact details outside your address. In case of any confusion, the Embassy can contact you, making the process as a whole faster.
Finally, your sponsorship letter for visa should clearly state the details of travel; including the dates, and a brief itinerary (if you are travelling with them. This makes the sponsors financial position transparent and guarantees that they will be able to fund the trip; journey and stay included.
Remember to add the date the letter was written and include a line about the documents which you have attached.
Sample Sponsorship letter for visa
Date:
Immigration Officer
[Embassy Name]
[Embassy Address]
[Embassy Phone Number]
Sponsorship Letter for [Applicant’s Name] with Passport No. *************
Dear Sir/Madam,
I, (Sponsor’s Full Name) currently residing at (Sponsor’s Home Address]), and a citizen of (Country’s Name), am writing this letter in support of the visa application of my (parent/sibling/friend/other), (Applicant’s Name).
The purpose of the visit of my (parent/sibling/friend/other), (Applicant’s Name) in the country of (Name of Country) is to [give the reason behind the trip]. He/she will be here from (Mention starting date of visit in format DD/MM/YY) to (Provide ending date of visit in DD/MM/YY).
During the specified trip dates above, (we/he/she) will be visiting (Specify city/place names). In addition, (Applicant’s Name) will be staying at (Sponsor’s Address or Hotel Address). I will be covering all of the expenses of the trip, through (Mention means of funding).
Attached to this letter, please find all of the required documents to support the given statements.
Best Regards,
[Sponsor’s name]
[Sponsor’s home address]
[Sponsor’s phone number]
[Sponsor’s occupation]
[Sponsor’s signature]
Documents to be submitted with the letter
- Your sponsorship letter for visa needs to be submitted with a few other files and things. These will support your sponsorship letter for visa and act as proof for what you have written. The needed documents are:
- A scanned copy of your ID / passport
- Proof of financial funds for instance, bank statements, a work contract and the last three payslips
- Proof of home/rental contract that provides the address of the sponsor
- A Travel Itinerary of the places planned to visit together (if applicable) or alone. This clears out the question of how much you intend to spend at the place of stay, especially concerning travel and stay. Additional charges do not concern anyone as much.
- If the sponsor is taking days off for the trip, submitting a document from the workplace along with the application, serves as a bonus!
Suggested Read: Visa Interview – Questions, Answers, Tips
Be sure that each document is up to date and attached carefully. The loss of even one document can cause the rejection of the application. It also helps to have evidence as the consular will not be as confused and can move faster.
Submission – Where and When
Once the sponsorship letter for visa is written and the required additional documents are attached, you submit the letter. The question you would naturally have is, when and where? The answer is quite simple. After signing the letter, the letter is put along with the rest of the documents required for application and submitted at the Embassy. This is done on the day of the visa appointment, following which each document will go through the required checks. There is little you can do in this period but wait. As long as you have followed through with the instructions you will not face any difficulty.
Also read: Tourist Visa for USA from India
Conclusion
The sponsorship letter for visa sounds complicated, but it really is not. It is a simple document you do not need to stress for. It is written like any formal letter and does not need too much effort. Collecting the required additional documents can be quite the hassle, but it really helps the application. Additionally, it increases the sponsors credibility be it a sponsorship letter from father, your boss or close friend. It is a formality you undergo to travel. And, when you finally hold that visa in your hand, does it not fee worth it?
So do not let the details get to you. It is as simple as writing a letter of leave to your school principal or boss. It seems nerve-wracking but all it requires is proper grammar, the ability to be formal and write an impersonal letter. Of course, the relationship with the sponsor should be in alignment with the reason for travel, but the consular is not as bothered by these personal details. A well defined financial statement with a clearly defined travel plan helps you express yourself to the consular well enough that your sponsorship letter for visa clears the path for the rest of the documents involved in the application. So, do not worry and plan an enjoyable trip!
Further Read: Covering Letter For Visa: What it is and how you can make one
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