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Standard federal information sheet on the use of the standard federal form for the declaration of commitment

If you want to enable a foreigner from a non-EU country to stay in Germany (usually temporarily), you can undertake to pay for their living expenses.

People from third countries who wish to enter or stay in Germany generally require a visa or residence permit. When applying for a visa or residence permit, they must prove that they are able to support themselves for as long as they are in Germany.

People from third countries are people from countries that do not belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

If you invite people from third countries to Germany and wish to allow them to enter or stay in Germany, you can undertake to bear the cost of living for the person or persons invited. In addition to food, housing and clothing, living expenses also include care in the event of illness or the need for care. The obligation to pay also includes the assumption of any costs of repatriation to the home country. Before you submit the declaration of commitment, you must describe your own financial situation and prove your ability to pay.

The declaration of commitment enables third-country nationals to prove that they meet the financial requirements for the issue of a residence permit or a Schengen visa.

A declaration of commitment can be submitted by natural or legal persons (e.g. companies, charitable associations).

• Identity card or passport
• ID card with online ID function (for online submission)
• eID card (for online submission)
• Residence permit
• Electronic residence permit (for online submission)
• For representation: Power of attorney
• Proof of own financial situation and solvency
• for employed persons: e.g. bank statements, salary statements or salary certificates, proof of income, proof of pension
• for self-employed persons: e.g. certificate from the tax consultant regarding net income or extract from the trade register or printout from the commercial register

• As the person making the declaration, you must be legally competent and have reached the age of 18.
• If you represent a natural or legal person, you must have and present a power of attorney or proof of your authorization to represent.
• You must submit the declaration of commitment to the foreigners authority at the future place of residence of the foreign guest or to the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence.
• If you do not know the future place of residence of your guest, you must submit the declaration of commitment to the foreigners authority
  • at your main place of residence or
  • at the registered office or main branch of your company or organization

submit it.

• You must be in a financial position to cover the living expenses and any costs incurred by the foreign guest or guests. The assessment of your creditworthiness depends on the number of persons living in the household or persons liable to pay maintenance, the number of declarations of commitment submitted and the purpose of the stay.

You can submit the declaration of commitment at the immigration office or online.

If you submit the formal obligation at the immigration office:

• An official, nationally standardized form is used to submit your declaration of commitment, which is provided by the Foreigners' Registration Office or Citizens' Registration Office and completed on the basis of your details and supporting documents.
• You must provide the Foreigners' Registration Office with the required data in advance in the form specified by them.
• As part of the procedure, the Foreigners' Registration Office will check your creditworthiness, i.e. the extent to which you are financially capable of supporting your guest or meeting any financial obligations that may arise at a later date. To do this, you must provide evidence of your financial situation.
• If the Immigration Office has all the documents and assesses your creditworthiness as sufficient, the Immigration Office will accept your declaration.
• You pay the administrative fee. If the declaration of commitment is not accepted, you will have to pay a processing fee of the same amount.
• You must sign the declaration of commitment in the presence of an employee of the immigration office.
• You will receive the original of the declaration of commitment to pass on to the guest and use in the visa procedure. A duplicate remains with the immigration authority.
• This concludes the procedure.
• You are bound by your declaration for a period of five years from the date of entry of your guest.

If you submit the declaration of commitment online:

• You submit the online form electronically to the relevant immigration office. You have two options:
  • 1. complete electronic processing of the procedure (with electronic authentication)
  • 2. partial electronic processing of the procedure (online preparation, without electronic authentication)

If you complete the procedure entirely electronically (1):

• You read the information carefully
• If you do not understand the information, you cannot submit the declaration online. In this case, please contact the relevant immigration authority in person.
• You confirm that you have understood the information.
• Open the online form and log in to your federal user account if you are a natural person and wish to submit the declaration as a private individual.
• Follow the instructions for authentication using the activated online ID function (eID function) of your ID card, your ID card (EU nationals) or your electronic residence permit
• You log in to the organization account if you wish to submit the declaration as a representative of a company, association or other organization and have a power of attorney.
• Follow the instructions for authentication using the ELSTER certificate of your company or association.
• Some of your personal data will be automatically transferred to the form.
• You provide information about your creditworthiness.
• You enter details about your guest or guests.
• You upload proof of your creditworthiness or the creditworthiness of the company, association or organization you represent.
• As a representative for a company, association or other organization, you upload the power of attorney.
• You choose whether you would like to have the certificate delivered by post or collect it in person from the immigration office.
• You pay the administration fee online and the postal charges if you wish to have it delivered by post.
• You click on "Send".
• You have made a legally binding declaration.
• The Immigration Office will send you the document in paper form by post.
• The procedure is complete.
• You are bound by your declaration for a period of five years from the date your guest enters the country.

If you complete the procedure partly electronically (online preparation) (2):

• You read the information carefully.
• If you do not understand the information, you cannot submit the declaration online. In this case, please contact the relevant immigration authority in person
• You confirm that you have understood the information.
• You provide information about yourself or, if you are representing a company, association or organization with power of attorney.
• You provide information about your creditworthiness.
• You provide information about your guest or guests.
• You upload proof of your creditworthiness or the creditworthiness of the company, association or organization you represent.
• As a representative for a company, association or other organization, you upload the power of attorney.
• You pay the administration fee online.
• You click on "Submit".
• You have prepared the submission of the letter of representation electronically.
• To collect the document, you must visit the Foreigners' Registration Office and sign the document by hand in the presence of a member of staff from the Foreigners' Registration Office and receive it in paper form.
• The procedure is complete.
• You are bound by your declaration for a period of five years from the date of entry of your guest.

The processing time varies depending on the workload of the foreigners authority and can therefore vary.

• Declaration of commitment Acceptance
• Natural or legal persons undertake to provide for the living expenses of one or more foreign persons invited by them during their stay in Germany.
• Prerequisite:

• Economic capacity (creditworthiness)
• Credit check by the authorities.

• Persons who have submitted a declaration of commitment must pay for all costs incurred by them in Germany, including the costs of any medical treatment and repatriation to their home country, in cases where invitees are unable to finance their stay with their own funds.
• The obligation is valid for five years from the date of entry of the foreigner.
• The declaration of commitment serves as proof that the economic requirements for the issue of a residence permit or a Schengen visa have been met.
• The declaration of commitment only applies to those invited from third countries.
• Countries that belong to the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are not third countries.
• Declaration online with electronic proof of identity or in writing.
• Responsible: Immigration authorities of the future place of residence of the invited person. If the place of residence is not known, the foreigners authority in whose district the declarant lives or is based is responsible. The declaration of commitment can also be submitted to a foreign embassy or consulate.

The foreigners authority (district or larger city) at the place of residence of the person making the commitment is responsible for accepting the declaration of commitment.

Forms available: Yes

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance required: Personal appearance is required for written application and online preparation