Schengen visa C: invite people planning to reside somewhere else

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Difficult to be specific without knowning the specific country, but think through the purpose of an invitation. It is twofold or threefold.

  • The invitation explains why the visitor wants to travel there and then. If a visitor were to say that he or she wants to visit, say, Coesfeld for two weeks in November to see the tourist sights, that is not plausible unless the visitor has a special interest in meat-packing plants. If a visitor wants to go there to stay with family or in-laws for two weeks, that's entirely reasonable.
  • The invitation usually explains part of the funding for the trip, lowering the expected cost of living expenses for the visitor.
  • In some Schengen states, a sponsor can formally guarantee to cover costs, including those of a deliberate or involuntary overstay (e.g. for medical reasons). That might make a visit possible if the personal circumstances of the guest would otherwise prevent it.

Even with an invitation letter promising to cover all expenses in country, the authorities will still want to see the financial details of the applicant. They want to gauge the economic situation at home and if there is a good job to return to. They also check if the cost of the trip is in proportion to the income and savings. (Few reasonable persons will spend several years of disposable income on a night in the opera. Spending that much to migrate and overstay is more rational.)

So if it is reasonable under the conditions for your relatives to visit and to stay in a hotel, then you should write a letter confirming the reason for the visit and that they plan to stay in a hotel. To that, add the hotel reservation. The visa officials will take the invitation into account for the premise of the trip, and look at the finances of your guests for the funding. If the finances of your relatives don't look good, you should spell out what you will cover (e.g. meals but not housing) to reduce their daily cost of subsistence while they are in the Schengen area. But it would be easier if they have enough money to cover that as well.

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