How to make an invitation letter for a Schengen visa to Luxembourg
As a resident, you can invite friends and family in Luxembourg to visit you and the country. Our detailed article on invitation rules for Schengen visa applications in Luxembourg will help you navigate the process smoothly.
Let's say you want to invite your friends or parents to visit you in Luxembourg from third-countries. You can provide them with an invitation to support their Schengen visa application. This article will guide you in writing a compelling invitation letter and necessary steps that will increase the chances of a successful visa application and ensure a smooth visit.
An invitation letter will increase (but not guarantee) your guest's chances of obtaining a Schengen visa in Europe. Most likely, you will not provide any new information to the officials in your letter that the visitor themself did not provide.
What are the steps?
In Luxembourg, the steps may vary. In our editorial experience, more important than an invitation letter comes a filled form of Engagement de prise en charge. It is a formal obligation to take full care of the guest, a form you fill and sign in the commune of residence.
For the Luxembourg government, it will act as an invitation. You still can give a letter of invitation to your guest for them to apply in the Consular in the country of origin with their visa application.
Formal obligation to invite family and friends to Luxembourg
An important document, that act as an obligation to host a guest and cover necessary expenses comes in the form of two page document with all the necessary data. Keep in mind, that in Luxembourg, if you agree to be a guarantor for a foreign visitor, you're essentially taking financial responsibility for them.
Full responsibility
This means you'll be expected to cover their living expenses, healthcare costs, and even their return trip home during their entire stay. This responsibility doesn't end with their visit. For two years after they leave, you're still on the hook if they don't pay their bills or if they do not leave the country.
So, you see, it is quite different from the invitation letter, in which you state in almost free form the details of the trip and addresses.
Alexander, our colleague, who made an invitation for his guests
Invitation letter for a Schengen visa application in EU
If you want to invite a person to visit you in Europe, you can write them an invitation letter and add some proofs that you are able to fulfil host responsibilities. This letter will be useful only for the invitee application side, as in Luxembourg, unlike in some other EU countries, the procedure is quite straightforward.
You can download the template and fill in the blanks in the DOCX-format from our website in English and French languages. After filling the necessary information, attach supporting documents copies, such as copy of ID, proof of accommodation, or payslips, and give it to the invitee. We have mentioned the address at the beginning of the letter, but it can be changed to the address of the consular, where your invitee is applying.
How to write an invitation letter to Europe: tips and instruction
Here are some helpful reminders for those who want to invite friends and family members from third-countries to visit them in Europe and are willing to provide all the necessary accommodation and support.
Format and structure
Key information
In Luxembourg, there is no big difference between invitation letters for friends and for family, except for the reasons why you are in contact with each other.
Supporting documents for invitation letter
Here’s the list of additional documents that you might want to include with the invitation letter and provide to the applicant in the country of origin:
- Pay slips (fiches de salarie) for the last three months (or other proof of monthly income);
- Copy of international passport and residence permit or carte d'identité if you are a Luxembourg citizen;
- Copy of your other ID, if you have one;
- Accommodation proof;
- Relationship proof (such as birth certificate or other document; for relatives only);
- Copies of personal data pages of the invited person;
- Proof of return to the home country (employment contract, real estate ownership, rental contract, etc.);
- Any other relevant documents, such as travel insurance and return tickets.
Letter for visa application only
If you have done everything correctly, you will have a letter ready which your guest can use to apply for a tourist visa at the Luxembourg consulate in his/her country.
If you are ready to take a formal obligation, you need to fill the form of Engagement de prise en charge and sign it at the commune. That will be enough to support the invitation at the Luxembourg.
How long to wait for results?
The waiting period should not exceed three weeks. However, instead of approval, you may be asked to provide additional documentation. Once you have done so, the 3 week period begins again. Thus, the process can take almost two months.
Read more about the process of application for a visa in our dedicated articles:
With or without visa: grounds for legal stay in Luxembourg
Which documents you need and where to apply for a work visa in Luxembourg
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is an invitation letter mandatory for a Schengen visa application?
What supporting documents should be included with the invitation letter?
Are there any specific requirements for the invitation letter format or content?
How do I prove the guest is my friend?
Source: guichet.public.lu, atlys.com, axa-schengen.com, schengenvisaflightreservation.com
We took photos from these sources: Lina Sivaka for Pexels
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