Declaration of commitment (invitation for visitors from abroad)

Please hand in the declaration of commitment in person at one of the Frankfurt Citizen’s OfficesInternal Link (“Bürgerämter”). Please book an appointment in advance (online appointmentInternal Link).

This declaration then needs to be submitted to the relevant German mission abroad (embassy or consulate general) in order to apply for a visa.

In advance, please use our online processExternal Link to check your financial status and prepare the application documents.

What is a declaration of commitment?

If you want to invite a foreign visitor to Germany for a short period of time, you will usually need a declaration of commitment (“Verpflichtungserklärung”). Your visitor must submit this to a German mission abroad (embassy or consulate general) in his or her home country, especially if your guest is unable to pay for the costs of his/her stay in Germany himself/herself.

With the issued visa, your guests can stay in Germany for up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. It is valid for private visits, tourist trips and business trips.

What do you commit to as a host?

With the declaration, you agree to cover all costs that the state may incur as a result of your guest's stay in Germany. These include:

• the total cost of living for the guest
• the guest's full medical expenses in the event of illness (we recommend that you take out health insurance for the duration of the stay)
• the costs of a possible deportation according to §§ 66, 67 Residence Act ("AufenthG")
  
  

These obligations apply, no matter the period of validity of the visa, for the entire stay, including times of possible illegal residence.

The person committing must sign a written declaration that they have been made aware of the scope of their obligations.

• For a non-committal advance check of your financial capacity to submit a declaration of commitment, please use our online credit score estimatorExternal Link. You can complete and download all the documents you need to bring with you in the online process.
• At your visit to the Citizens’ Office (“Bürgeramt”), your documents will first be checked for completeness.
• Then the Citizens' Office will calculate whether your financial means are sufficient to issue a declaration of commitment. The result is noted on the declaration of commitment. The fees for the service are due regardless of the result of the credit check!
• You forward the issued declaration of commitment to your guest. With the declaration of commitment, your guest will appear at a German diplomatic mission in his or her home country – the German diplomatic mission abroad makes the final decision as to whether or not a visa will be issued.

General information

• You can submit the declaration of commitment at the earliest six months before your guest plans to enter the country.
• Persons with a tourist visa or certificate of toleration (“Duldung”) cannot submit a declaration of commitment.

Financial Status

• The Citizens' Office will have to look at your financial status before you can submit a declaration of commitment. Please use our online credit score estimatorExternal Link to check your financial status in advance.

  This means that you should be able to pay all costs that may arise during your guests’ stay in Germany from your own income.

  Your average net income will be compared with maintenance necessities. The “seizure exemption limit” found in §§ 850 et seq. Code of Civil Procedure ("ZPO") will be followed. If you have enough attachable income, you can provide a declaration of commitment.

• The following overview shows the minimum net income you must have in order to submit a declaration of commitment:

  Required net income
  No maintenance obligation	€1,396
  Maintenance obligation for 1 person	€1,925
  Maintenance obligation for 2 persons	€2,237
  Maintenance obligation for 3 persons	€2,583
  Maintenance obligation for 4 persons	€3,013
  Maintenance obligation for 5 or more persons	€3,775

• Note on the maintenance obligation:

  The credit score calculation includes all persons living in the household or in Germany for whom you are liable to pay maintenance (spouse, underage children, children of full age without own income as well as other persons for whom there is a maintenance obligation). Spouses and children who live abroad permanently are not taken into account.

  For example, with a husband/wife and two children, there is a maintenance obligation for three persons. Accordingly, you would have to earn €2,583 net to be able to invite one person.

Joint submission of a declaration of commitment

• Spouses can submit a joint declaration of commitment. In this case, it is fine for one spouse to come and bring along the proof of salary, a declaration of consent as well as an identity document of the other spouse (however, this is only possible if the person, who comes to us has at least a small income of their own).
• You cannot add the income of a third person (not spouse). However, two people can invite one guest together. In this case, each host must submit a separate declaration of commitment. Each declaration of commitment costs 29 euros and the sponsors must appear together in person. Note: As soon as one of the two sponsors has a sufficient income, he/she must submit the declaration of commitment alone.

• Original proof of net income for the last three months (bank statements are not enough)
  Pensioners: Pension notification
  Self-employed persons: Certificate from a tax consultant or tax assessment from the tax office (not older than two years)
• Valid identification document (for foreign citizens, a residence permit is also needed)
• Completed form: Required information for the submission of a declaration of commitment (pdf , 67KB)Download Link
• Signed form: Declaration for the submission of a declaration of commitment (pdf , 99KB)Download Link
• In the case of joint submission with a spouse or life partner: Consent form of the spouse, signature of both spouses or life partners on the Declaration for the submission of a declaration of commitment (pdf , 99KB)Download Link and identification document of the spouse or of the life partner
• The declaration of commitment costs € 29.00.

You have to submit all documents in the original!

€ 29.00

The fees are due regardless of the result of the credit check!

Payments can be made in cash or by card (girocard/debit card).

• Required information for the submission of a declaration of commitment (pdf , 67KB)Download Link (German only)
• Declaration for the submission of a declaration of commitment (pdf , 99KB)Download Link (German only)
• Consent form of the spouse (pdf , 41KB)Download Link (German only)
• Information sheet declaration of commitment (pdf , 719KB)Download Link(German only)

For intended stays in Germany that exceed three months and do not serve the purpose of a visit (family reunification, to take up employment, au pair, etc.), the necessary application procedure must be handled directly by the competent German mission abroad.

Language pupils and students should contact the Foreigners' Registration Office (“Ausländerbehörde”) in Frankfurt am Main directly.

Private invitations are not sufficient for legal entities such as associations, church institutions and companies. In these cases, please contact the Central Citizen's Office (“Zentrales Bürgeramt”): buergeramt.zentrale@stadt-frankfurt.deInternal Link