A visit to Germany is a Schengen short stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for tourism, a family visit or a celebration. If Germany is the main destination of the trip, measured by the longest stay, the application goes to the German Embassy in Islamabad or the Consulate General in Karachi, depending on where your relative lives. Appointment arrangements change, so always follow the current instructions on the German missions' official site, pakistan.diplo.de.
What is a Verpflichtungserklärung?
A Verpflichtungserklärung (formal obligation letter) is a declaration you, the host in Germany, make in person at your local Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority). By signing it, you commit to cover the costs of your guest's stay in Germany, including living costs and, if needed, the cost of their return journey. The authority checks your identity, residence status and income before issuing it, usually charges a fee, and many offices need an appointment. You then send the original to your relative in Pakistan to include in the visa application.
A few practical points:
- It is a real legal commitment. If public money is spent on your guest during the period it covers, the authorities can claim it back from you. Only sign it if you mean it.
- It is not always required. If your relative can show enough money of their own, an invitation letter plus their own funds can be enough. For retired parents with modest income, the Verpflichtungserklärung is often the clearest way to show the trip is funded.
- It does not replace travel medical insurance. Every Schengen visitor still needs a policy covering at least EUR 30,000 for the whole stay.
- It does not prove they will return. The officer still needs to see your relative's ties to Pakistan.
Income levels, fees and how recent the original must be are set locally. Check your own Ausländerbehörde's website and the German mission's checklist.
Useful German terms
| Besuchsvisum / Schengen-Visum | Visit visa / Schengen short-stay visa |
|---|---|
| Einladungsschreiben | Invitation letter |
| Verpflichtungserklärung | Formal obligation letter from the host |
| Ausländerbehörde | Local foreigners' authority where the host applies |
| Reisekrankenversicherung | Travel medical insurance |
What you prepare in Germany
- An invitation letter: your details and residence status, relationship, dates, purpose and where your guests will stay.
- The original Verpflichtungserklärung, if you are using one.
- A copy of your passport and residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel) or German ID card.
- Proof of relationship, such as a NADRA Family Registration Certificate.
What your relatives prepare in Pakistan
- Passport, previous passports and the Schengen application form.
- Travel medical insurance for the exact dates, and a flight reservation that matches the plan.
- Their own financial and family documents: bank statement, pension or income, property, and the family members and responsibilities they return to.
- A cover letter and day-by-day plan that agree with your invitation. See the Schengen visa checklist and the France, Italy and Germany visa guide.
Why family visits to Germany are refused
The Schengen refusal form lists standard grounds. In family cases the ones we see most are: the purpose and conditions of the stay were not justified; the applicant did not show sufficient means; and there were reasonable doubts about their intention to leave before the visa expires. All three usually come back to a file where the host's papers and the applicant's papers do not support each other. See visa refused: how to reapply.
How we help
- We tell you whether a Verpflichtungserklärung is worth doing in your family's case, or whether their own funds are enough.
- We check your invitation and German documents against your relatives' Pakistani documents, line by line.
- We prepare the application form, cover letter and travel plan, and check insurance and reservations before submission.
How it works when you are abroad and they are in Pakistan
- You or your relative write to us at [email protected] or through the form below. Tell us who is travelling, where you live, your status there and roughly when they want to come.
- Free case review. We look at both sides of the case, yours and theirs, and tell you honestly what is strong, what is weak and whether the timing makes sense.
- You see the work first. We prepare a sample or a checked part of the file so you can judge the quality. You pay our fee only once you are satisfied.
- We complete the file. Checklist, application form, cover letter, travel plan and a final cross-check of every document from both countries.
- Your relative attends only the official appointment for biometrics or interview. You stay in control of the application and its account throughout.
Fees
| Europe / Schengen file (including Germany) | PKR 20,000 per person |
|---|---|
| USA visa form filling (DS-160) | PKR 50,000 per person |
| USA, family of 4 applying together | PKR 100,000 |
| UK and Canada visit files | Fixed quote after a free case review |
These are our service fees only. Embassy, visa-centre, insurance and medical fees are separate and are paid to those organisations directly. See the full fee table.
Roman Urdu mein khulasa
Germany mein rehte hain aur family ko Pakistan se bulana hai? Unhe Schengen visit visa chahiye. Verpflichtungserklaerung aap apne sheher ki Auslaenderbehoerde se banwate hain, jis mein aap unke kharche ki zimmedari lete hain. Yeh har case mein zaroori nahi. Hum dono taraf ki file check karte hain. Fees 20,000 rupay fi kas.
Information checked 1 November 2026. Rules and official fees change, so always confirm on the official website before you apply. We are a private consultancy, not a government body; only the embassy or immigration authority decides a visa, and no visa is guaranteed.
