What is guaranteeing a visa?

What does guaranteeing a Schengen visa mean and how do you do that?

You can provide a financial guarantee for someone who comes to the Netherlands for a short stay (maximum 90 days). A guarantee is required if the foreign visitor has insufficient income.

You can act as a guarantor for either someone who requires a visa or someone who is allowed to travel to Schengen countries visa-free . However, income requirements apply to the guarantor, and it is important that adequate medical travel insurance is taken out for the foreign guest.

You can act as a guarantor for someone from abroad using the Proof of Guarantee and/or Private Accommodation Form.

With the sponsor statement you let the authorities in the Netherlands know that you guarantee the costs of a foreign national's stay in the Netherlands. You also guarantee that this foreign national will leave the Netherlands on time. The guarantee statement states exactly what this means for you.

When is a guarantee not necessary?

A guarantee is not necessary if the visitor has sufficient income. A foreign visitor must be able to demonstrate that he has at least € 55 per day to spend (per person), for all days he stays in the Netherlands (the amount has been increased on 1 April 2020, this was € 34 per day) . A foreign national can demonstrate this with, for example, bank statements, cash, travel cheques, etc.

Does your guest have sufficient funds of their own during their stay in the Netherlands? If so, a guarantee is not required. In that case, you only need to apply for private accommodation using the form ' Proof of guarantee and/or private accommodation '.

Conditions for guarantee

To guarantee a foreign visitor, your income must be at least equal to the minimum wage (excluding holiday pay). Couples have a joint income of at least the minimum wage (excluding holiday pay). You must fill in a proof of guarantee and/or private accommodation and have your signature legalized by the municipality.

In principle, you can guarantee a maximum of 2 adults (+ possibly 1 or 2 children) at the same time. You must use a separate 'Proof of guarantee and/or accommodation' form for each person. You must also have your signature legalized for each form. It is ultimately up to the Dutch representation or Consular Service Organization (CSO) to judge whether and for how many persons someone can act as guarantor at the same time.

How can you guarantee?

• First, you fill in the proof of guarantee and/or private accommodation form. If you want to act as guarantor for several people, you must also fill in the form several times.
• Have your signature on the form legalized at your municipality. The warranty is valid for 6 months.
• Collect the additional documents (see below). Send this together with the form to the visitor abroad.
• After receipt, your visitor can apply for a visa at the Dutch embassy (or consulate) abroad. Remember that a copy of the guarantee must always be taken with you during the trip. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee can ask for this form at the border control at the airport. The lack of this form can be a reason to refuse entry to the Netherlands.

Additional documents guarantee

In addition to the guarantee and/or private accommodation provision proof form , documents must also be included proving that you have sufficient income to act as a guarantor. You must also send these to the foreign visitor.

You are a guarantor and are employed:

• a copy of your employment contract (this must be valid for at least 12 months from the time of the visa application);
• a copy of your last 3 pay slips.

You act as guarantor and are an entrepreneur:

• a recent extract from the registration with the Chamber of Commerce;
• the most recent final income tax assessment;
• a recent profit and loss statement showing the net profit.

Financial protection for guarantor

It is important for the guarantor that the foreign guest is adequately insured against medical expenses and repatriation (necessary return to the country of origin), because otherwise you will bear the costs. After all, you are financially responsible. Incidentally, such insurance is also mandatory when applying for a visa for the Netherlands. You can take out this so-called medical travel insurance quickly and affordably on this website.

The medical insurance can be taken out by an interested party in the Netherlands. The interested party can be a sponsor (guarantor/accommodation provider), but also a friend, family or partner of the foreign guest. In that case, the interested party is also the policyholder (premium payer) and the visa applicant (foreign guest) is the insured.

Tip: If you take out medical travel insurance for a Schengen visa, always make sure that you are the policyholder (premium payer) and the person for whom you are guarantor is the insured. That is wiser because then you know for sure that the premium has been paid and the insurance is actually valid. In addition, in the event of a claim payment, the money is transferred to the account of the policyholder. The guarantor then retains full control over the finances.