Short term visa for relative on a limited residence permit card

Yes that is right.

If you have a residence permit A, you cannot legally act as a guarantor. That means you cannot get an Annex 3bis, which is the document for support.

So in this case, your SIL will have to show her own funds for the duration of stay here for the visa. I think it is approximately €40-45 per day if staying with family, You can only send an unofficial but personal letter of invite addressed to the BE embassy there and also your ID card scanned copy to add to the application.

Thanks solexhonda,

Although, in the letter she received, they specifically asked for a guarantor with an unlimited residence permit in Belgium. See point 3 (and it's remark) of  figure below.


If she will be funding her stay then should I remove the part in the invitation letter which said that I will be responsible for her expenses during her stay here..

Damn, this redtape is difficult..

Thanks for your help.

Indeed:

When someone visits, there are two types of visa that can be applied for:
1, Tourist
2, Family/Friends Visit (schengen short term)

Tourist visa is pretty straightforward. Nothing to do with you. Traveler applies like any other tourist (flights, hotel booking, financial means, insurance, itinerary, etc etc)

In family/friends visit, funding of the travel can be either by the traveler or by the host. If you mention in invitation letter and in the visa form that costs are taken care by the host, then the host (who is now also the guarantor or sponsor)  must give a formal obligation (3bis) in original to the visitor which the visitor attaches to visa application file.

If you are giving the visitor just a place to stay and if they are bearing the costs of the travel, this must clearly be indicated in the visa form and invite letter. In that case, there is no need for the host to give a formal obligation. Traveler provided documentary proof for sufficient financial means (bank a/c statement, credit card, travelers cheques, etc) with the visa application.

Now in your cousin's case, if the applicant already mentioned in the visa form and you mentioned in the invite that you will be responsible for the costs during this travel, a 3bis is mandatory.

As you said, if you change now to "traveler will fund the travel", may be a letter stating this, a new invite letter, etc may be provided to the consulate. Not sure how this will go

Thanks aneeshks. Appreciate the response.