What Can I Submit as Proof of Accommodation?

The embassy or consulate that you have to apply at in order to get a visa to your destination country, may require from you for either proof of accommodation, certificate of accommodation, letter of accommodation, or hotel confirmation letter.

However complicated it might seem, all of the above-mentioned serve the same purpose: as evidence that you have a place where to sleep during your stay in your destination country.

This proof/certificate/letter can either be a:

Hotel booking,

Host invitation – if you are planning to stay over with friends or family members/relatives,

Confirmation by an organized tour operator or holiday tours, or

Rental agreement/contract.

Though most of the countries will require you to submit proof of accommodation, especially in the old continent of Europe, in many other countries you will only have to show Means of Subsistence. This means you will have to show proof, like a bank statement, that proves you have enough money to financially maintain yourself during your trip, including the stay at the hotel/hostel/guest house.

Hotel Reservation:

If you are planning to stay at a hotel in your destination country then you will have to submit proof of the hotel booking, which usually is a ‘hotel confirmation letter’ which is also known as a hotel itinerary for visa application. This means that after you book a room/suite, the hotel will issue you a letter that confirms it.

This letter must contain the following information:

your full name

your entry and exit dates

hotel address

hotel contact details such as phone number, email, etc.

a valid hotel reservation code

Every embassy or consulate advises its applicants to make a hotel reservation at a hotel that will fully refund their expenses in case of visa rejection or delay. If you cannot find one like that, then try to find the cheapest hotel reservation. That is because if you book a room at a hotel that does not refund you in case of visa application rejection or delay, then you will lose your money.

You can also submit a dummy hotel booking as proof of accommodation. Although this method may sometimes be referred to as a fake hotel reservation, this is by no means a fake booking. It’s just a booking without paying the price before the approval of the visa application.

Should I get a hotel itinerary booking without paying the full price?

Many hotels charge non-refundable fees just for making a booking. This may be inconvenient because you can never be sure that you will get your visa approved, and you will not get refunded even in case of visa rejection.

However, there are specialized companies such as Glee Fantastique Travel Agency that will support your visa application by providing you with a dummy hotel booking confirmation for a small fee. This service is completely safe and is the most inexpensive way of dealing with hotel bookings prior to obtaining your visa.

Click here to make a hotel reservation without paying the full price!

Invitation From the Host:

Many travelers, when traveling abroad plan to spend their night over at friends or family relatives in order to avoid expenses. It is not a problem for the embassy/consulate if you wish to do so, but you will still have to show proof that your friend or relative is willing to take you in and not only.

The host must write an Invitation Letter, where they confirm that you will be staying over at their place. This letter must contain the following details:

Dates when you will be staying,

Address of the place,

Name and Surname of the host,

Contact details of the host as email and telephone number,

Signature of the host,

The area of the place, and the number of members living there.

Though not a requirement by every country, your host will also probably have to show proof that he or she has enough room for you. Because, in case you are planning to visit your friends, who are a couple that possesses only one bed at their place, and not even a sofa, then the embassy will most likely not approve your stay there. Actually, it is the host who is obligated to apply at the local office of his or her hometown for a document called a ‘certificate of accommodation’ that confirms the availability of a free room for another person. If the local authorities think that the available room is suitable for another person they will issue the document to the host, but if not then they will refuse to do so.

Invitation letter for Schengen Visa Application:

In Europe, though the Schengen Area member states have a common policy on the issuance of visas when it comes to the host invitation letter, each of them has its own rules. For example:

In France, the host must submit an original of the so-called “Declaration d’Accueil” (guarantee document). The same applies if the host is from Luxembourg.

In Austria, the host must request the ‘“Elektronische Verpflichtungserklärung“ at his/her municipality in Austria. He or she has to deliver this document to the Austrian Authorities not earlier than 30 days before the applicant’s visa appointment date.

In Belgium, the original “Engagement de Prise en Charge – Verbintenis tot Tenlasteneming 3 bis” must be stamped by the municipality and have the embossed stamp of the foreign office.

Whereas in the Netherlands the host must submit the original “Bewijs van Garantstelling”, and also three salary sheets/reports and the work contract of the inviting person. If the host is independent he or she must also submit the registration in the trade register of the company, the decision of taxation called “down aanslaginkomstenbelastingen”, an official document from the tax “Belastingdienst”, and its profit and loss account copy.

Confirmation by Organized Tour Operator or Holiday Tours:

If you are planning to go on a tour organized by a tour operator, together with a group of people, then you will have to submit a letter to the tour operator. The letter must show the hotels/hostels/guest houses where the group will be staying throughout the whole tour. The letter must include the following detailed information the place:

name of the place

address

telephone number & email

date of entry and exit

name in which the reservations were made

The tour operator must be legal in order for the issued documents to be valid.

Rental Agreement or Contract:

If you are planning to rent a place in your destination country, then you should arrange that before you apply for a visa. You can find a place in your destination country online, sign the contract online, and submit it on the day of your interview at the embassy or consulate, alongside the other documents.

In general, the contract must contain the below-listed information:

name and surname of the landlord

his / her contact details such as email, telephone, home address, etc.

address of the rented place

the period during which time the place has been rented by the applicant (entry and exit date)

The house/apartment/room must be rented legally, which means registered with the competent authorities at the applicant’s destination country. The agreement must be signed by both the landlord and the renter.