What Is a Schengen Visa Cover Letter?
A cover letter for schengen visa is a formal document that accompanies your visa application to provide additional context about your travel plans. While you'll submit required documents to demonstrate your background and sufficient finance, the visa cover letter offers an opportunity to explain your travel purpose, financial support, and accommodation details to the visa officer.
Think of it as a helpful bridge between you and the visa officer, it connects the dots between your forms and documents. Your cover letter lets you share a clear picture of your trip, including why you’re visiting, what you plan to do while you’re there, and your intention to return home afterward.
Then, why should you include a cover letter for your schengen visa application? While it’s not always required and doesn’t guarantee visa approval, a well-written cover letter can make a strong impression. It helps visa officers understand your situation better and adds clarity and professionalism to your visa application.
How to Write a Cover Letter for Schengen Visa (with TemplatesGo)
Writing a formal cover letter to an embassy can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not familiar with this type of document. But don’t worry, we’re here to make it easy! At TemplatesGo, we provide professional cover letter for schengen visa samples that take you can edit them easily and take the stress out of the process. Here’s how:
- Choose a Template: Select a schengen visa cover letter sample that fits your visa type and destination.
- Fill in the Details: Answer a few quick questions to generate your draft letter effortlessly.
- Review & Download: Double-check the information for accuracy and download your final PDF.
Our schengen visa cover letter templates offer a clear, easy-to-follow format to help you organize your information and personalize your letter, ensuring it’s both professional and unique. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have a polished cover letter ready to go.
What Should You Include in a Cover letter for Schengen Visa Application?
While our templates are already designed to meet embassy requirements with a standard format, understanding what to include in your cover letter can help you personalize it with confidence. Learning about the most important sections ensures that your letter not only stands out but also communicates your details clearly and professionally.
Here’s a breakdown of the key elements every schengen visa cover letter should include. Hence, we will use a sample of schengen visa cover letter france to inspire you since this is one of the most desired destination to visit in Europe:
Recipient Details
Start your letter by including the complete name and address of the embassy. When writing your schengen visa application letter, make sure to address it to the correct embassy or consulate where you're applying.
Example:
To: The Honorable Consul
The Embassy of France
2/50-E, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi, Delhi 110021
India
Subject Line
Your subject line should clearly state the purpose of your letter. This helps the visa officer immediately understand what your application pertains to.
Example:
Subject: Cover Letter for Schengen Visa Application
Purpose of Travel
As a general rule, the more concise and clear your details, the better. Don’t just say your trip is for “tourism” or a “business meeting”, that’s too vague. Instead, take a moment to explain why you’re visiting the country or countries and share a bit about what you’ll be doing there. Here is an example text that explaning the purpose in this cover letter for schengen visa sample.
Example: I am applying for a Schengen tourist visa to travel to France, Switzerland and Italy for a two-week vacation from April 15 to April 30, 2024. I am submitting my application through your honorable consulate in Delhi, as Paris will be the primary destination where we will spend the most time during our trip. We will arrive to Paris and Rome will be my point of exit.
The purpose of this trip is tourism. My sister and I will be traveling together to explore the iconic sights and immerse ourselves in the rich cultures of glamorous France, the breathtaking mountain scenery of Switzerland, and the romantic charm of Italy. Visiting France has always been a dream of my sister's, and this trip is a special opportunity to fulfill that dream while celebrating her 29th birthday.
Travel Itinerary
This is one of the most important sections, as the visa officer will carefully review your purpose and intentions to evaluate your application. Share a simple and clear overview of your travel plans in your cover letter for schengen visa. Include your travel dates, destinations, and where you’ll be staying. Make sure everything matches the details in your supporting documents, like flight tickets and hotel reservations, to avoid any confusion. Here you will find an example of travel itinerary for 2 weeks for your reference.
Example: Our itinerary will be as follows:
April 15, 2024: Arrival in Paris, France (Flight Ticket Attached)
April 15-19, 2024 in Paris: Stay at Hôtel Le Meurice, Paris (Reservation Attached)
April 19-21, 2024 in Strasbourg, France: Stay at Hôtel Rohan, Strasbourg (Reservation Attached)
April 21-23, 2024 in Colmar, France: Stay at Logis Hôtel des Bains, Colmar (Reservation Attached)
April 23-25, 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland: Stay at Baur au Lac, Zurich (Reservation Attached)
April 25-27, 2024 in Lucerne, Switzerland: Stay at Hotel des Balances, Lucerne (Reservation Attached)
April 27-29, 2024 in Florence, Italy: Stay at Hotel Brunelleschi, Florence (Reservation Attached)
April 29-30, 2024 in Rome, Italy: Stay at Grand Hotel de la Minerve, Rome (Reservation Attached)
April 30, 2024: Departure from Rome to Delhi (Flight Ticket Attached)
Note
If your trip is more complex, such as a two-month journey across multiple European countries, you shouldn't write them all in your schengen visa cover letter. Instead, it’s better to attach a detailed travel itinerary as a separate document. For example, you can create an itinerary in Excel, print it out, and include it with your application.
Financial Information
If you have a stable income and a healthy savings balance in your bank account, it can improve your chances of visa approval, obviously. In this case, you will need your bank statements as well as a verification letter from your employer to confirm your income.
Example: I am the bearer of my all travel expenses. I have attached copies of my recent bank statements, showing a balance of INR830,000 (equivalent to USD10,000), which is sufficient to cover my travel expenses for this trip. Additionally, I have included a letter from my employer confirming my employment status and my monthly salary of INR207,500 (equivalent to USD2,500), which demonstrates my financial stability and ties to India.
In the other hand, If your financial situation isn’t strong, what should you do? Focus on other supporting details to reassure the visa officer in your cover letter for schengen visa. You can ask your family for additional support and they can write you a 🔗sponsorship letter to send along with other support documents. What if you go to visit a friend? Do not hesistate to ask your friend write you an 🔗invitation letter for schengen visa, it can help you prove the purspose of your trip much better.
Example:
I understand the importance of demonstrating financial stability for this trip. While my personal savings are limited, I have included a sponsorship letter from my sister, who will be covering my travel expenses. She has provided her bank statements showing a balance of INR1,200,000 (equivalent to USD15,000), which is more than sufficient for our planned two-week trip.
List of Supporting Documents
In support of your visa application, mention all the documents you have attached. This serves as a checklist for the visa officer and demonstrates that your application is complete.
Example: In support of my visa application, attached herewith are the following documents:
- Accomplished application form for Schengen visa with photo
- Round trip flight ticket confirmation
- Proof of accommodations and night train ticket confirmations
- Detailed itinerary (in case you are planning to travel more than one month across multiple European countries)
- Proof of employment (employment letter or certificate)
- Proof of income (2023 income tax return/ bank certification/statements of account)
- Proof of identity (a completed photocopy of passport)
- Insurance policy covering the entire period of stay with a minimum coverage of EUR30,000.
Commitment to Return
Demonstrating your commitment to return home shows your strong ties to your country and reassures authorities of your intention to visit temporarily. If you’re a student, emphasize connections like family, a family business, or your education. Unemployed? You can highlight property ownership or other responsibilities in your schengen visa cover letter, like managing family affairs. Strong personal, cultural, or community ties can also support your case. Clear evidence of these connections helps confirm your plans to return home.
Example: I assure you of my return to my home country India after my vacation as I have ongoing employment at XXX Corporation, where I have worked for five years. I have attached a letter from my employer confirming my leave of absence and my return date.
Closing Statement
End the letter by thanking the visa officer for their time and consideration. Offer to provide additional information if needed.
Example: I trust that you will find everything in order, and I remain at your disposal for any further information that you may need. Thank you so much for your time! I hope for and look forward to a favorable response to my visa application.
Sincerely,
Ananya Priya Sharma
By following our format and ensure writing the details of your trip in the cover letter for schengen visa, you will create a clear and professional document that strengthens your case. Remember to always double-check for consistency between your cover letter and supporting documents to avoid discrepancies.
Tip
You must apply for visa through the country where you'll spend most of your time. For example, if you're staying five days in France and three in Italy, apply to the French Embassy. Applying to the wrong one could risk a visa denial, so it's worth getting it right!
Conclusion
A cover letter for schengen visa application is more than just a formality, it’s your opportunity to explain your travel plans and demonstrate that you’re fully qualified.
If you’re feeling stuck, don’t hesitate to use sample letters or editable templates to get started. Preparing your application carefully is the key to a smooth process, bringing you one step closer to your adventure. Safe travels!
