For studying in Germany or language courses longer than three months, a national visa is required.
If you plan to study at a German university or attend language courses for more than three months, regardless of whether the visa is applied for in one of the CIS countries or already in Germany, you can prove that you have sufficient funds for living expenses by means of a blocked account in a German bank (Sperrkonto).
As Hartmut Stein, an employee of the Bonn Foreigners' Office, told Deutsche Welle, the account must contain the amount necessary for at least the first year of study (currently 8,040 euros) or for the duration of the courses (more than three months) at a rate of 670 euros per month (the maximum amount of the BAföG student loan). If the student receives a scholarship, they must provide a document stating its amount. If it is less than 670 euros per month, the difference must be covered by the amount in the blocked account.
It is called a blocked account because you can withdraw no more than 670 euros per month from it. You can open it remotely without being in Germany – in principle, at most German banks, but it is better to make an inquiry by email in advance. Then you will need to fill out a form, have it certified at the German embassy in your country of residence, and send all the necessary documents by mail to Germany. Such a service is offered to foreign students by, for example, Deutsche Bank, charging an additional 50 euros.
«Before going to study in Germany, I lived in Denmark for a year, so I applied for the visa at the German embassy in Copenhagen,» says Daria Sukharchuk. The embassy refused to accept a financial guarantee from her parents living in Russia and suggested opening a blocked account at a German bank. «They gave me several forms, stamped everything, and took them. All that was left was to transfer money from a Russian bank to Germany. That was the hardest part,» recalls the master's student at the University of Hamburg. «We had to spend a lot of time and nerves on it. Plus a hefty transfer fee, the difficult situation in Russia, the unstable ruble exchange rate.» Daria would advise future students to set aside several months for opening the account.
An alternative could be a statement from an account in a domestic bank. Anastasia Valeyeva chose this path. She is now studying for a master's degree at the University of Siegen. «I applied for the visa in August 2012. As proof of financing, the German embassy in Moscow accepted a statement from a regular Russian account (Citibank). And even in Germany, when I was applying for a residence permit at the local town hall, they only asked me to bring a copy of health insurance, a rental contract, and biometric photos.»
Not every student has several thousand euros at their disposal. Many, when planning to study in Germany, count on being able to find a part-time job. In that case, a more suitable option is a declaration of financial guarantee, also called an invitation-obligation (Verpflichtungserklärung). This document guarantees that the issuer assumes responsibility for covering the student's necessary living expenses during their studies, as well as costs that may arise, for example, due to the need for care in the event of serious illness or the deportation of the student from the country.
As a rule, foreigners' offices prefer guarantors with a permanent residence and job in Germany. Because, as Hartmut Stein explained, in case of need, it is easier to demand fulfillment of obligations from such a guarantor under the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz). The guarantor's income must be sufficient to cover, in addition to their own living expenses, also the expenses incurred by the student (also at the rate of 670 euros per month). Besides salary, circumstances such as marital status, rent amount, loan payments, alimony obligations, and others are also taken into account when checking solvency.
A guarantor can be a private entrepreneur or an entire company, even if it is not located in Germany. Sponsors-guarantors can also be the student's parents. «I applied for the visa in September 2014. At the German embassy, I only presented a statement from my Russian account and received a visa for three months,» Maria Gorlanova, a student at the University of Wuppertal, tells DW. «Once in Germany, I transferred my money to euros and opened an account at a local savings bank. When it was time to extend the visa, I presented a statement from my German account and attached an original statement from my parents that they are willing to support me financially.»
In the case of such a declaration of assumption of costs, parents will be required to provide a certificate from their employer or a bank statement. A declaration made in Russia or another CIS country must be notarized and translated into German. If a German citizen issues the invitation-obligation, they must obtain a special form from the foreigners' office at their place of residence. In this case, the document does not need an apostille or translation. No more than six months should pass from the issuance of such a guarantee to the issuance of the visa.