I am a housewife with no bank account — can I still get a Schengen visa?

Yes. There is no requirement to have personal income. Funding is established through your sponsoring spouse's documents: their employment proof, bank statements, and a sponsorship letter, tied to you by your marriage certificate. Thousands of dependent-spouse applications are approved on exactly this basis.

What should my spouse's sponsorship letter say?

A short signed statement that they are your [husband/wife], that they fund all costs of your trip (flights, accommodation, daily expenses), their employment and income details, and the trip dates. It should match what your cover letter says, and your cover letter should reference it with its date.

We are applying together — do we each need a cover letter?

Each applicant files their own application, and each file reads better with its own letter. Your spouse's letter presents the trip and their funding of the family; yours states your dependent status, references their documents and the marriage certificate, and covers your own ties to home. The two letters must match on dates, itinerary, and funding.

My husband is already in Europe on business — can I apply to join him?

Yes. State in the first paragraph that you are joining your spouse, and reference his visa or residence status and travel documents alongside the usual sponsorship evidence. Enclose proof of his presence there (his visa copy, itinerary, or employer's assignment letter) so the officer can verify the trip you are joining.

Guide · Updated August 2026

Schengen Visa Cover Letter for a Spouse or Dependent (No Personal Income): Sample & Guide (2026)

A cover letter for a spouse or dependent with no personal income explains that the trip is funded by the sponsoring spouse, references the spouse's employment proof, bank statements, and sponsorship letter, encloses the marriage certificate to establish the relationship, and shows ties to home such as children's schooling, joint property, or family responsibilities.

Applying without a salary slip or personal bank balance feels like a weakness, but consulates process dependent-spouse applications every day — the file simply proves things differently. Funding is established through your spouse's documents, and your relationship is established through the marriage certificate; your cover letter's job is to present both plainly and without apology.

There are two common scenarios: applying together with your spouse on the same trip, or joining a spouse who is already travelling (or already in the Schengen area on business). State which applies in the first paragraph, because it changes what the officer looks for — a joint trip leans on shared bookings, while a joining trip leans on your spouse's visa or status and travel documents.

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What a dependent-spouse letter must cover

✓State plainly that you have no independent income and that your [husband/wife] sponsors the trip — officers respect a direct statement far more than vague wording around the gap.
✓Reference your spouse's documents by name: employment letter, salary slips, bank statements for the last six months, and a signed sponsorship letter confirming they cover all your costs.
✓Enclose and reference your marriage certificate — it is the document that makes your spouse's finances count as yours.
✓If travelling together, say so and reference the shared bookings; if joining a spouse already travelling, reference their visa or residence status and travel documents.
✓Show ties to home that do not depend on employment: children enrolled in school at home, jointly owned property, elderly parents you care for, or the simple fact that your spouse's job and your family life are anchored in your home country.

Free sample letter (copy & paste)

Replace every [bracketed placeholder] with your details and delete anything that doesn't apply.

Sample: homemaker joining employed spouse on holiday, spouse-funded

[Your Full Name]
Passport No. [Number]
[Your City, Country]

[Date]

Visa Section
[Embassy / Consulate General of Main Destination Country]
[City]

Subject: Cover Letter for Schengen Visa Application — [Your Full Name] (Passport No. [Number])

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in support of my application for a short-stay Schengen visa to travel to [country] for a family holiday with my [husband/wife], [spouse's full name], from [entry date] to [exit date]. We are applying together, and we will return to [home country] on [exit date].

I am a homemaker and have no independent income. All costs of this trip — flights, accommodation, and daily expenses — are covered by my [husband/wife], who is employed as [position] at [employer]. [His/Her] employment letter, salary slips for the last three months, bank statements for the last six months, and a signed sponsorship letter dated [date] are enclosed. Our marriage certificate is enclosed as proof of our relationship.

Our itinerary is: [city] from [date] to [date] at [hotel], and [city] from [date] to [date] at [hotel]. Booking confirmations for all nights, made in both our names, are enclosed.

Our [children, [names/ages], are enrolled at [school] in [home city] and remain in the care of [family member] during the trip / add joint property or other ties]. My [husband/wife] must resume work on [date], and our family life is firmly established in [home country]. These commitments ensure our return before the visa expires.

The enclosed documents include [list only documents you are actually enclosing]. I kindly request favourable consideration of my application.

Yours faithfully,
[Your Full Name]