Invitation letter for visa - sample and how to write
Have you experienced the bitter sweet feeling that engraves seeing your beloved fly away beyond the horizon? If you have treaded on this path, I bet you know the dilemma one gets into; excitement and joy for them to explore the world and fear and uncertainty saddens. Nevertheless, this fades away after that long awaited call confirming about their safe arrival and safety. A relief right! Not so fast. People bonded by love or blood will long to see each other even when calls are made daily. Naturally, they write to you or the embassy an invitation letter for visa asking you to visit them over for a certain set duration.
An invitation letter for visa application is a written request by someone residing in a country to another; guest to visit them in that country where they live. Truth be told, it is not a guarantee that the visa application will be approved but it goes a long way in making the process smoother. It is not a requirement during visa application but can be presented during visa interview as a supporting document whereby the visa officer can gauge your visit and decide to give permit or decline.
Visitors primarily have to go through this process because the United Kingdom, Canada, United States or other countries of destination are worried of the tourist entry into their country. This is because some may maliciously decide to stay on, extend their stay or use this as a means to permanently be in a foreign country. In extreme cases, people have gone abroad to work, study or reside permanents out of the knowledge of the government or the embassy.
The relevance of an invitation letter for visa can then not be belittled. It tells of how the intended visit will be like in terms of length of stay, address, which will cater for the expenditure among other details. From hence the visa officer may approve of the visa basically allowing entry into the country. Here is an outline of a good invitation letter to embassy for visit visa;
How to write a successful invitation letter for visit visa
There are many reasons why a host would like their family or friends to visit them over in the country they moved into. Some of these reasons may range from attending life changing ceremonies or plainly a visit. Either way, you want to persuade and convince the visa officer to give them a visa. You will therefore leave no chances but rather ensure the invitation letter for visitor visa friend goes successful. Below are some of these particulars it should contain;
1. Personal detail for disclosure about the guest – Person being invited (visa applicant)
- Their names as they appear in the international passport. The surname should be in caps to easily tell apart.
- Address; location, telephone number, email address among others.
- Date of birth
- Relationship with the host
- Purpose of the visit
- Duration of stay – should be clearly stated with the exact dates for example 25th February, 2018 to 25th March, 2018.
- Financial expenditure and who will caters
- Accommodation information
- Departure details – when the guest is planning to leave
2. Personal details for disclosure by the host – Person writing the letter
- Full names
- Date of birth
- Physical address
- Occupation
- Status in the host country - successful invitation letters can only go through if the person inviting the other is a citizen of U.S or has permanent residence.
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3. Notarization of the invitation letter for visa
This is not a mandatory requirement but notarized invitation letter is becoming an in thing today. The visa officer may or may not demand for it. However, to shorten the waiting time, it is advisable to minimize such hitches. The person writing the letter whether to the embassy, consular office, visa application center or the person being invited should first be notarized before sending it. The person being invited should have the original copy which they will use at the visa interview. This Notarization applies for invitation letter for US visa and the invitation letter for visa to UK. However, this is so only when the biometrics of the applicant are required.
4. Sending the invitation letter for visa application
The invitation letter once signed by the person writing it, and then needs to be sent to the person being invited over. Technology has made it possible to avoid delays as one can email the recipient after scanning the invitation letter for visa UK. However, one can still use the post mailing services though they are a little bit slow or the courier services. That said and done, a notarized letter needs to be handled with care and is ordinarily emailed since courier may be costly in delivering the document.
There are countries that are completely flexible about the invitation letter and would not necessarily accept only the original letter. In the United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada a scanned copy of the invitation letter for visa would do. This means the process becomes significantly shortened.
5. Submission for the visa application – Invitation letter for visa
Once the intended guest received the mailed invitation letter for visa, they should submit the document along with other credential demanded when applying for the visa. Alternatively, they can hold until the visa officer requests for the same. However, this may delay the process which makes it advisable to submit it during the initial visa application. The submission should either be to the visa application center, Consular office or the embassy of the country one intends to travel to.
In some cases, the invitation letter may be sent directly to the embassy or the visa application center. Nonetheless, the person writing the letter who is also the one inviting need to send a copy of the letter to their guest. This is because they will need to attach the letter alongside other documents as the immigration may require.
Evaluation of the invitation letter for visa application
Once the invitation letter is written, a copy is send to the guest and the guest so then attaches it alongside other immigration demanded documents, the letter then goes through to evaluation; the final step that determine whether the visa will be issued or not. The guest may follow up with the embassy or the consulate on the status of the visa application. In some cases, they may need to book an appointment for the online visa interview. However, most immigration offices will contact the guest and set a date for the interview.
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Visa interview is chiefly to verify that what was written in the letter of invitation is actually true. The guest may be asked questions by the visa officer to test on eligibility. If they get satisfactory responses about the purpose, visit among other immigration information, the visa may be approved. The officer will then direct the applicant when to pick the international passport which will be enclosed in the visa.
Tips of a winning invitation letter for visa
When penning down this letter the aim is to have it successfully lead to visa approval although we know it is not a guarantee. Here are some factors you should consider to help you generate an invitation letter with a cutting edge and convincing enough to let your guest make way into your country.
- The person writing the invitation letter for visa application should be a citizen of that country or have permanent residence that is verifiable.
- Details regarding the person inviting (host) and their guest should be well outlined. This information should be true since the visa officer may contact the guest to check if what is in the letter is actually true.
- Along with these personal details, the host should attach a copy of the pay slip, copy of tenancy and a data page of their passport. The pay slip shows if you are able to meet the financial needs of your guest once they have arrived, copy of tenancy shows that you have already catered for accommodation or housing needs of your guest and data page of the passport is for showing the validity.
- The invitation letter for visa should be written in the official language of the country they wish their friends or family to travel. You obviously do not want to take chances of your letter not being understood by the consular offices or the embassy. English language can be used in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.
- It is recommended that the guest and host have a close relationship. This is because the immigration officer may find it ambiguous for someone not close to you to invite you over, lest you arrive and get stranded as they disappear. On these grounds, the visa officer may weigh whether to approve of the visa or not. Close people ordinarily have an upper hand in being considered and being eligible.
- The invitation letter for visa UK should be formal. Well, there are no laid down provisions of whether the letter should be formal or otherwise but since the letter will go through the immigration office it is better maintaining the formality. This applies even when the letter was sent directly to the guest – person being invited.
- Sn invitation letter can be accompanied by a filled up USCIS Form 1-134 which shows financial support details just to make the application weighty.
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Sample invitation letter for parents
There are many invitation letters for visa sample online. They have been written differently because of the overall intention of travel of who the guest is. I will give a general invitation letter for tourist visa family for parents who are being invited to visit their daughter over in the United Kingdom to attend a graduation ceremony. This sample invitation letter for visa for brother takes similar shape with the obvious small edits required.
Ericka Munroe,
311 Oxford Court,
2nd street Stanley building,
United Kingdom,
+44 xyy xyy xyy,
22nd March, 2018.
The British High Commission,
Postal Code: xyyy
Nairobi,
Kenya.
Ref: Application for Visa Visit: Mr. Edward Munroe; passport No. A00000Y and Mrs. Esther Munroe; Passport No. A00001Y
This is my cordial invitation of visit to my parents Edward and Esther Munroe at the Stanleys, United kingdom for a one month stay; 1st April, 2018 to 30th April, 2018. It is my desire to have you two grace my graduation ceremony which will be on 15th April, 2018 at XYYYY University, graduation square. Thereafter we will tour the historic sites in the United Kingdom have road trip as we enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and landscape.
I am a British Citizen of Passport no. xyyyyyy and a practicing medical practitioner working in the ABC Hospice but who have been furthering my education through oncology specialty. I will be on vacation at the time and it’s a good time to celebrate my achievement and have my parents around with me.
I will cover for all your expenses including travel to and fro, road trips, accommodation, meals and any other financial expenditure that may be incurred during your stay here. I will book motels for our road trip and other recreational activities while you stay at my home, Stanleys. Attached is evidence of accommodation and ability to cater for your financial needs; copy of passport and tenancy agreement. I am assuring you of an enjoyable stay as I look forward to meeting you. Feel free to contact me on xyyyy or email at xyy@.mailyy.com for additional information or any other inquiry.
Your faithfully,
Signature
Ericka Munroe
Tel. No: YYYY
The above can be used as an invitation letter for tourist visa family. However, as I had mentioned there before, it’s ideally a personal choice whether to address you guest directs or the Visa application center. In retaliation I would like to say the purpose or intention of travel should be well laid out, the person writing the letter should show ability to provide and accommodate and for eligibility state clearly the specific duration of stay and the physical address where they will be at.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
