How & When to Write a Visa Letter of Invitation to a Friend or Relative Coming From Abroad

If you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and you have a friend or relative who seeks to come to the U.S. as a tourist (on a B-2 visitor visa), you might be able to help the person by providing a letter of invitation. Whether the person will be visiting a U.S. consulate and applying for the visa or already has a visa, but will still need to get past U.S. port or border guards, it can help smooth the way.

It's important to realize, however, that such a letter is not a requirement, and might as easily be disregarded by the U.S. officials considering whether to grant your friend U.S. entry. Ultimately, that person will need to convince U.S. officials that the visit to the U.S. will not be a permanent one, and that the other visa eligibility criteria are met.

What Challenges an Invitation Letter to a Foreign Visitor Might Overcome

Getting a U.S. tourist visa can be challenging, because the U.S. government is worried about the number of people who use these as a way to enter the United States and then never leave, or who overstay by days, months, or years.

The aim of your invitation letter would be to help show the U.S. consular officer who considers the visa application that the person has a specific plan regarding visiting (and eventually leaving) the U.S., perhaps has a place to stay, and will not need to perform unauthorized work in order to be self-supporting while here (if, that is, you plan to offer financial backup or support). Also see Reasons a U.S. Tourist Visa (B-2) Could Be Denied.

What to Include in a Letter of Invitation for a Foreign Visitor

This should be a personal document, not something like a lawyer would write, so don't stress over making it sound official. Make sure to include both your and the recipient’s name and full address, for example using the format shown below.

Also be sure to cover:

• the purpose of the planned stay, including what places you will visit together
• how long the visitor will be staying with you or where you've made arrangements for accommodations
• whether you will be covering transportation to and from the United States, and
• how much of the person's expenses in the U.S., if any, you plan to cover.

Be as specific and detailed as possible. Below is a sample letter for you to use as a guide.

Sample Visitor’s Visa Invitation Letter

You can give this letter to your friend or relative to take along to the U.S. consulate when they present the various forms and documents that comprise an application for a U.S. visitors' visa and meet with a U.S. consular official.

Alternative If You're Willing to Provide Financial Support: Fill Out USCIS Form I-134

If you plan to provide financial support to the visitor while they are in the United States, and you don't feel like writing a letter, an alternative is to fill out USCIS Form I-134, called an Affidavit of Support. This basically describes your own income and assets and promises that you will provide support (in a dollar amount you can name) to the foreign visitor. Or, you can provide both a letter and a Form I-134 to your overseas friend.