What is an invitation letter?
A visa invitation letter is a formal letter written by your host in the destination country - not by you, the applicant. The host invites you to stay, confirms the dates, declares where you will sleep, and (optionally) confirms whether they will cover your costs. The applicant then submits this letter as supporting evidence for their visa application.
The two most common cases: you are visiting family or friends (an individual writes the letter), or you are attending a business meeting or conference (a company writes the letter). The structure is similar in both cases; the supporting documents differ.
Common confusion: "invitation letter" vs "sponsor letter". An invitation letter says "come stay with me" (accommodation). A sponsor letter says "I will pay for your trip" (money). One person can do both - write a single combined letter.
Universal invitation letter template
Give this template to your host. They write the letter (not you), print it, sign it, and either post it to you or send a scanned PDF for you to print and include with your application.
Invitation letter - for the host to copy & sign
[Host Full Name]
[Host Full Address in Destination Country]
[Host Phone] | [Host Email]
[Host Passport/ID Number or Residence Permit Number]
[Date]
To: The Visa Officer
[Embassy or Consulate of Destination Country in Applicant's Country]
[Embassy Address]
Subject: Letter of Invitation for [Applicant Full Name],
Passport No. [Applicant's Passport Number]
Dear Visa Officer,
I, [Host Full Name], a [citizen / permanent resident / visa holder]
of [destination country] residing at the above address, am writing
to formally invite [Applicant Full Name] (Passport No. [number],
nationality [country]) to visit me from [start date] to [end date].
RELATIONSHIP TO THE APPLICANT
[Mother / father / sibling / cousin / friend / business partner].
We have known each other since [year]. [If family: include
birth-certificate-level proof. If friend: include photos, message
history, prior travel together.]
PURPOSE OF THE VISIT
[Family reunion / wedding / graduation / business meeting /
holiday]. Specific details: [add concrete events with dates].
ACCOMMODATION
The applicant will stay at my residence at the address above for
the full duration of the visit. The property is a [owned home /
rented flat], [number] bedrooms; the applicant will have their own
[bedroom / sofa-bed in the living room].
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT
[Choose ONE - be explicit:]
(a) I will cover all costs of the applicant's stay - accommodation,
food, local transport, and any tourism activities. My latest
payslips and bank statements are attached as proof.
(b) The applicant will cover their own costs. I provide
accommodation only.
I confirm that the applicant will leave [destination country] on
or before [exact end date] and will not seek employment, public
funds, or any change of immigration status during the visit.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED
1. Copy of my [passport / residence permit / national ID]
2. Proof of address (utility bill / lease / mortgage statement)
3. [If sponsoring: 3 months payslips + 6 months bank statements]
4. [If family: birth/marriage certificates establishing relationship]
I am happy to provide any further information you may require.
Please feel free to contact me on the number or email above.
Yours sincerely,
[Host signature in blue ink]
[Printed host name]Sample 1: Parent inviting adult child to the UK
Sample - UK resident mother → adult daughter visiting from Pakistan
Fatima Iqbal 118 Chestnut Road Manchester M14 5LP, United Kingdom +44 7700 900 411 | fatima.iqbal.mcr@example.com British Citizen, Passport 530194722 24 May 2026 To: The Entry Clearance Officer UK Visa Application Centre Plot 7, Sector G-5/2 Islamabad, Pakistan Subject: Letter of Invitation - UK Standard Visitor Visa for Aisha Iqbal, Passport AF0291184 Dear Officer, I am Fatima Iqbal, a British citizen residing at the above address in Manchester, and I am writing to formally invite my daughter Aisha Iqbal (Passport AF0291184, Pakistani national, date of birth 12 August 1999) to visit me in the United Kingdom from 4 September 2026 to 12 December 2026 - a period of approximately ninety days. RELATIONSHIP Aisha is my biological daughter. Her birth certificate and our family registration document are attached. PURPOSE I am undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the Christie Hospital, Manchester (consultant letter attached). My daughter is visiting to provide companionship and assist with my care during the eight-week core treatment cycle and the four-week recovery window. ACCOMMODATION Aisha will stay in my home at 118 Chestnut Road, Manchester M14 5LP — a three-bedroom owned property where she will have her own bedroom. My mortgage statement and council tax bill are attached. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT I will cover Aisha's accommodation, food, and all UK-side living costs. My NHS pension and savings (Halifax bank statements showing GBP 28,400 attached) are more than sufficient. Aisha will fund her return flight herself. Aisha will leave the UK on or before 12 December 2026 - her return PIA flight PK786 is already booked. She will not seek employment or recourse to public funds during her visit. DOCUMENTS ATTACHED 1. Copy of my British passport (page with photo and signature) 2. Mortgage statement and council tax bill 3. Christie Hospital consultant letter confirming treatment 4. Halifax current account statements (Nov 2025 – Apr 2026) 5. Aisha's original birth certificate (English translation attached) Please contact me on the number above with any queries. I look forward to seeing my daughter during this difficult time. Yours faithfully, [Signature] Fatima Iqbal
Sample 2: Friend inviting friend - Schengen tourist visit
Sample - Spanish resident → Brazilian friend (Schengen)
Marta Fernández García Calle Pez 28, 3ºB 28004 Madrid, Spain +34 615 220 481 | marta.fernandez@example.com DNI 47318204-K 24 May 2026 To: The Visa Officer Consulate General of Spain Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima 1779 São Paulo 01452-002, Brazil Subject: Letter of Invitation - Schengen Type C tourist visa for Lucas Almeida, Passport FF491120 Dear Visa Officer, I, Marta Fernández García, a Spanish citizen and resident at the above address in Madrid, hereby invite my friend Lucas Almeida (Brazilian national, Passport FF491120, date of birth 3 May 1992) to visit me in Spain from 14 October 2026 to 27 October 2026 (14 days). RELATIONSHIP Lucas and I have been close friends since 2017, when we met during our master's programme at Universitat de Barcelona (matriculation records attached). We have travelled together previously and remain in regular contact (sample of message history attached). PURPOSE Holiday and sightseeing in Madrid and a 4-day side trip to Lisbon. Lucas has never visited Spain since our student years and we plan to visit Toledo, Segovia, and the Prado. ACCOMMODATION Lucas will stay at my flat at Calle Pez 28, 3ºB, Madrid for the full duration - a 2-bedroom rental where I have prepared the spare bedroom for him. My tenancy contract is attached. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT Lucas will fund the trip himself. I am providing accommodation only. DOCUMENTS ATTACHED 1. Copy of my Spanish DNI (front and back) 2. Tenancy contract for Calle Pez 28 3. Recent Endesa utility bill confirming my residence 4. UB matriculation records establishing our friendship 5. Sample WhatsApp message history (2024–2026) Please contact me with any questions. I look forward to welcoming Lucas to Spain. Atentamente, [Signature] Marta Fernández García
Sample 3: Company invitation - business visa
Sample - German company → Vietnamese partner (business meeting)
[ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD] Helmut Becker Managing Director, BeckerTech GmbH Friedrichstraße 88 10117 Berlin, Germany +49 30 2789 4500 | h.becker@beckertech.de Handelsregister: HRB 198421 B (Amtsgericht Berlin) 24 May 2026 To: The Visa Officer Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany 29 Tran Phu Street, Ba Dinh Hanoi, Vietnam Subject: Letter of Invitation - Schengen Business Visa for Mr Nguyen Van Hung, Passport B11829441 Dear Visa Officer, On behalf of BeckerTech GmbH, I formally invite Mr Nguyen Van Hung, Chief Technology Officer of HungTech JSC (registered in Hanoi, Vietnam), to visit our offices in Berlin from 6 to 13 September 2026 for contract finalisation and technical training under our distribution agreement signed on 14 March 2026. PURPOSE OF VISIT 1. Final review and signing of our 5-year exclusive distribution agreement for BeckerTech industrial sensors in the Vietnamese market. 2. Five days of technical product training at our Berlin facility. 3. Site visit to our manufacturing partner in Potsdam on 10 Sept. ACCOMMODATION We have booked Mr Nguyen at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Unter den Linden 77, 10117 Berlin, for the nights of 5–13 September 2026. Booking confirmation attached. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT BeckerTech GmbH will cover all of Mr Nguyen's costs while in Germany - flights, hotel, meals, local transport, and any incidental expenses. A formal undertaking on letterhead is attached, together with our last quarter's German tax return (Körperschaftsteuererklärung) confirming our solvency. We confirm that Mr Nguyen will leave Germany on or before 13 September 2026 and will not seek employment in Germany. DOCUMENTS ATTACHED 1. Company registration extract (Handelsregisterauszug) 2. Distribution agreement signed 14 March 2026 3. Hotel Adlon booking confirmation 4. BeckerTech corporate tax filing for Q4 2025 5. Copy of my personal ID as managing director Yours sincerely, [Signature] Helmut Becker Managing Director, BeckerTech GmbH
What documents must the host attach?
The invitation letter is worthless without the host's supporting documents. Embassies routinely refuse applications where the invitation lacks proof that the host (a) actually lives where they claim, and (b) can financially support the visit if they have offered to.
- Copy of the host's passport, residence permit, or national ID - both sides if relevant.
- Proof of address - recent utility bill (within 3 months), tenancy agreement, or mortgage statement showing the host's name and the address on the letter.
- Host's bank statements (3–6 months) - only if the host is sponsoring the visit financially.
- Host's recent payslips or pension statement - only if sponsoring.
- Proof of relationship - birth certificates, marriage certificates, family registration documents, or (for friends) message history, photographs, prior travel evidence.
- For business invitations: company registration extract, corporate tax filing, and contract or meeting agenda.
Country-specific notarization & form requirements
| Country | Notarized? | Official form? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Yes - at Comune | No | Italy requires a "Dichiarazione di invito" registered at the local Comune. |
| 🇫🇷 France | No, but… | Yes - Attestation d'Accueil | France requires Attestation d'Accueil from the Mairie, costs €30. |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | Sometimes | Yes - Verpflichtungserklärung | Sponsor's Verpflichtungserklärung from Ausländerbehörde if covering costs. |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Yes for some | Optional - Carta de Invitación | Carta de Invitación from Policía Nacional, €75 - required if not staying in hotel. |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | Yes - guarantor | Yes - many forms | Guarantor letter + 身元保証書, plus host's tax certificate (zeishou). |
| 🇺🇸 USA | No (use I-134) | Yes - I-134 if sponsoring | Affidavit of Support I-134 if sponsor; plain invitation letter if just host. |
| 🇬🇧 UK | No | No | Plain letter accepted. Sponsor must show maintenance funds for the visitor. |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Yes for parents/grandparents | Yes - Super Visa needs notarized letter | Standard visitor: plain letter. Super Visa: notarized + LICO proof. |