Visa Invitation Letter Generator

When to write a visa invitation letter

A visa invitation letter is a signed statement in which someone living in a country confirms they will host a foreign visitor for a temporary stay: tourism, a family visit, business or medical treatment. Most consulates either ask for one or treat it as strong supporting evidence for a visitor visa. A weak letter, or none where one is expected, feeds the two most common refusal grounds: “doubts about the purpose of travel” and “insufficient evidence of intent to return”.

A generic letter adds little. What helps is concrete detail (how you know the visitor, why this trip, who pays) from a named person whose address and immigration status can be checked.

The three main visa regimes

United States: B1 (business visitor) and B2 (tourist visitor) visas. The legal basis is 8 USC § 1101(a)(15)(B), with regulations at 22 CFR 41.31. The applicant files form DS-160 online, pays the MRV fee (currently US$185), books a consular interview and gives biometrics. An invitation letter isn't formally required, but consular posts list it as recommended evidence for family visits, business meetings and medical care. The applicant has to overcome the presumption of immigrant intent under INA § 214(b) (8 USC § 1184(b)) by showing strong ties to their home country, and a credible host letter helps. CBP sets the length of stay at the port of entry, commonly six months.

United Kingdom: Standard Visitor visa. Governed by Appendix V (Visit Visa Rules) of the Immigration Rules. It allows stays of up to six months for tourism, family visits, some business activities, study of under six months or private medical treatment. The application is made online, with biometrics taken at a Visa Application Centre. Since the 2024–25 rollout of the UK eVisa, successful applicants receive a digital immigration status rather than a vignette. The Home Office expects the host to show their immigration status, their address and that they can support the visitor. The standard six-month visa costs £127 (2026).

Schengen short stay (Type C visa). Up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area, under Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code). Many UK and US residents sponsor relatives applying at the consulate of their main destination, and the same logic about evidence applies.

What the letter needs

1. The host's full identity: legal name, date of birth, nationality, full home address, occupation and immigration status (US citizen, lawful permanent resident, H-1B holder, F-1 student; UK national, settled status, Skilled Worker, Student visa).
2. The guest's full identity: legal name, date and place of birth, nationality, home address, passport number and expiry date.
3. The exact relationship: how you know each other, backed where possible by documents (birth or marriage certificates, earlier trips together, a contract for business contacts).
4. The specific purpose of the visit: tourism, a family event, a wedding, a graduation, a conference, business meetings, a scheduled medical procedure.
5. Exact travel dates: arrival, departure and total days. Avoid open-ended wording.
6. The full address where the guest will stay, matching the host's address. If part of the trip is in a hotel, name the hotel and the dates.
7. Who pays: full sponsorship (lodging and expenses), lodging only, or nothing because the visitor pays their own way. Say which.
8. A list of enclosures: a copy of the host's passport, green card or biometric residence permit, a recent utility or council tax bill, a mortgage statement or tenancy agreement, the last three pay stubs (US) or three months of payslips (UK), the latest W-2 or P60, and bank statements showing you can host.

Supporting documents

• The host's status: US passport photo page, naturalisation certificate or green card (front and back); in the UK, a British passport, a share code for an eVisa or a biometric residence permit
• Proof of address less than three months old: a utility bill, bank statement, council tax bill (UK), or mortgage or lease document
• Proof of accommodation: the deed, a mortgage statement or the tenancy agreement
• Proof of income: three recent pay stubs or payslips, the latest W-2 or P60, a federal tax return (US) or SA302 (UK), and three months of bank statements
• Travel medical insurance if you're providing it. It's mandatory for Schengen (at least €30,000 of cover under Article 15 of the Visa Code) and strongly advised for US visits given the cost of healthcare.

Tone and credibility

Stick to facts the officer can check. Phrases like “I will be delighted to host” or “the visitor is a person of good character” say nothing. Replace them with how long you've known the visitor, in what context, and why the trip is happening now: a 70th birthday, a graduation on a given date, a named business partner. Consular and entry-clearance officers read a lot of these letters and recognise template wording quickly. Sign by hand.

Special situation: medical treatment

For B2 medical visitors, US consulates expect a letter from the treating doctor or hospital in the US confirming the diagnosis, the proposed treatment and an estimate of the cost, plus a statement from the patient or sponsor showing they can pay. In the UK, the Standard Visitor route for private medical treatment requires evidence from a UK private medical provider.

Special situation: business visitors

Add a letter from the inviting US or UK company confirming the dates, the place, the agenda and that the visitor won't be doing productive work. For the US, keep B1 permitted activities (meetings, contract negotiations, conferences) clearly apart from unauthorised employment. The UK's permitted activities for visitors are listed in Appendix V, PA 1–13.

Common reasons for refusal

• Weak ties to the home country: young, single, no property, no stable job. Put the family, job or property ties up front.
• Host income too low for the length of stay. Commit to less, share the sponsorship, or have the visitor pay with a documented bank balance.
• Inconsistencies between the application form, the letter and the documents. Check every date, address and figure against each other.
• Missing or expired documents. Use a written checklist before submitting.
• A bad immigration history: a previous overstay, refusal or removal. Hard to overcome without specialist advice.

Processing times and fees (2026)

US B1/B2: a US$185 visa fee plus the interview, with waits for appointments that vary by post and often run to weeks or months. UK Standard Visitor: £127 for six months (longer visas are available), usually decided in three weeks. Schengen Type C: €90 for adults, typically 15 days and up to 60 in complex cases.

If the visa is refused

1. Read the refusal notice carefully. A US 214(b) refusal can be answered with a new application and stronger evidence. A UK refusal names the paragraph of Appendix V that wasn't met.
2. UK administrative review is available for some refusals within 28 days. Otherwise a fresh application is usually quicker than judicial review.
3. US: there's no formal appeal against a 214(b) refusal. The usual route is a new DS-160 with clearly better evidence.
4. Get professional advice after repeated refusals or with a complicated immigration history.

What Lettrio writes for you

Choose the visa (US B1/B2, UK Standard Visitor or Schengen), then give your details, your guest's, the purpose and the dates. Lettrio writes the invitation with your status, your relationship to the guest, what you'll pay for and a list of enclosures that matches what you've said. Sign it by hand and add it to the application.