2025-B2-Invitation-Letter - Visitor Visa Invitation Letter Guide

Sep 1, 2026

Invitation letter guidance for inviting family or friends to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor visa, including key eligibility expectations and what visa applicants must demonstrate. The content emphasizes using U.S. Department of State and U.S. Embassy information, clarifies that letters or affidavits are not decisive for issuance, and explains that the inviter should avoid relying on non-authoritative sources. It lists required traveler documents and provides a fill-in sample invitation letter format with placeholders and an example scenario for submissions to a U.S. consulate.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatDOCX

Pages8

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Inviting Family or Friends to the U.S. on Visitor Visa (B-2)

Source of information and visa eligibility notes

Visitor requirements and supporting evidence

Personal invitation letter template

Student instructions and example scenario

Inviting Family or Friends to the US on Visitor Visa (B-2) This document is for someone looking to invite their family or friends to come to the U.S. on B2 Visitor Visa, and is looking to send them an invitation letter in support of their application. Firstly, your primary source for current and accurate information at all times must be from the U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE — BUREAU of CONSULAR AFFAIRS (Travel.State.Gov). Do Not rely on other sources without verifying, as this could lead the traveller and inviter to be at a risk of misinformation. Then, please consider the following statement available on US Visitor Visas before moving forward: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html Note: Visa applicants must qualify based on their ties abroad/to their home country, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa. If you choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa. For above reason, Saint Francis College does no issue visitor visa letters, since the consulates do not require such letters provided by the school to process B-2 visitor visas. Also, clear guidance from immigration authorities is for schools to avoid getting involved in visitor visa processing. In addition to the above, always consider guidelines and notifications on your respective US Embassy website to track current requirements and announcements. (https://www.usembassy.gov). Please advise the people you invite to gather required and supporting documents listed in above portals, apart from ensuring they have the following: A Valid Passport with validity of at least 6-months, with copies of Non-Immigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 Confirmation, Visa Application Fee Receipt, and Photograph as required Evidence of your intent to depart the US after your trip, and/or ability to pay for all costs of the trip. Other proofs like property deeds, business interests, proof of employment, or letter from employer authorizing vacation time may be used to demonstrate ties to the home country. Student’s immigration authorization details, visa, or graduation application copies may support. If you would like to still write a personal letter, then you could consider the below template as a guide. Sincerely, Principal Designated School Official SAMPLE PERSONAL LETTER FOR VISITOR VISA APPLICATION [date] U.S. Consular Official of [Consulate or Embassy] [city, country location of U.S. Consulate or Embassy] To Whom It May Concern: My name is [student or scholar’s name]. I am a [your position (graduate student, researcher, professor, etc.)] at the Saint Francis College, Brooklyn, NY in [F-1 or J-1 or Post Completion OPT] status. I am writing this letter to confirm that I have invited the following people to attend my [Event Name/ Graduation Ceremony] scheduled on [date], and visit me for a period of [number of weeks or months]. [Name of Visitor 1]: [Relationship to You]: [Date of Birth]: [Country of Citizenship]: [Name of Visitor 2]: [Relationship to You]: [Date of Birth]: [Country of Citizenship]: They will be presenting this letter to you, along with evidence to establish their close ties to [country], with assurance to return before the expiration of their approved stay in the United States. Your consideration of this request is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, [student or scholar’s name] [address] [phone number] Instructions & Guide for Students: For Applying for a visitor’s visa application Please Read Carefully Before Proceeding: Do not skip any part of the instructions—it is important to read everything carefully. This document is a FICTIONAL example to guide you in preparing your visitor visa invitation letter. The sections that are greyed out are placeholders. You should fill these parts with your own details. Mak

FAQs

Does the invitation letter or an Affidavit of Support guarantee a B-2 visitor visa?

No. Visa decisions rely on qualification and the applicant’s ties abroad; an invitation letter or Affidavit is not a determining factor for issuing or denying a visa.

What primary sources should the inviter and applicant follow for current B-2 requirements?

Use the U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Consular Affairs) and the relevant U.S. Embassy website for current guidelines and announcements.

What documents should visitors prepare for a B-2 visitor visa application?

Prepare a valid passport (at least six months’ validity) plus copies of the DS-160 confirmation, visa fee receipt, and required photographs, along with evidence of intent to depart or ability to pay trip costs, and additional tie-related proofs.

How should the sample personal invitation letter be used?

Use it as a format guide, replace all placeholder fields with accurate personal, event, and visitor details, sign the final document, and consider printing the signed letter for consulate submission.

Sep 1, 2026

Upload by Chumphorn