Owing to the current US administration’s protectionist policies, refusal rate for visitor visas has significantly gone up in the past few years. This means that if you’re a US citizen or resident alien and wish to sponsor a trip to the country for a friend or relative, you must make use of every means to improve the chances of tourist visa approval for your prospective guest. A letter of invitation is a great way of helping them clear the visa interview.
There are two kinds of letters of invitation for B2 visa. One is addressed to the guest, while the other is addressed to the US consulate/ embassy. Below is a sample letter to the consulate.
Sample Letter Template
[Date]United States Consulate General
[Address of the consulate]Dear Honorable Consul,
[Name of visitor] – PASSPORT NO XXXXXXXX – Born on [Date of birth of visitor]My name is [Name of the host]. I am a United States citizen (or lawful permanent resident) residing at [Address of the host].
I request that you issue a B-2 tourist visa to [Name of the visitor] who resides at [Address of the visitor], so that he/she can visit me in the United States. I have known him/her and have been his/her friend for the past X years and I would like him/her to come and visit me this summer.
[Name of visitor] will be visiting the country from [Date of arrival to the US] to [Date of departure from the US]. This will be a good time for his/ her visit since I have a light work schedule during this time. He/ she will be staying with me at my house/ flat at the address mentioned above during his/ her visit to the United States.I will take responsibility for his / her accommodation and other expenses while he/ she is in the country. He/ she will return to [hometown of the visitor] once his / her visit is concluded.
[Name of the visitor] will present this letter to you, along with proof to establish his/ her close ties with [home country of the visitor]. I assure you that he / she shall return to [home country of the visitor] prior to the expiration of his / her authorized stay in the United States.I shall highly appreciate your kind consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
[Name of the host][Address of the host][Phone number of the host][Signature of the host]Don’t forget to get insurance.
It is recommended that you get travel insurance when traveling to USA, as medical expense (even for common flu) can run into hundreds of dollars! Here are some of the best insurance for US visitors.
Documents to Be Enclosed
The following documents should be provided by the host to the guest, in case they wish to financially support their trip to the US
- Completed Form I-134 (Affidavit of support)
- Photocopy of H1B approval notice (Form I-797)
- Photocopy of passport, I-94 and visa
- Photocopy of birth certificate
- Employment verification letter
- Photocopy of the past two pay stubs
- Photocopy of recent stock asset statements and bank statements
- Bank account verification letter
- Photocopy of past two years’ tax returns and W2’s
While a letter of invitation can significantly boost one’s chances of tourist visa success, it is essential to be thoroughly prepared for the visa interview and the questions that will be asked. The key is to show the consul that you’re a trustworthy person and that you won’t be a liability to the US government, during your stay in the country.
