subject: Visa Invitation Letter Questions [print this page] Anyone who wants to enter the US either as a non-immigrant or an immigrant is required to apply for a visa. He/she should be able to give a genuine reason as to why he/she wants to come to the US. He/she also has to convince the authorities concerned about a variety of issues. In such situations, an invitation letter can sometimes help to obtain the visa. However, there may be many legal aspects about this letter that people may not know of. Answered below are some of the important questions about the visa invitation letter:
How can a person convince the concerned authorities with a visa invitation letter if he/she wants to invite relatives who can support their own stay in the US?
The person inviting the relatives to the US may not have to provide any kind of support if the relatives can prove to the authorities that they have enough funds to spend time in the country. However, the person may mention in the invitation letter that he/she will make arrangements for the relatives stay and plan their vacation for them even though they have sufficient funds.
Will an invitation letter from a friend in the US help an Indonesian with strong ties in his/her home country to get a visa to visit the US?
Anyone who visits the US should be able to prove to the authorities that he/she will return home. In order to do so, he/she may have to show strong ties back at the home country. A good permanent job, property in the home country and close family ties can help a person in convincing the authorities. In some situations, a letter of invitation from the person whom the relatives are visiting can help to prove to the authorities that he/she does not intend to stay forever in the US. He/she can give the reason for the travel as vacation and also show a ticket for a round trip.
What should a permanent green card holder mention in the invitation letter when he/she invites his/her Nigerian friend to stay with him for a couple of weeks?
The Nigerian friend will first of all have to convince the consulate authorities that he/she has a good and secure job, strong family ties and a property that he/she cannot abandon back home. Though a letter of invitation is not required to get a visa, it can prove helpful in some cases, especially if someone is applying for a tourist visa. The invitation letter should be addressed to the US consulate. It should have the name and address of the person inviting, the time period for which the tourist will stay in the US and any special occasion that the person visiting the country might participate in.
Should a person wait to get the invitation letter from a friend before he/she takes an appointment for the visa application?
Most people may advise not to give a lot of importance to invitation letters. Though the person may attach the letter to the application and carry it with him/her to the interview, he/she has to apply for the visa on his/her own. What is important is that he/she should give a genuine reason to visit the US and should be able to prove that he/she will return home. The consulate must be convinced that the person will not overstay in the country as an illegal immigrant. Though a letter of invitation can be helpful in some cases, it may not guarantee a visa.
What can a person write in an invitation letter to bring his/her friend to the US to help him/her as a caretaker? The individual will give the friend a place to stay and weekly wages.
A person may not be able to work without a work visa in the US. There also is no work visa to work as a caretaker. If the individual still wants to get his/her friend, he/she may have to sponsor the friends permanent resident visa. However, it could take up to 8 or 10 years to get a visa number. The friend may not be able to enter the US during the waiting period even as a visitor as it would be assumed that he/she wants to migrate.
The immigration laws in the US have become strict over the years and as a result it can become a difficult task for some people to enter the country. While a letter of invitation can be helpful to some people, it cannot guarantee a visa. One may ask a lawyer if one has any questions about a visa invitation letter or any other visa proceedings.
