The short answer
An invitation letter is a short, truthful letter from the person you are visiting. It explains who you are to each other, why you are coming, when, and where you will stay. Some official checklists mention one and some do not. A letter never guarantees approval, and no template can promise that an authority will accept it. Read the official page for your destination first, then ask your family member to write the letter in their own words.
Key terms in plain English
- Host or inviter: the person you are visiting, who writes the letter.
- Supporting documents: the papers an official checklist asks for alongside an application.
- Sponsor: a word some countries use for the person who vouches for a visitor. What a sponsor is asked to do is set out on the official page, not here.
What does a letter usually contain?
Official pages describe what they expect, and it differs by country. In general, a letter from a family member abroad covers:
- their full name, address and contact details
- how they are related to you
- why you are visiting, for example to see them or to attend a ceremony
- your dates of arrival and departure, and where you will stay
- who is paying for what
- a copy of an identity or status document, if the official page asks for one
Who writes it, and how
Your family member writes it, signs it and dates it, in their own words. You should not write it for them, and you should never buy one. If a letter has to be certified or sent in a particular way, the official page says so. We do not know your case, so we do not say so here.
Make the letter match everything else
Names, dates and addresses should agree with your passport, your tickets and your application. A mismatch causes questions. Keep a copy of whatever was sent, and store it in your vault next to your tickets.
Checklist
- To do: Read the official page for your destination, to the end
- To do: Find out whether it mentions an invitation letter or sponsor documents
- To do: Ask your family member to write the letter in their own words
- To do: Check names, dates and addresses against every other document
- To do: Ask for a copy of any identity or status document the page lists
- To do: Keep digital and printed copies in your vault
- To do: Ask the official website or a licensed adviser if anything is unclear
Common mistakes
- Using a template that promises approval. No template can promise that, and an authority is not bound by one.
- Letting the letter and the application disagree. Different dates or addresses invite questions.
- Paying for a “guaranteed” letter. That is a scam signal, not a service.
- Treating the letter as the only document. It sits beside the other papers the checklist lists.
- Writing it on behalf of the host. The host must say what is true, in their own words.
Things that change
Official checklists change: what they ask for, how a sponsor takes part and how documents are sent. A page that was right for a friend last year may not be right for you now. Check the date on the official page.
Verify before you act
Start with the official pages: GOV.UK: Visit visa, guide to supporting documents, IRCC: Letter of invitation for visitors to Canada, Home Affairs: Sponsored Family stream and the Federal Foreign Office’s Visas for Germany. For questions about your case, ask the official website or a licensed adviser.