A sample invitation letter for a US visa is a short, one-page letter from someone in the United States confirming who the visitor is, when and where they’ll stay, and how the trip will be paid for. The Department of State says this letter is not required and is not among the factors used to approve or deny a B-1 or B-2 visa.1U.S. Department of State. Visitor Visa Many applicants still bring one, because it gives the consular officer a clean summary that lines up with the DS-160 and the answers given at the interview window. Two ready-to-use templates follow, one for a tourist visit and one for a business visit, with notes on what to attach and what to avoid.
Sample Letter for a B-2 Tourist Visa
Replace every bracketed field with information that matches the guest’s passport and DS-160 exactly. The DS-160 asks for a US contact person, so consistent spelling and addresses across documents matter.
[Date]
[US Embassy or Consulate Address]
Dear Consular Officer,
My name is [Host Name], and I am a [US Citizen / Permanent Resident] living at [Full US Address]. I am writing to invite my [relationship, e.g., mother, friend, colleague], [Guest Full Name], to visit me in the United States.
[Guest Name] was born on [Date of Birth] and resides at [Guest Foreign Address]. Their passport number is [Passport Number]. I have invited them to stay with me from [Arrival Date] to [Departure Date] for [purpose, e.g., a family vacation, my wedding, a holiday visit].
During the visit, [Guest Name] will stay at my home at [US Address]. I will cover [lodging and meals / all expenses / specify what you’ll cover]. [Guest Name] works as a [Job Title] at [Employer Name] in [Country] and plans to return by [Departure Date].
Please feel free to contact me at [Phone Number] or [Email Address] if you need additional information.
Sincerely,
[Handwritten Signature]
[Host Printed Name]
Keep it to one page. Consular officers work through dozens of applications a day, and a short letter is more likely to be read carefully than a three-page narrative.
Sample Letter for a B-1 Business Visa
A business invitation usually comes from a US company rather than an individual, printed on company letterhead. B-1 visitors may attend conferences, negotiate contracts, or consult with business associates, but they cannot perform productive work for a US employer.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. B-1 Temporary Business Visitor
[Date]
[US Embassy or Consulate Address]
Dear Consular Officer,
[Company Name], located at [Company US Address], cordially invites [Guest Full Name], [Guest Title] at [Guest Company Name] in [Country], to visit our office from [Start Date] to [End Date].
The purpose of this visit is [describe: attending our annual industry conference, participating in contract negotiations, meeting with our engineering team to discuss a joint project]. [Company Name] will cover [registration fees, lodging, meals / specify, or state that the guest’s employer covers expenses].
[Guest Name]’s passport number is [Passport Number], and their date of birth is [Date of Birth]. They will return to [Country] at the conclusion of the visit to resume their role at [Guest Company Name].
For questions, please contact [Contact Name] at [Phone] or [Email].
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Printed Name, Title]
[Company Name]
If the trip centers on a specific event, attach the registration confirmation or the agenda. A concrete document does more to establish purpose than any general language in the letter itself.
Details to Include in Every Letter
Whichever version you use, the letter should give the officer a quick, verifiable snapshot of the visit.
About the Host
Full legal name, date of birth, and complete US residential address. A phone number and email. Immigration status, whether US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or another status, along with a note that a copy of a passport or green card can be provided as proof.
About the Guest
Full name exactly as it appears on the passport, date of birth, passport number, and home address abroad. Spelling the name any way other than the passport spelling creates confusion at the interview.
About the Visit
Arrival and departure dates, the address where the guest will stay, and the reason for the trip: family reunion, vacation, wedding, medical consultation, business meeting. If the host is paying for lodging, meals, or transportation, say so directly. Federal law requires a B-2 visitor to have a residence abroad they don’t intend to give up and to be coming for a temporary period.3Cornell Law Institute. 8 USC 1101 – Definitions A sentence about the guest’s job, property, or family obligations back home reinforces that intent without overselling it.
Supporting Documents to Attach
The letter makes claims. The attachments back them up.
- Host’s proof of status: a copy of a US passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or permanent resident card.
- Host’s proof of address: a recent utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement showing the address in the letter.
- Financial evidence, if the host is paying: two to three months of bank statements or recent pay stubs.
- Guest’s itinerary: flight reservations (not purchased tickets), hotel bookings if the guest isn’t staying with the host, and an outline of planned activities with dates.
Travel health insurance isn’t required for a B-1 or B-2, but US medical costs can be devastating for an uninsured visitor. Proof of a travel medical policy signals that the guest won’t become a financial burden.
When to Use Form I-134 Instead
If the host is formally taking on financial responsibility for the visitor, USCIS offers Form I-134, the Declaration of Financial Support.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-134, Declaration of Financial Support The host discloses income and assets and agrees to support the visitor for the duration of the temporary stay, and a separate form is filed for each visitor.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form I-134 – Declaration of Financial Support
Don’t confuse the I-134 with Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support used for permanent residence, which creates a legally enforceable obligation. The I-134 applies to temporary visitors and ends when the visitor leaves.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Form I-134 – Declaration of Financial Support Most hosts writing a standard invitation letter won’t need the I-134. It matters mainly when the visitor has limited personal funds and the host is carrying the full financial weight of the trip.
Formatting, Signing, and Sending
Write in English unless the consulate operates in another language. Standard business letter format: date, embassy or consulate address, formal salutation, body, signature block. Address it to “Dear Consular Officer,” since you won’t know who conducts the interview.
Sign by hand. A physical signature reads as more authentic than a typed name. Notarization isn’t required by US law, but some embassies prefer it, especially when the host pledges financial support. Notarizing a single signature usually runs $2 to $15.
Send the signed letter to the guest by mail, courier, or scanned PDF. The guest prints it and brings it to the interview. Don’t mail anything to the embassy or consulate directly; most US consular posts instruct applicants not to fax, email, or mail supporting documents to them.6U.S. Visa Information Service. Business/Tourist Visa The applicant presents everything in person.
How the Letter Is Used at the Interview
The consular officer’s job is to determine whether the applicant genuinely intends to visit temporarily and then leave. They look at whether the applicant has a foreign residence they don’t plan to abandon, is coming for a limited period, and has a legitimate reason for the trip.7U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 402.2 – Tourists and Business Visitors and Mexican Border Crossing Cards – B Visas and BCCs The letter helps paint that picture but doesn’t carry the application on its own.
The officer may not ask for the letter at all. If they do, the applicant hands over the original signed copy with the financial documents attached. The letter earns its keep when the officer asks “Where will you stay?” or “Who is paying?” and the applicant can point to a document that confirms what they just said. Consistency across the letter, the DS-160, and the verbal answers is what matters. A polished letter that contradicts the DS-160 does more harm than no letter at all.
Truthfulness and Legal Risk
Everything in the letter and its attachments has to be true. Fabricating a relationship, inflating income on a bank statement, or inventing an employer for the guest creates real legal exposure for both sides.
Making a materially false statement to a federal agency carries up to five years in prison under 18 USC 1001.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally Fraud involving immigration documents can carry up to ten years for a first or second offense.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1546 – Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents For the visitor, a finding of misrepresentation usually means a permanent visa ineligibility that’s very hard to overcome. If a detail isn’t accurate, fix it or leave it out.
Gift Tax Notes for Hosts Who Pay
Hosts covering airfare, meals, entertainment, or spending money should know the federal gift tax thresholds. In 2026, you can give up to $19,000 per person without triggering gift tax or a return.10Internal Revenue Service. Gifts and Inheritances 1 Married couples electing to split gifts can give up to $38,000 per recipient. For most visits, that’s plenty of room.
Two exceptions apply on top of the $19,000 limit. Payments made directly to a medical provider for someone’s care and payments made directly to an educational institution for tuition don’t count as taxable gifts.11Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 709 (2025) The word “directly” is doing the work. Handing cash to the visitor to pay a hospital bill doesn’t qualify; paying the hospital yourself does. If a visitor might need medical care during the stay, paying providers directly avoids both the gift tax issue and any appearance that the visitor can’t support themselves.