This post was most recently updated on May 29th, 2019
How to write an Invitation Letter for UK Visa?
An Invitation Letter for UK Visa is one of the documents that an intending visitor to the UK will use to show the reason for their visit. Although an invitation letter can be very useful, it is not required for obtaining a visitor visa to the UK. It is, however, a good idea to send one to your guest to make their application as robust as possible. Writing an invitation letter for a UK visitor’s visa can be challenging if you do not know what to write.
To write a good letter, what is important is to ensure that all the required information is in the letter. There is no specific method or style once all the required information is visible in the letter. This letter is sometimes referred to as sponsorship letter for UK visa
In summary, the following should be on the invitation letter.
Your letter should include the following information about the person being invited:
- Complete name.
- Date of birth.
- The person’s address and telephone number.
- Your relationship to the person being invited.
- The purpose of the trip.
- How long the person you are inviting intends to stay in the United Kingdom.
- Details on accommodation and living expenses.
- The date the person you are inviting intends to leave the United Kingdom.
Your letter must also include the following information about the person writing the letter:
- Complete name.
- Date of birth.
- Address and telephone number in the United Kingdom.
- Occupation.
- Your status in the United Kingdom
- A photocopy of documents proving your status in the United Kingdom and financial Status.
Find a list of documents required for visa application here
Writing an Invitation Letter is just one piece of the puzzle, your guest may need help with Visa Application or Interview.
To whom do you address your Invitation Letter for Visa
Invitation letter for visa purposes can be addressed to either the guest (the person you are inviting) or the Consular Office, Embassy or Visa Application Center. In most cases, the letter will be given to the guest to attach to their application for a visa. This means that whether you address the letter to your guest or the Embassy, you will still send the letter to your guest.
Before you start writing your letter
If you do not have Grammarly - A grammar checker that I use every day for all my writing, please get it free from here Now. Grammarly. You can read my full story on how I discovered Grammarly here.Sample Invitation Letter for UK Visa written to a friend
Below is a sample invitation letter for UK Visa. The names on it are fictitious but this format has been used and visas have been issued using this format. There are other formats that can be used. The most important thing is for the information required to be on it. Remember that this is just a sample and we are not in any way connected to the British High Commission.
The following sample invitation letter is written for a friend. You could use the same format for a parent, parents, cousin, uncle or business partners. All you need to do is adjust the text as it suits each situation.
January 27th, 2019
David Smith
191 Masons Avenue,
London HA3 5AH
United Kingdom
+44 020 8876 1234
To Whom It May Concern:
Application for a Standard Visitor Visa: Dorcas Odu; May 13 1980; Passport No: AO345678
I am writing to confirm I wish to invite Dorcas Odu to visit me in the UK for 3 weeks in order to have a short holiday. I hope she will be able to come on 20th of June 2019.
I am a British Citizen and Electrical Engineer Working at DemsTech in London. I will be on vacation at that time.
I am able to accommodate her for the duration of her stay in the UK. Please find attached evidence of my accommodation.
I have enclosed the following documents:
• Copy of passport
• Tenancy agreement
Should you require any additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully
David Smith
Do not forget to send a scanned copy of your passport. You do not have to notarize the letter.
How to get a UK Visa
Sample Invitation Letter for UK Visa written to a father
As a British Citizen or anyone who has an eligible status in the UK, you are entitled to have a guest visit you from different parts of the world. Many students come to the UK to study from all over the world, these students often need to have their parent or other relatives visit them. Find below a sample invitation letter written by a Naturalized British Citizen who wants his father to visit him in the UK.
Please take note that you can use the same format to invite a mother, uncle, brother, sister, grandparents. All you have to do is adjust the letter to reflect the different relationships. If your situation is different, simply state your case and let your guest present himself. In some cases, you may mention something about your guest but that is not necessary. This letter is just a document that shows that your guest really has a reason to come to the UK.
The sample below is just one format for an invitation letter. There are very many other formats. You may choose to write the letter directly to your guest. In both cases, however, it is your guest that you send the letter to.
204 Rye Lane,
Peckham
London,
SE15 4RZUK
12 Nov 2018
British High Commission
Upper Hill Road
Nairobi
Dear Sir/Madam
Application for Visit Visa: JAMES DONALD MARK – PASSPORT NO – 123456
I am writing to confirm that I Moses Kevin Mark am inviting Mr JAMES DONALD MARK to visit me in the UK.
Mr JAMES DONALD MARK is my father. His passport number is 123456 and his date of birth is 20 April 1945.
He is going to visit the UK from Feb 13, 2019, and will be staying for 10 days. He would be leaving on Feb 23, 2019.During his stay in UK, he will be staying with me and I will be responsible for his transportation in and around the UK.
I am a British Citizen with passport No – 234565. I currently work at British Airways and reside at 201 Rye Lane, Peckham. I have attached a copy of the Biodata page of my Passport and my tenancy agreement.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
Yours faithfully,
Moses Kevin Mark
Moses@ba.com
44-078-111-1111
Sample Formal Letter of Invitation for Standard Visitor Visa to the UK written to a husband and wife
Below is a sample letter of invitation. The names on it are fictitious but this format has been used and visas have been issued using this format.
Moses is a 35 year old accountant that lives in Stevenage UK. On his last trip to Hong Kong 4 years ago he met Cindy and Dave (Kenyan citizens) who are also accountants attending the same conference that Moses went to attend. They have been corresponding since then over Facebook and phone calls. This year Cindy and Dave decided to visit Moses in Stevenage Uk.
Here is a sample formal invitation letter that Moses would write to invite Cindy and Dave to UK. This particular letter is addressed to the Consular Officer rather than to Cindy and Dave. All the necessary information are included in the letter. This letter forms one of the supporting documents for the visa application.
February 27th, 2018
(The Address of Moses can be formatted like a personal letterhead)
Moses Mark
234 Jessop Road,
Stevenage, Hertfordshire
SG1 5LL, United Kingdom
+44 020 8669 1234
The Consular
British High Commission
P.O. Box 30465-00100,
Upper Hill Rd,
Nairobi City, Kenya
Dear Consular,
Application for Standard Visitor Visa for Dave Malaba and Cindy Malaba
I am writing to confirm I wish to invite my friends Dave and Cindy to visit me in the UK for 3 weeks during their vacation from April 1, 2018 to April 21, 2018.
I am a British Citizen and a chartered accountant Working at Frank and Coopers Chartered Accountants. I have known Dave and Cindy for 5 years, they are both chartered accountants in Nairobi Kenya. They will be staying at my home in Stevenage during their visit. Please find attached evidence of my accommodation.
Here are some more details about Dave and Cindy Malaba
Dave Malaba
Date of Birth: January 1st 1980
Passport No: 000000000
Occupation: Chartered Accountant
Address: 234 karibu St, Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone: +200-000-0000
Cindy Malaba
Date of Birth: May 1st 1985
Passport No: 000000000
Occupation: Chartered Accountant
Address: 234 karibu St, Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone: +200-000-0000
I have enclosed the following documents:
• Copy of passport
• Tenancy agreement
Should you require any additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully,
Moses Mark
Do not forget to send a scanned copy of your passport. You do not have to notarize the letter.
Sponsorship Declaration to accompany invitation letter for UK visa.
It is possible that you may want to invite a family member or friend who is not in the position to sponsor themselves to the UK or you have simply chosen to sponsor their trip as a gift. If this is the case, it is advisable to fill out a sponsorship declaration form which can then be attached to the invitation letter for UK visa application. You may also choose to write a sponsorship letter.
Once the sponsorship declaration is filled and signed, send them to your guest. (Here is the form again)
How should the Invitation letter for Visa be delivered?
There is no stipulated way of delivery for your letter of invitation. You can mail it to your guest or scan it and send via email. Some countries however, require that the letter be notarized. In this case, you have to find a way to get the original copy to your guest. In USA, Canada and United Kingdom, a scanned copy of the invitation letter for visa can be sent.
What happens next? After you send the Invitation Letter?
You guest would add the letter to their Visa Application package. They would then submit the application package to the British Embassy in their country or to a visa application collection company (depending on the company). They would pay the visa application fees and wait for an interview with the visa officer at the British Embassy. The procedure for issuing a standard UK visa differs from country to country. What I have provided is just a general overview.
Here is a suggestion of how much the visa fees are as at 2019 according to UK government site.
A Standard Visitor Visa costs £95.
The fee for a long-term Standard Visitor visa depends on its length:
- 2 years – £361
- 5 years – £655
- 10 years – £822
Other Invitation Letters for UK Visa
Now check out our Ultimate Visa Interview or Application Kit.
my fathers friend is in the UK and he want me to come visit him,what are the things we Will need to accomplish this.
my fathers friend is in the UK and he want me to come visit him,what are the things we Will need to accomplish this trip
I am stephen frm nija .pls admin My girl friend who is frm england by birth ask me to cum over to stay wit her for some months. She would be d one to care for all my needs during my stay. Is there any need for me to provide my bank statement to d consular? Pls how shud i go abt it?
how much will my friend need to have in his statement to prove he can sponsor me and my expenses during my 6 month stay in Uk
Hello, my gf want to invite me to the uk for a few weeks, we are planning to get married in Jamaica, late next year because im waiting on my divorce, will i have problem getting visa because im still married? Both of us or working and have what is required to provide
Dear admin.
My dad friend want to sponsor me , is it possible to get visa on sponsor latter?
I have a girl friend in uk.. I have send her soft copy of my passport and she replied “i have scan your passport out i have give the UK embassy now so you are going to buy ticket and some fund”
Is this possible that I can get visa as she said.
Ali, you can only get a visa on your original passport! It usually does not work the way u said above
Hey Admin
My niece lived in London . She wants to sponsor me and my mother. Because my mother is suffering from a serious liver problem and my niece wants to get her treatment form London. Please tell me the way she can sponsor my mother for treatment and me as a guardian of my mother.
We lived in Pakistan.
Hi i want to call my mother in law to the uk due the fact my wife is having a baby we live with my dad in a 2 bedroom property which has a living room kitchen do we need to show any savings on my mother in laws behalf i am aware that i need to show as a substantial saving here for myself and my wife can u please advise me on the correct information in order for me to call my mother in law to visit for the maximum of 3 months.
Thank you
sat
My boyfriend and I met on a dating site, we are 15 months into our relationship. He’s a U.K. citizen and wants me to visit him x however these are our challenges, he currently lives with his parents, but will be renting a self catering accommodation for us, also he runs his own business. However he has a good financial statement to support me. Can you kindly advice what our chances are of getting the visa?
Dear administrator, I have a friend in central London who is half India and British citizen who want to invite me for 6 months holiday with his sponsorship but how to process the invitation letter is the problem. please will he have to go to the UK immigration for processing the invitation letter or write it himself? thanks
Hi Sedem, he should write it himself and send it to you.
He should write it himself
I want invite my junior sister who is at the nursing school. I pay my rent inclusive I only have my mobile phone bills is enough together with my bank statement,payslips, letter from my employer.
Please help me.
Yes! Use what you have! If you need more help! You can use this kit
http://www.visainterview.info/
Thanks addmi I’m jackson from nigeria my woman friend that I have know for 2years sent me invitation letter to visit her in canada for 2months during the visit she promise in the letter to pay for my feeding and I will stay with her in her apartment presently I’m working as a driver in a transport company where they pay us in cash I don’t have big amount of money in my account will that stand as a problem against to get a visa.
Yes Jackson! You can start using your account now and building a financial record for a future application!
I have had a friend for several years online and met him once and he wants me to come back with my fiancé but my fiancé is from Nepal and my friend who is a British citizen wants to send a letter of invitation so that we can all meet together he will be footing all of my fiancées expenses and we will be staying with him is it possible that this will be accepted?
Also his account (my fiancé) is non existent as he just opened a family business which is his reason to return as well
Hi Marie, you can only know this after you try! Use this visa application kit to strengthen your application! I wish you the best!
http://www.visainterview.info/
what if my invitation letter was typed will it work? or they required handwritten letters ? can you please help me with this
hello sir
a friend of mine is sending me an invitation for just 2 weeks to come to the united kingdom,
he is not the one paying for my travailing so he did not add bank statement to it,
and am a student too, will i have problem with the embassy by refusal ?
Hi I’m a student and I’m getting an invitation from a friend in uk. First I want to ask whether the invitation will be sent to me or the embassy and secondly I want to ask since I’m a student I’m not able to sponsor but my friend is.
Hi,
I want to bring my mother to the UK on a visitor visa for 5 months or so but I need some information and would appreciate your guidance. Below are my questions that need some answers to:
1. I am in the process of writing an invitation letter to send, what should be mention in the letter?
2. I am renting through the housing association with my partner and one child in a two bedroom flat, would I need a letter from them to send stating this and that I can accommodate her or should I send the tenancy agreement ?
3. What documents would I need to send her other than the invitation letter?
4. I heard stories that when bringing someone on a holiday that the person inviting them have to lodge down some money, £6000 or so at the Home Office in the UK to show that they can support them until they can return back to thre country. Is that true?
Regards,
Sabrina.
hi admn.. am a student.. my boy frnd want to invite me to London,am taking my bills…except he is going to accommodate and cater for me there for a month… thus his
application need to be endorsed by his embassy before sending me…. or he can send to me straight with the concern of the embassy.. thanka
Hello!
One question: my boyfriend is writing the invitation letter to invite me to uk. So he can send me by email so I can make a copy of it, or he has to sent me by post mail, signed by hand, and I should make a copy of that)
Please answer me!
Hi can scan a copy to you after he had signed it by hand!