This post was most recently updated on October 6th, 2018
How to write an Invitation Letter for Canadian Visa
An invitation letter for Canadian Visa is simply a regular invitation letter that contains details of the invitee, that are relevant for visa applications. The invitation is one of the documents that a travel visa applicant will present during the application for a travel visa.
Your letter must 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 Canada.
- Details on accommodation and living expenses.
- The date the person you are inviting intends to leave Canada.
Your letter must also include the following information about the person writing the letter:
- Complete name.
- Date of birth.
- Address and telephone number in Canada.
- Occupation.
- Whether you are a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident
- A photocopy of a document proving your status in Canada. For instance, a Canadian birth certificate if you were born in Canada or a Canadian citizenship card if you are a naturalized citizen. If you are Permanent Resident, you must send proof of your permanent resident status (a copy of your PR card or your IMM 1000 proof of landing).
Before you start writing your letter
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Where do I send the Invitation Letter to? – Your GUEST!
After writing your invitation letter, sign it and send it to your guest. Even if your letter is addressed to the visa officer, you should still send the letter to your guest.
Your guest will add it to the documents that they will submit as they apply for a visa.
Sample Invitation Letter for Canadian Visa – Written for a close friend
This is a sample Invitation letter for Canadian visa written for a close friend. Use this sample to inspire the writing of your next Invitation Letter for visa.
March 27th, 2018
To whom it may concern,
This is to certify that John Smith will be visiting me in Ottawa, Canada from June 1st 2018 to September 15th, 2018. John has been a close personal friend of mine for 5 years and will be staying at my home for the duration of his stay.
My address:
234 Lachine Ave, Ottawa, Ontario. H4X 1R4. Canada
Tel: 613-767-0987.
I am a Canadian Citizen
Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards,
David Adidas
GUESTS:
Name: Mr John Smith
Address:.1 Progress Street, Accra, Ghana.
Date of Birth – May 12, 1976
Telephone: +233-803-217-3333
Relationship: Friend.
Sample Invitation Letter for Canadian Visa written for Parents
This is a sample invitation letter written to invite parents to visit Canada. The sample invitation letter is written by a son who works in Canada.
Please take note that if your parents or grandparents are applying for the new Canadian super visa, you will need a similar letter. However, you may mention that proof of financial eligibility is attached.
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.
Writing an Invitation Letter is just one piece of the puzzle, your guest may need help with Visa Application or Interview.
James Lopez
24 Princess Street,
Kingston, Ontario
CANADA. K7N 2Y5
Tel: 613-675-7865
March 24, 2018
Dear Mum and Dad,
Please take this as a formal invitation for you to visit me in Kingston, Ontario, Canada for 3 months. You should plan to come between June 1st, 2018 and Sept 1st, 2018. This is the best time to come because it will be summer and the weather will be most conducive to you. It will also allow me to take some time off work to show you some of the interesting places in Canada.We would visit Montreal, Toronto, and the capital city Ottawa. I am sure you will enjoy your visit.
You will be staying with me during your visit and I will be responsible for your transportation and feeding while you are here.
You can use this letter as part of your application for the Canadian visa. I look forward to seeing you again after such a long time.
I love you.
Your son,
James Lopez
Date of Birth: 23 June 1980
Occupation: Engineer (Bell Canada)
GUESTS:
Name: Mr John Lopez
Address:.1 Progress Street, Accra, Ghana.
Date of Birth – May 12, 1946
Telephone: +233-803-217-3333
Relationship: Father.
Passport No: 22222222
Name: Mrs Maria Lopez
Address:.1 Progress Street, Accra, Ghana.
Date of Birth – May 12, 1944
Telephone: +233-803-217-3333
Relationship: Mother
Passport No: 44444444
Do not forget to send a scanned copy of your passport or permanent resident card. If you are able to notarize the letter, it will be fine. Personally, I have not notarized any of my letters and visas have been issued.
Video About Obtaining A Visitor Visa to Canada
Sample Invitation Letter for Canadian Visa written to Spouse
James Lopez
24 Princess Street,
Kingston, Ontario
CANADA. K7N 2Y5
March 27th, 2018
Visitor Visa for Mrs. Lucy Lopez: Passport No. 123456, Date of Birth: 20 May 1980,
This is to certify that my wife Lucy Lopez will be visiting me in Kingston, Ontario, Canada from June 1st, 2010 to July 30th, 2018. I am a graduate Student at Queens University in Kingston and I will be graduating at the end of the winter semester. I would like my wife to attend my convocation which will be taking place on June 20th, 2018 at the Victoria Hall. A copy of the details of the convocation is attached.
Lucy will be staying at my home for the duration of her stay.
Should there be any reason to contact me, you may reach me by phone or email as detailed below.
Thanks
Tel: 613-767-0987.
Jlopez@gogo.ca
Kind regards,
James Lopez
GUEST:
Name: Mrs. Lucy Lopez
Address:.1 Progress Street, Accra, Ghana.
Date of Birth – May 20, 1980
Telephone: +233-803-217-3333
Relationship:Wife.
Do not forget to send a scanned copy of your passport or permanent resident card. If you are able to notarize the letter, it will be fine. Personally, I have not notarized any of my letters and visas have been issued.
Sample Invitation Letter for Canadian Visa written for Guest Minister at a Church Event.
If you plan on inviting a guest minister from outside Canada for your church event, then you would need to send out an Invitation letter for Canadian Visa. The letter should present the details of the guest minister and the program he or she will be participating in. The invitation letter should be written on the official letter-headed paper and signed by one of the designated signatories for the Church.
The requirements are a little different from those for a friend or family member, so a look at the list of information required will be helpful. You can find the list here –Invitation letter guide from Immigration Canada.
Below is a sample invitation letter. 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.
January 24, 2018.
Canadian Deputy High Commissioner
Immigration Section
4 Anifowoshe Street
Victoria Island
Lagos
Your Excellency,
LETTER OF INVITATION / DECLARATION
We, the leaders of the Church Name, a duly registered charitable organization with Charitable Business number 1111111111R0001, situate in the district of Lava, Province of Ontario, Canada, do hereby invite from Nigeria:
Rev James Lorde passport no XXXXXXX
Evangelical Catholic Church
7045 Babasola st, Muson, off College Road.
Ketu, Oyo State. Nigeria.
For a Canadian visit of 14 days duration.
This minister of the Gospel will be ministering in our Church on Sunday, March 28th, 2018.
We solemnly affirm that we will provide living accommodation, medical care, and full sundry support to him during his stay in Canada.
This affirmation is without prejudice to the fact that our invitee has sufficient funds for the trip. We make this solemn declaration together as a Church, and as a duly incorporated Canadian Charitable organization, conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing that it is of the same force and effect as if made under oath and by virtue of the “Canada Evidence Act.”
Rev Ford Heliout (Pastor in Charge)
For and on behalf of Church Name
Now check out our Ultimate Visa Interview or Application Kit.
Hello
I want to go and visit Canada to meet my childhood friend and my father will be supporting me for this trip
I am from pakistan but living in USA for past 2 years for my studies. So I request you if you can help me the a letter that my father can write it for me ( the format ) that he’ll be supporting me for this trip .
Thankyou
Hello
I want to go and visit Canada to meet my childhood friend and my father will be supporting me for this trip
I am from pakistan but living in USA for past 2 years for my studies. So I request you if you can help me the a letter that my father can write it for me ( the format ) that he’ll be supporting me for this trip .
Thankyou 🙂
Hi , I am inviting my sister’s family for visiting Canada. I have written the letter from one of your sample letters but it needs to be signed by notary public. what is that? and where can i get it signed before mailing it to her?
Thank you.
Hi Mariane,
You really don’t need to have it signed by a notary public or a commissioner of oaths unless it is required in the country that your guest is visiting from.
If you still want to find a notary public, just google notary public in your city and a list should come up.
They are visiting from Saudi Arabia. Does the invitation needs to be notarized or signed by municipality?
Thanks for your reply.
Kind Regards.
Hello.
I want to send visit invitation to my family as mentioned below and relation to them, please guide me how to send the invitation,
More over does invitation need to be verified from any of Canadian authorities ? How Shall I send the invitation? means only e-mail to them ?.
Please guide me.
1- Mother
2- Step Father (Mother’s Husband)
3- Half Brother (Mother’s Son)
Hi Saleem,
You can send one invitation to them. Write it. Print it. Sign it. Scan it and send it to them. If you want a commissioner of oaths to sign it, you can do that. Otherwise just scan the signed document to them via email. I have done that a few times and seen others do it and received their visas. I hope this helps.
I want to visit my boyfriend in Canada ,, he is 100% Canadian and I want to visit him at December of this year , I want to know how much time I need to apply for the visa before flying to Cana and how much can the letter of invite guarantees the visa ,, and if there is anything else I can do to get the visa knowing that I will only visit him for one week
Hello There,
Very helpful page! thank you very much for the generous work.
I am planning to invite my grandfather, dad, mum and sister. Should I be mentioning all the guests in one letter?
Hi, I need an invitation letter from my aunt is living in Toronto, she has a PR and now is living there , my spouse has visitor Visa and I wants to visit Canada with her in summer, We have an 8 old year daughter comes with us,Please Help me to write a letter because my aunt can’t it.
Many thanks
Hi, I am 29 years old man, single with Indian passport working as sales exec in Mexico for past 3 years, I have a friend in Canada who is doing business, he is inviting me to visit him in Canada on tourist visa. What kind of Invitation letter do I need from him, should it be on behalf of his company along with the Income tax returns, or a simple personal letter from him. Do you suggest any additional documents which will help me to get the visa without difficulty. Thanks
I am a graduate student in Canada. they denied my wife application for open work permit after 33 weeks of waiting. The immigration Canada denied her Visa under the following reasons :
1. Personal assets and financial status
2. That she did not provide sufficient documentation to support her host’s income and assets.
how would i tackle these reasons
Hello Dems,
Thank you for patiently answering all the queries here.
Me and my wife is Permanent Resident here in Canada and we are planning to invite my mother in law to come here. Because my wife is pregnant and is giving birth soon. So we might need the help of my wife’s mother when the baby comes. My question is I am currently working but my position is just casual but I am working full time since then. My wife is not working because we have a 3 y/o son. Are we qualify to invite my mom in law as visit visa even though I am the only one working and is casual? Thank you.
Hello,
I want to visit Canada for my friend’s wedding. He is citizen of Canada and we are friends for more than 10years. Do he need to sent a invitation letter for his wedding to me or to my family. By this I mean should I apply for my alone visa or with mother, father. which one would be better in getting a visa.
Hello Dems,
Good Day!
i am from india and i am planning a vacation in canada , i have few friends in canada and i already asked them to send me an invitation letter. my query is do they need to send the invitation directly to me or do they need to send the invitation letter there in canada .
Hi,
The letter should be sent to you.
I want to bring my wife and daughter to Istanbul turkey, I have one year residents Turkish id, I can invite them ? how can I write invitation letter ?
Hi, I have a neighbor from back home who wants to visit Canada amd asked me to help with the invitation letter to complete his Visa application. I’m a Canadian citizen and I dont mind doing it but I want to ask if I’m legally responsible if anything happens to him while he’s in Canada? i.e. If he gets sick and needs medical care. Thanking in advance and have a great day.
Hi Lina,
Your invitation does not make you legally responsible for your guest.
Hello Dems,
your articles and samples are very helpful, so thank you! I have two inquiries:
1. I am a Canadian citizen currently living outside of Canada, I am studying at a University in Ecuador. My friend wants to visit Canada with his cousin. Can I write the letter of invitation? I do have an address in Canada which is my mom’s house, it’s where I’ve always lived with my siblings, and where I go to when I visit on summer vacation while I finish school in Ecuador. I’m asking because I’m not sure if I have to be living there right now to receive my friend and his cousin. Or should my mom write the letter of invitation?
2. Should two separate letters of invitation be made to my friend and his cousin respectfully? or just one letter of invitation with my friend as the principal guest, and his cousin’s information added below the letter?
A quick reply would be great please, thank you for your time!
Hi Lucy,
Yes, you can write the letters. If your friend is an adult then it would be better if you write two separate letters for them. I have written an invitation letter for a friend while I was outside Canada. The visa was given to him. However, I wrote the letter as if I was in Canada. I knew that I would be in Canada at the time of the visit. Though I was not in Canada at the time of writing the letter. Technically, you can’t invite a person to visit you when you are not there. If you know you will not be there at the time of the visit, then maybe you can ask your mom to write the letter if she doesn’t mind.
The truth is if you assume that you will be in Canada when they get there. You can write the letters.
Thank you Dems,
Coincidently I should be travelling to Canada around the same time as my friend and his cousin’s visit, but since they will be staying a few days, there is a possibility that we might miss each other. I think I will take the safe road and ask my mom to do the letter, in this case 2 separate letters. Thanks so much for your help and quick reply!
Hello, I’m planning to send an invitation to my niece, she’s 22 (daughter of my younger sister)..she has a full time job in the Philippines. My husband and I are both Canadian citizen, have stable job.
I am not seeing any invitation for niece in the samples above. Are we not allowed to invite if they are not immediate family member? I have a house that she can stay, my husband and I can surely support her while she’s staying here only for a month or two.
Kindly inform me if I can invite niece or nephew.
Hi Jenny,
You can send your niece an invitation letter. We have just a few sample invitation letters on this page to give you an idea. We wish you success as you invite your niece.
Hi, im from the Phils, i plan to apply for a visit visa to canada, my live in partner who is canadian/filipino citizen leaves with me in the philippines, he has 3 kids in canada and i wanted to visit them too, do they need to send me a letter of invation and does my live in partner should make a letter also stating that we will only visit his kids for a certain period of time? Plus i over stayed in usa before, that was 6 years ago. Will it affect my application. Thank you in advaced.
Hi Analyn,
I am not an immigration officer so I am not able to tell you if your previous experience in the USA will affect your Canadian application or not. Writing an invitation letter may work but the chances are quite slim. You may need to try other streams of immigration. However, you don’t lose much except the application fee and time by trying.
Hello,
My fiance lives in Canada and I live in the US. I can go to the Canada without issues. We are getting married and I have to invite some of my friends from Ghana to the wedding. These are my close friends and not necessarily close friends of my fiance. Some are, others aren’t. Can my fiance who lives in Canada still invite my friends to attend our wedding on my behalf? Please advise.
Yes K. He can write invitation letters for them. However, he would need to include your wedding invitation cards in the mail. So it is an invitation to your wedding ceremony.
Hi sir pls tell me in invitation notarized mandatory or not
it is not mandatory
If I have been living abroad with my husband for approx. 6 months and I am writing an invitation letter for him so he can accompany me when I give birth, is that ok? We will be staying at my parents house and I will provide a letter from my father confirming that he will accommodate us for the duration of our stay. Is this sufficient? To clarify, I am Canadian and my husband is the guest.
Hi Hala, your husband has to show that he would leave Canada after the delivery! This is difficult to show as a husband!
Here is my suggestion! Invite him anyway even though the chances are 50/50. You may be the lucky ones!