How to Write Invitation Letter for Schengen Visa Application

If you are planning to visit any foreign country, be it any of the Schengen country, US, UK, Canada, Australia or any other country, you will need to provide a letter of invitation for visa to make your intent clear. Having a letter of invitation will help make your visa application process smooth. However, understanding how to properly format can be quite confusing.

In this article, you will learn more about the invitation letter for Schengen visa, how to write an invitation letter for Schengen visa application, what it is for, sample invitation letter to the consulate and many different types of invitation letters you can submit.

What is an invitation letter for a visa?

A visa invitation letter or letter of invitation is a written letter from a person who is a citizen or a permanent resent in the Schengen country you want to go to. The person you are visiting is inviting you to stay with them and they guarantee that you will not stay in the country illegally.

You will need to attach the invitation letter to the rest of the documents in your visa application form which you will submit at the Embassy. The invitation letter is a strong supporter of your application because the Embassy will know the reason for your visit. The letter will tell them who you are going to see, places you will visit, how long you are going to stay.

Why Do You Need An Invitation Letter for Visa?

One of the reasons why you need a visa invitation letter is your intentions. When you apply for a Schengen visa, the consulates are attempting to determine that you will actually be visiting that country for the purpose you have stated and that you have no intentions of overstaying or trying to work illegally.

As mentioned earlier, if the purpose of your travel is to visit someone, then you will need to show an invitation letter from the inviting person. However, there are other situations where you may need a letter of invitation for other purposes apart from a visit.

Types of Visa Invitation Letter

Since there are many reasons you would want to travel to a Schengen state, there are also many types of invitation letters that suit different reasons for traveling. Each type of invitation letter will also require additional supporting documents to prove that what is written is true.

Below is the list of the different types of invitation letters with descriptions of what they are and the necessary supporting documents.

Invitation Letter from Family or Friends for Tourism Purposes

The most common reason why people travel to Schengen states is to visit relatives or friends. In this type of invitation letter, it must state that you are the person’s relative or friend and that you are only going to visit for a specific period of time.

As a supporting document to this invitation letter, you must attach proof of the relationship with the person and clearly state the duration, purpose, and financial status that you have.

This letter could be from your spouse who is an EU or Schengen area national, your parents, or your children. For each one, you must attach a valid marriage certificate or birth certificate to prove your relationship.

Business Invitation Letter for Schengen Visa

People who intend to travel for business purpose will need a business invitation letter to obtain their Schengen visa.

The business invitation letter must specify the business relationship you have with the person you are visiting and what you will be doing during the time you are in the country. It is a good idea for you to attach an itinerary of the business activities to the invitation letter so you can show what you have planned to work on during your time there.

You must also attach a letter from your employer confirming that you are an employee in a specific company and the details of your work. This includes your job position, dates of employment, salary, and why it is necessary for you to leave the country for business purposes.

University or College Invitation Letter

The University or College invitation letter is very specific for students going to the Schengen area to study. The institution you will attend must send you an acceptance letter inviting you to join them. The letter must have all the details of your stay there, including your major, the duration of your studies, how the studies will be financed, where you will stay, and so on.

Hospital Invitation Letter

People having health-related problems might need a hospital invitation letter to obtain treatment in a Schengen country.

If you will be receiving medical treatment, you must get an invitation letter from your doctor. The doctor must represent a hospital in the Schengen country. The letter must state your medical condition and why you need to go to that specific hospital and the dates of your treatment. The letter of invitation cannot say that your treatment will be indefinite because then the Embassy will not know when or if you are returning to your home country.

The letter must also state how the cost of your treatment will be paid and who will be responsible. So make sure you attach all your relevant medical documents and the hospital invitation letter for better chances of getting the visa.

Invitation Letter From the Sponsor for conferences/trade shows/speech

Besides going to a Schengen country for business, you could be invited to a conference to give a presentation, speech, or attend a trade show. The invitation letter must be from the person or company sponsoring you to go to this activity. The organizers of the conference or trade show must write the invitation letter and clearly state your name there.

The letter must say why you are the right person for this event, and other details such as the itinerary, conference dates, and where you will stay. The sponsor must also write, whether they will pay you for participating or whether they will cover your expenses.

Finally, the letter must clearly show the contact information and certificate of registration of the company or person sponsoring you for this event.

Invitation Letter From the Official body for delegates

Also, people visiting the Schengen countries as a member of an official delegation following an official invitation addressed to the government of the third country concerned will need to submit a letter by an authority of the third country concerned stating that you are officially invited. This applies whether you are participating in meetings, negotiations, consultations, exchange programs or other events.

How to Write An Invitation Letter for Visa

It is not difficult to write an invitation letter. Just ensure the letter includes all the necessary information, you or the person inviting you will not have trouble writing it. You don’t need to pay an expert or a lawyer to do this for you. In this guide, we will show you how to write a visa invitation letter yourself. Just follow the tips below.

Essential elements of the Invitation Letter for Visa:

1. Date
2. Embassy Name
3. Embassy Address
4. Embassy Phone Number
5. Opening Salutations
6. Inviting person’s Name
7. Inviting person’s Address
8. Inviting person’s Citizenship
9. Inviting person’s Signature
10. Inviting person’s Address
11. Inviting person’s Phone number
12. Inviting person’s Email ID
13. Applicant’s Name
14. Applicant’s Passport Number
15. Relationship
16. Purpose
17. Trip Dates
18. High-level Plan
19. Reasons for Invitation
20. Details of Enclosures/Attachments
21. Ending Salutations

Visa Invitation Letter Samples

Sample Invitation Letter for Visitor Visa

The sample inviting letter below shows a typical invitation letter for a tourist visa or visitor visa from a friend.

To:                                                                                                                   Date:

Immigration Officer
[Embassy Name] [Embassy Address] [Embassy Phone Number]

Re: Invitation Letter for [Applicant’s Name] with Passport No. _________________

Respected Sir/Madam,

I, [Inviting Person’s Name] currently residing at [Inviting Person’s Address], and a citizen/permanent citizen of [Country’s Name], am writing this letter to support the visa application of my friend, [Applicant’s Name].

The purpose of the visit of my friend, [Applicant’s Name] is to visit me and engage in tourism in [Country’s Name]. Our long-standing friendship has endured distance and time, and we have wanted to use the visit of my friend to reconnect and share old memories.

[Applicant’s Name] and I have been friends for [enter number of years or length of time]. We have [provide a description of activities or other events you have attended/done together]. This has led to us developing a close relationship and we have stayed in touch ever since.

[Applicant’s Name] will be visiting during the following dates: from [Provide starting date of visit in format DD/MM/YY] to [Provide ending date of visit in format DD/MM/YY].

During the specified trip dates above, we will be visiting [Specify city/place names]. In addition, [Applicant’s Name]will be staying at [Provide Inviting Person’s Address or Hotel Address]. The trip will be funded through [Provide means of funding].

Enclosures:

• Copy of inviting person’s Passport
• Copy of inviting person’s other ID
• Proof of relationship (you can attach pictures of events together or other supporting documents)
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of return to home country (employment contract, property ownership, lease agreement, etc.)
• Other applicable documents

We sincerely request that you consider [Applicant’s Name] visa application and please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or inquiries at [Inviting Person’s Phone Number] or [Inviting Person’s E-mail].

Kind regards,

[Inviting Person’s Signature]
[Inviting Person’s Name] [Inviting Person’s Address] [Inviting Person’s Phone Number] [Inviting Person’s Email]

Sample Invitation Letter for Visitor Visa for Parents

To:                                                                                                                   Date:

Immigration Officer
[Embassy Name] [Embassy Address] [Embassy Phone Number]

Re: Invitation Letter for [Applicant’s Name] with Passport No. ________________

Respected Sir/Madam,

I, [Inviting Person’s Name] currently residing at [Inviting Person’s Address], and a citizen/permanent citizen of [Country’s Name], am writing this letter to support the visa application of my parent [mother/father], [Applicant’s Name].

The purpose of the visit of my parent, [Applicant’s Name] is to visit me in [Country’s Name]. We have not seen each other in [Provide length of time] and would very much appreciate if we could spend time together. I have wanted to show my parent, [Applicant’s Name], the life I have built in [Country’s Name] for a very long time and would appreciate the chance to reconnect. We have a very close relationship and even from a distance, we continuously keep in touch.

[Applicant’s Name] will be visiting during the following dates: from [Provide starting date of visit in format DD/MM/YY] to [Provide ending date of visit in format DD/MM/YY].

During the specified trip dates above, we will be visiting [Specify city/place names]. In addition, [Applicant’s Name]will be staying at [Provide Inviting Person’s Address or Hotel Address]. The trip will be funded through [Provide means of funding].

Enclosures:

• Copy of inviting person’s Passport
• Copy of inviting person’s other ID
• Proof of relationship (birth certificate and other documents)
• Proof of accommodation
• Proof of return to home country (employment contract, property ownership, lease agreement, etc.)
• Other applicable documents

We sincerely request that you consider [Applicant’s Name] visa application and please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or inquiries at [Inviting Person’s Phone Number] or [Inviting Person’s E-mail].

Kind regards,

[Inviting Person’s Signature]
[Inviting Person’s Name] [Inviting Person’s Address] [Inviting Person’s Phone Number] [Inviting Person’s Email]

Final Thoughts on Invitation Letter for Visa

Although there are many different types of visa invitation letters, they are all similar in their purpose. They all serve as evidence that you are visiting the country for the reason you stated and that you don’t intend to overstay or work in the country illegally.

Finally, the above visa invitation letters samples and format may also be used for US, UK, Canada, Australia, Russia and any other country visa as well.