Inviting Family to Visit the US

To facilitate the process of applying for a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, you can write a letter of invitation based on the template below. 

Graduate students can request a letter from your department explaining that you are in good standing and verifying any funding being provided by the department and that you intend to return to your home country at the end of your studies. If your family will visit for your graduation, the letter can include your anticipated graduation date. It may also help to include a financial statement from your bank to show that you have funding enough to support your family members during their visit.

Scholars can request a letter from the departmental staff person who assists visiting scholars or host professor which indicates that you are a scholar in good standing in the department, your reason for being here, that you wish to return to your home country at the end of your research or teaching, and, if applicable, the amount of funding being provided by the department.

[student or scholar’s name]
[address]
[phone number]

[date]
U.S. [Consulate or Embassy]
[city, country location of U.S. Consulate or Embassy]

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is [student or scholar’s name]. I am a [your position (graduate student, researcher, professor, etc.) ] at the University of California, San Francisco in [F-1 or J-1] status. [If you are a student on post-completion OPT or Academic Training you should say this here.]

I am writing this letter to confirm that I have invited my [relationship to student/scholar], [name of person(s) being invited], citizen[s] of [country], to visit me for a period of [number of weeks or months]. I would like to visit with my [relationship to student/scholar] in California. [state purpose of visit here].

[name of person(s) being invited] will be presenting this letter to you, along with evidence to establish their close ties to [country], and to assure you that they will return prior to the expiration of their stay in the United States. During their time in the US, I certify that I will be
fully responsible for the cost of room, board and travel within the U.S. [state this only if it is true].

Your consideration of this request is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

[student or scholar’s name]