Firstly, since the Biometrics were introduced to UK Visa applications I have had a 100% success rate in approvals. Therefore, using the information within this post you should have your Letter of Invitation taken care of. The first visa I applied for was a Fiancee Visa.
(Read my how to apply for a UK spouse visa post for more info on that. As the Fiance and Spouse visas are similar.). I may also write a dedicated post on Fiancee Visas in the future.
Then I was successfully approved for several Visit Visas for family members of my spouse. My first stop for sponsor requirements was always the UK immigration section of the British Home Office which you can find here.
If you find their website difficult to follow then just use the same information I provide within this post as I am about to invite family members here to stay with us again. I will tell you what I have included and why. Then you will know how to write an invitation letter for a UK Visa.
Letter of Invitation for UK Visa
First you will need the name/s and address of YOU the sponsor/s in the top right corner. If you’re a couple then include both names.
Next add the date at the top left but beneath the last line of the address.
Next you should have a TO line, for me personally I put, To whom it may concern but you could put Dear UK Visa Official or Dear Sir/Madam, I’m sure you get the idea.
Now the content, this is what you need and why…
UK Visa officials will not award a Visa if you do not meet these requirements.
You have to provide the officials with reasons the applicant will not become and illegal immigrant and they have to be genuine reasons. Don’t falsify documents as it could get you a lengthy ban from the Visa Application Process.
Please read the following information carefully
1. You or your applicant must PROVE the applicant has enough funds to support his/her entire stay in the UK. This can be done by the applicant having plenty of money in his bank account OR the Sponsor can provide proof of income that will fund the applicants stay. The Home Office are quite lenient on this matter and even if you only get sickness benefits you are allowed to invite your applicant.
2. YOU must prove that your own your home where the applicant will be staying OR you must provide an accompanying letter from your landlord/landlady stating they do not mind the applicant staying with you.
3. The APPLICANT must prove he/she has strong family ties or at least a reason to return home after their visit, unless it’s a spouse visa of course!
If you can include all that information in your letter of invitation along with the documents mentioned you will have a fantastic chance of approval. Take a look at my sample letter below.
Sample Letter of Invitation
Name/s
First Line of Address
Second Line of Address
Third Line of Address
Address Postcode / Zip Code
March 1st 2013
To Whom It May Concern,
This letter is to confirm that my wife and I have invited APPLICANT/S to the UK this June 2013. They are my in laws and blood relatives of my wife (who has indefinite leave to remain). We have no objection to them staying with us during their holiday and my Landlord also has no objection. APPLICANT/S have been here before. They are more than capable of funding their visit themselves but if they struggle for any reason, we and my family can help them out.
***** is the father of the family and works in Kuwait and the whole family will return there in July. It has been three years since their visit and a lot has changed. My wife and I now have two children whom ***** and his family are yet to meet. ***** and ****** have also had another child (****** as mentioned earlier) and we have yet to meet her also. I will provide any required documents to APPLICANT/S for the application, including this letter.
Yours Faithfully,
My Name
It’s also worth signing the letter too before faxing, emailing or posting the letter of invitation for a UK Visa
I hope this helps you with your application
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i am from Germany. i want to marry an Indonesian woman. so how do i send an invitation letter to her, for her to easily get visa to Germany ?
Hi Mike, I believe Germany will use the Schengen Visa system but I doubt it will be much different. Just check the Germany immigration website for requirements. As for the letter of invitation just write it, sign it and send it via a secure postal system with the other necessary documents.
I need to invite my boyfriend to visit me in the UK, he will be staying at a hotel at his own expenses and I need to write a letter. I CANNOT have my parents find out. If I send a letter supporting his application then would anything come in the post?or anything else?
He has been in the uk many times before too.
PLEASE RESPOND ASAP
If you’re underage I would be very careful upon meeting someone who doesn’t want your parents to know about.
Hey was just wondering if you know what is the longest length of time that a letter can hold? been told that it can be up to 2 months, but was wondering if it could be for more than that? like 6 months like the visiting visa???
Thanks! 🙂
No idea sorry and I don’t fully understand your question. If you need to postpone your letter of invitation then simply change the date on it. Signing and faxing the letter is fine.
Hi. Just a bit of advice plz. I wish to invite my girlfriend from Vietnam to spend 6months here with me where upon we will both return to her country. We may get married in the uk if this is possible. Any help would be much appreciated.
The invitation letter will be required along with proof that you have known each other for a while, 6 months to a year should be ok. She should keep her letters and emails etc… from you, and you keep hers. If you have already met, then some pictures together will be good. They will probably need a photocopy of your passport and bank statements also. As for getting married, you will need a Fiancee visa for that.
Hi! What if I plan to tour UK and visit a family member, but I’m funding myself and booking my own hotel for the whole stay. Do I fill out a family visa or general tourist? And do I need an invitation letter still from my family?
Yes I think an Invitation letter will help, but you will also have to provide all the information on where you’ll be staying. Don’t book the hotels until after the visa has been approved though.
Hello Jamie, I applied for the 6 months toursim visa 9 months ago and i had it accepted, i have been there for 15 days then i got married to my wife in egypt then went back to england for another 2 months before my visa runs out, so now im re applying for the tourism visa again to visit my wife for a month. Do i need to apply for a family visitor plus do i need to give them an invitation?
Thanks for your comment. Sounds a bit tricky but if you are legally married then I think you should apply for the spouse visa. You will need a copy of your wife’s passport, your marriage certificate, bank statements and yes a letter of invitation will help I think. Also include some photos of you together, and letters or emails you have sent each other for as long back as possible. If you get a spouse visa, you will have 2 years leave to remain. If you are still together after 2 years you can then apply for indefinite leave to remain.
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Hey Jamie, I met online with my boyfriend, but we were engaged now. He came to my country 2 months ago. And now I have plans to come to the UK, and stay there for 6 months. My man will accomodate me as long as I stay there. But, I don’t know what kind of visa I need to apply.
Hi Grace, if you are just visiting then you should apply for a visit visa, if you want to come to the UK to live with your partner then you should apply for a spouse visa, check out my UK spouse visa post.
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My husband have disability and he is working big shop in London . We have all documents but we have not just 1 house document Because that house where he is living council give that house behalf of my husband disability but house is name of his mum and she is not giving that house document . Please tell us what and how we can get .
You could get a letter from his mother AND the council. The more information the better. Just ask his mother to get approval from the council and also include a letter from the mother supporting your stay.
hello jamie my friends from uk would like to invite me to visit them there not the visiting time is 3 months incase i want to extend is it possible to do it there or do i have to return home first
From what I know, you can apply for a visit visa and stay in the UK for a maximum of 6 months in a 12 month cycle. You would have to reapply each time but you cannot stay longer than 6/12 months as a visitor.
Hi Jamie,
My British boyfriend and I met in 2006 and he came here in the Philippines twice already, we got engaged in 2012 and now he’s planning to bring me to the UK and stay there for 6 months. He is going to sponsor everything that I will be needing for my travel. What requirements does my fiance need to have to sponsor me? Do I also need to produce requirements like bank statements even if he’s gonna sponsor me? What type of Visa should I get and how much is the cost? What are the important things that needs to be written on the invitation letter? Thanks so much.
As with all couple visas, you need to show evidence of your relationship. Pictures, emails, texts, letters etc… A photocopy of your boyfriends passport with Philippines stamps may even help. Sorry for the late reply, I hope you succeeded in visiting here and hopefully your question and answer helps others.
Hi I live in the UK and have been with my fiancee for 4 years he lives and works in ghana I have been to ghana and visited him he wants to come to uk for a visit to meet my family like I have met his he’s wanting to come to the UK for 3 weeks and if he can extend it to 6 months please do you have any advice
Tourist visas can be tricky. You can give it a go as It won’t affect other applications but if he is your fiancee I think you should go for a fiancee visa and provide plenty of evidence on your relationship over the last 4 years.
Hi I’m new to this site
I am currently in the process of writing
A letter of invitation for a fiancé visa
Does the letter have to be stamped by anywhere
Like the FCO or a registry office ?
Or do I just send the letter to my fiancé to take to the uk embassy ?
Any advice would be great
Thanks
Hi, I just send all letter of invitations direct to the family member. The only time I needed to get a document stamped was when I personally wanted to visit the Philippines for longer than the allocated 3 weeks. You could get the invitation letter stamped for authenticity but It is not a requirement. Just Fed ex or DHL it with the other documents is my advice, as not all foreign postal systems are reliable. I always use http://www.wedelivertheworld.com as it’s a splinter company of DHL but much cheaper.
Hi Jamie,
I’m trying to invite a friend from Morocco for a holiday staying here for four weeks. He works full time and will get a letter from the hotel stating the date he has to return to work. I have drafted. Letter inviting him and stating that he will be staying at my house and that he will have no expenses to pay throughout his stay. I do not however want to send him my bank statements with the letter, I don’t show my English friends my finances and it seems a silly thing to do to send my bank details and information of my incomings and outgoings to another country. Can the bank statement be faxed straight to the visa and immigration people???
Regards JOBY
Hi Joby, I know faxing, or scanning/emailing, bank statements to the one applying is ok but I’m not sure if you can fax them to the visa office. I advise you to give the visa office in question a call and see if they can help.
Hi Jamie
am a british citizen and wanted to invite my unmarried partner or boyfriend for 2yrs 6 months who stays in sierra leone. Am confused don’t know what to do please help.
Thanks
Hi, you should apply for a spouse visa https://www.bricabracofknowledge.com/how-to-apply-for-spouse-visa-uk-uk-spouse-visa-requirements/
Hello Jamie, firtsly thank you for this useful information and advice in the comments… my question. I’m pretty well researched on how to make my fiances visa a success, but shall I use a specialist to help. Trying to avoid extra costs as both my partner and I are in our 20s and do not have much money.
I am a UK citizen and she is Peruvian. Thanks in advance.
Sorry one last question… does the letter of invitation have to be certified by a solicitor, notarised? Or can I have it signed by my post office, my post office man was unsure but willing to sign it anyway. Thanks
Hi, no you dont need a specialist. The only time i have been required to get a document notarised is when i personally applied for a Philippines visa to stay longer than the standard 3 week allowance for tourists. For all UK visas for family members and spouse the only authorization document i needed was a letter from my landlord stating his approval for the applicants stay. If you own your home then you just need proof of that instead.
Hello again Jamie thank you for your advice again I have a question… do all docs in other kangauge, in my case my fiancee has her docs in Spanish, do they need to be translated into English? By a sworn translator?
Hi, sorry I overlooked your other question. Yes I think it would help but it’s been so long now I hope you have already succeeded in your venture.
Hi Jamie, i do not own my own home i live with my parents, i have been married to my egyptian husband now for one month we had been friends for 5 years previously and i have been to Egypt to visit him a few times before we eventually married.I would like to invite him here to the UK visit my other family members, but i know the difficulties surrounding a spouse visa so he was going to apply for visitors visa and i am aware of the criteria of financial commitments of sponsoring him but i fall short of that by about £2000, but he will be sponsoring himself, he wants to visit for a few months to tour around uk and visit my relatives, i do work full-time and his parents own their own business and he owns his own apartment and works in egypt. I will be moving to egypt myself to live there with him..I need your help in providing the correct wording of an invitation letter for son in law to visit as it will be my parents home where he will be living whilst visiting in the UK and which documents i need to provide and what he needs to provide..Any help greatly appreciated Jamie..
Sorry for the late reply. I don’t check my comments frequently. Hopefully your husband has now joined you in the UK. If not, then everything you have told me should be fine for a visit visa as long as you provide all the information to prove it to the visa people.
Hello Jamie,
I visited UK last year with short course student Visa (6Months), am planning to visit some of my old friends and they promised to give me invitation letter as supporting document, but the total expenses will be borne by me Hotel and feeding, do I need to tell my friend to indicate in his Invitation Letter that the travelling expenses will be taken care by me.
Regards
If you have enough to support yourself then it won’t be neccesary. If however your funds are too low and your friends will be supporting you then it would be required.
I am from india i find partner from uk she is uk citizen origin from india we need make register marriage in uk I need invitation letter from she so what is the formate for that letter somebody have just send me a sample i need help from somebody
The example in my post should be sufficient.
Hi Jamie,i met my bf last Dec.2014,when im on holiday at my sister in the Uk,i am now in the Phils.and my bf is inviting me to spend summer with him in the UK,will i be given another visa in just a short period of time,what type of visa should i apply…or will it be much easier if my sister will again sponsor my visit,but i cant think of any reason why i am going back if my sister will provide my invitation…
Hi, at last check you are only allowed a maximum of 6 months in the UK in every 12 months. However, if you were here for less than 6 months last visit you can come again that soon. For example, you visit in January stay one month then come back March and stay 5 months. That is fine (at last check).
Hello Jamie, I am a british citizen, I have been with my egyptian boyfriend for 4 years we want to marry either in egypt or here in uk, But I need a bit of help I work 2 part time jobs most of it is overtime, does it still count and can I add both to make the financial requirements. Would appreciate any help thanks. A
Yes you can as it’s income!
Hi my name is Lindsey I am in same situation I’ve been with my partner 3 years in Egypt and mediums come to the UK to visit to see if you’d like it could you take my mobile number it’s **number removed for security** and we maybe able to help each other o. What we need many thanks
Hello, i am peruvian and my boyfriend is irish, but he is living and working in UK, I am planning on visiting him next year around february for two months. He says he can cover my expenses for my stay and I can afford the plane tickets and also any other expenses I would have in my visit. What would be the best way for him to write an invitation letter and prove that we are on a true and genuine relationship? and how can i prove that I want to come back to my country after the 2 months? I work for an american company and is an online job so i work from home. I hope you can give me some advice. I would really appreciate it cause i am getting kinda nervous. Thank you.
Hi follow the instructions in my posts. Just supply the Visa officials with all the documents available to prove your relationship is genuine. As for your work, you must have a boss right? Get a letter off him to say he is allowing you time off and that your Job will be waiting for you after the vacation. Thanks, Jamie.
Hi my name is Natasha I was wondering I met my boyfriend through my friend I met him in April this year and I speak everyday on the phone he’s from Jamaica he would like to visit the uk and I am wondering can I send him a visitor letter to support his visa application the only thing is I am on benefits one of them is employment support allowance child benefit and child tax credits I get £1,434 every month plus he has one aunt who lives here would his application be successful
Hi Natasha. Its worth trying and I think having a letter from his Aunt in the UK would be a great help. Just be honest and provide as much information as you can.
Hi I have been sick (hospitalised) and I want to invite my daughter, husband, 2 grand children & mother I law in Africa. Any suggestions how to write the invitation letter
Hi, just use the same style of invitation letter on this post but include all the details of your illness and why you want them there. I recommend a letter from your doctor too if it’s serious.
Hi Jamie I hope you can help me. My hubby wants to invite his mother to Uk . We both working here. Obvious we can support her here, But have there any other chance for refusal her visa application?? This gonna be her first visit
Thx in advance
Hi, as long as you provide all the info (invitation letter, bank statements, house deeds or landlords letter etc…) Then I can’t see there being a problem. You should know the maximum visit visa is 6 months in each 12 month period.
Hi I would like my girlfriend to visit me in the UK, she is from th Philippines we have known each other for just over a year, I have recently visited her and I would now like her to visit me for a holiday.what is the first step, do I apply for a visa or does she
Hi, she would have to apply for a Visa at the British embassy in Manila. You would have to provide a letter of invitation and supporting documents. Also include proof or your relationship. It all helps.
Hi Jamie,
I have an Egyptian boyfriend who I met in April of this year in Cairo where he works.
We speak via text and video call most days and we would both very much like for him to come and visit me here in the UK.
He has a full time job which he will be returning to after the visit and I own my house with 12yrs left to pay on my mortgage, however I am in receipt of disability benefits as I can no longer work.
He has applied for a Shengen visa in the past and was declined even though he has a degree in foreign languages and a teaching qualification.
He will be staying with me and my children at my home address throughout the visit and can get a reference from his employers
He is working all the hours God sends at the moment to try and show he can support himself while he is here with some savings in his bank account.
What do you suggest will give us the best chance of him obtaining a visitor visa? Do you think a letter of invitation from myself would help?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Hi Jamie.
I am a British Citizen
I married my American husband a few months back while on vacation in the US. He comes to visit me for short vacations a couple of times a year as he has work commitments back home. He gets an automatic visitor visa each time he visits.
But I always send him an invitation letter to provide to immigration officials in case he had any problems entering the UK to see me. My question is this. Will we run into any issues with immigration if I now state my partner is my husband on the invitation letter instead of boyfriend / Fiancee? This unanswered question is niggling me.
Would you be so kind as to clear this up for me.
Many Thanks
Hi,
When i went for my masters in the uk and i met a my fiance. Now i am back to nigeria and he wants me to invite me to come visit him for 3months and discuss about settling down. what visa should i go for
Dear all, the post above is outdated. The Tory Government has changed the procedure and requirements. Also now that the UK has voted out of Europe everything will likely change further. For up to date information visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa
hi,
I’m british citizen and I want my fiance (him) to go to uk for us to get married I dont how to get him his in dubai right now with a Philippine passport can someone tell me how? I NEED HELP..ASAP..THANK YOU SO MUCH
Sorry for the slow reply. Hopefully you sorted your situation already. If not then please check my other Visa posts and comments for more tips.
Hello Jamie, I met my boyfriend through a friend, we have not physically met, he lives in Europe too but his in ghana visiting his family and wants to come to London from there to engage me and then back to Germany where he has a residence permit.
How do i draft this invitation letter and what is the possibility of success.
The invitation letter on the blog post should make a fine draft but of course you should add your own details.
After you get your fiancee visa whats gonna hapen next applying again for spouse visa while my wife inside the uk.. You spend again morethan 1k pounds.. What is the best thing to do get married first to apply spouse visa or apply fiancee visa..
Hi, either way should be fine as long as you are within the current guidelines set out for immigration.
Hi Jamie
Thank you for writing this post it’s a lot of help wondering if you can help I’m a British citizen but moved to Southern Ireland im on disability so wondering is it the same as U.K. I can sponsor my Jamaican fiancé regards Ruth
Hi Ruth,
the rules in Ireland will probably be different to the UK but I’d wage a pound that the Euro/Irish countries are less strict.
a friend to my father in the uk… after the late of my father, he wants to invite me to uk but he said he didn’t know the steps to follow iin inviting me to the uk… I need your help please so that I can reach out to him and we discuss on how he can invite me… I live in the Gambia West Africa..
https://visaguide.world/tips/letter-of-invitation-for-uk-visa/
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