Updated November 12, 2026

Sample invitation letter for a tourist visa to the USA: B-2 templates and rules

A US tourist visa (B-2) invitation letter is an optional note from a US relative or friend confirming who you are visiting, your travel dates, where you will stay, and who is paying for the trip. Under US federal law, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP, Article 000001024, published September 22, 2026) states that applicants must apply on their own to visit the United States, so an invitation letter is never required and does not decide the visa outcome. Copy any of the four free sample letters below to carry by hand to your visa interview.

Does a US tourist visa require an invitation letter?

No. Under US federal law, CBP states in Knowledge Article 000001024 that foreign citizens must apply on their own to visit the United States. Neither CBP nor US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires a letter from a US host, and a host cannot petition for a tourist visa the way an employer petitions for a worker.

Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for people entering the United States temporarily for business (B-1), tourism (B-2), or a combination of both purposes (B-1/B-2). Under USCIS visitor eligibility rules (updated January 25, 2025), qualifying requires showing a plan to remain for a specific limited period of time, sufficient funds to cover the expenses of the trip and stay, and a residence outside the United States that you have no intention of abandoning, along with other binding ties that ensure your return abroad at the end of the visit.

CBP lists allowed B-2 activities as tourism, vacations, visiting friends or relatives, medical treatment, social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations, unpaid amateur participation in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, and short recreational courses not for credit toward a degree, such as a two-day cooking class on vacation. Study, employment, paid performances before a paying audience, arrival as a ship or aircraft crewmember, work in foreign press or information media, and permanent residence require different visa categories and cannot be done on a visitor visa.

Why write a letter if the government does not require one? A clear one-page note helps your guest keep your exact US street address, legal status, job title, and travel dates straight before their interview.

What to include in a B-2 invitation letter and what to leave out

Keep a B-2 invitation letter to one page in plain English. Include every factual detail in this drafting checklist written by our team so nothing conflicts with your guest's visa application:

• Host details: Your full legal name, birth date, US legal status (such as US citizen, lawful permanent resident, or valid nonimmigrant visa category), street address, phone number, email address, and occupation.
• Visitor details: Your guest's full passport name, birth date, home address abroad, phone number, passport number, and relationship to you. Under USCIS visitor rules, spouses and children of B-1 business visitors are not eligible for dependent visas and must apply separately for B-2 visas, so list each visiting relative.
• Purpose and dates: The concrete reason for visiting now and exact arrival and departure dates. USCIS lists initial visitor stays as 1 to 6 months (6 months maximum), though an immigration officer at the port of entry sets the actual stay on Form I-94.
• Lodging and funding: The exact street address where your guest will stay and who is paying for flights, lodging, and daily costs.
• Signature and date: Your handwritten or clean digital signature above your typed full name and the date signed.

Two common drafting mistakes to avoid

First, never write, I guarantee that my guest will return to their home country. Because US federal law requires applicants to apply on their own and prove an unabandoned foreign residence with binding ties abroad, a US host has no legal power to force another adult onto a return flight. State the planned departure date and point to real commitments waiting abroad, such as an employer leave return date or family home.

Second, do not worry about whether to address the letter to the Consular Officer or directly to your guest. Addressing it to the Consular Section at the local US Embassy or Consulate (listed by country in the State Department's embassy and consulate directory) puts every biographical fact at the top for quick reading. Writing directly to your friend or relative works just as well for vacations, provided it still names your legal status, address, dates, and funding plan.

4 free sample invitation letters for a US tourist visa

These four sample letters were written by our team as free, copy-and-paste templates. Every person, passport number, address, and date is invented. Replace the text in parentheses with your true details.

Sample 1: Inviting parents for a family visit or newborn grandchild

Date: (Month Day, Year)

To: Consular Section, Nonimmigrant Visa Unit, U.S. Embassy or Consulate in (City, Country)

Subject: Visitor Visa Invitation for (Mother's Full Passport Name) and (Father's Full Passport Name)

Dear Consular Officer,

I am inviting my parents, (Mother's Name), born (Mother's Birth Date), passport number (Mother's Passport Number), and (Father's Name), born (Father's Birth Date), passport number (Father's Passport Number), residing at (Parents' Home Address Abroad), to visit my family in the United States from (Arrival Date) to (Departure Date). I am a (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or H-1B visa holder) living at (Full US Street Address) and working as a (Your Job Title) at (Your Employer).

The purpose of this five-week trip is a family visit to spend time with us and meet our newborn daughter, born (Baby's Birth Date). They will not engage in employment or paid caregiving, and they will return to their home in (Parents' Home City) on (Planned Return Date). Both parents will stay at my home address above, and (I will cover their round-trip airfare and stay costs, or they are paying for their own flights from retirement savings while staying with me). Copies of my US status proof and address are attached. Please reach me at (Your Phone Number) or (Your Email Address).

Sincerely,

(Host Signature)

(Host Full Name)

Sample 2: Inviting relatives to a wedding or university graduation

Date: (Today's Date)

To: Consular Section, U.S. Embassy or Consulate in (Embassy City and Country)

Subject: B-2 Visitor Invitation for (Guest Passport Name)

Dear Consular Officer,

My name is (Inviting Host Name), and I hold valid status in the United States as a (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or F-1 student at University Name), residing at (Host US Residence Address), phone (Host Phone). I am inviting my (Relationship, such as sister), (Relative's Full Name), born (Relative's Birth Date), passport number (Relative's Passport Number), living at (Relative's Foreign Street Address), to visit from (Trip Start Date) to (Trip End Date).

She is traveling to attend my (wedding ceremony or university commencement) in (Event City and State) on (Ceremony Date), followed by one week of sightseeing before returning to her job at (Relative's Employer) in (Relative's Home City) on (Flight Home Date). She will stay at (my home address above, or Hotel Name and Street Address) and cover her own airfare and personal expenses. Copies of my US status and the (wedding invitation or graduation verification) are attached.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

(Typed Name of Host)

Sample 3: Sightseeing vacation with a friend

Date: (Letter Date)

From: (Friend Host Name, US Home Address, Phone, and Email)

To: (Visiting Friend's Passport Name and Foreign Address)

Dear (Friend's First Name),

I am excited to invite you to stay at my home at (My US Street Address) for a two-week holiday from (Holiday Start Date) to (Holiday End Date). As a (U.S. citizen or permanent resident) working as a (Host Occupation) in (Host US City), I am taking vacation days during your first week here so we can tour (Planned Cities or Landmarks) before you fly home to (Friend's Home City) on (Return Flight Date).

You will stay in my guest room at no charge while covering your own round-trip flights and vacation spending. For your visa records, your passport name is (Friend's Name on Passport), born (Friend's Date of Birth), passport number (Friend's Passport Number), and I have attached copies of my (U.S. passport photo page or Permanent Resident Card) and a utility bill.

Warm regards,

(Handwritten Signature)

(Printed Name of Host)

Sample 4: Hosting a relative visiting for medical treatment

Date: (Signing Date)

To: Consular Section, U.S. Embassy or Consulate in (Post City and Country)

Subject: B-2 Medical Visit Housing Confirmation for (Patient's Full Passport Name)

Dear Consular Officer,

I am a (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident) living at (Host Street Address, City, State, ZIP) and working as a (Occupation) at (Company Name). I am inviting my (Family Relationship, such as brother), (Patient's Full Name), born (Patient's Date of Birth), passport number (Patient's Passport Number), residing at (Patient's Address Abroad), to stay at my home from (Check-In Date) to (Departure Day) for scheduled medical treatment at (Hospital Name) in (Hospital City and State).

I will provide housing, meals, and local rides to appointments, while (the patient or I) will pay all medical bills and airfare as shown in his separate hospital appointment letter and financial records. He will return to his home and family in (Home Country) on (Medical Return Date) when care concludes. Contact me at (Daytime Phone) or (Host Email).

Sincerely,

(Signed Name)

(Full Legal Name of Host)

Invitation letter vs Form I-134 and notarization rules

Hosts often confuse a personal invitation letter with USCIS Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support (01/20/25 edition, guidance updated June 3, 2026). When a visitor pays for their own trip, an informal invitation letter is enough. USCIS provides Form I-134 for a supporter who formally agrees to fund a beneficiary for the duration of their temporary US stay.

Neither document needs a notary seal. USCIS states directly that signing Form I-134 is under penalty of perjury under US law, so you do not need to sign in front of a notary or have your signature notarized. An informal B-2 letter does not require notarization either.

If you prepare Form I-134 for a visiting relative, follow these USCIS rules:

• One form per visitor: File a separate Form I-134 for each beneficiary, meaning two separate forms for two parents.
• Match the edition on every page: Keep the 01/20/25 edition date and page numbers visible at the bottom of every page, as USCIS may reject missing pages or mixed editions.
• Send copies, not originals: Attach copies proving sufficient income or financial resources unless instructions or regulations specifically ask for originals.
• Certify translations: Include a full English translation and signed translator certification verifying accuracy and competence for any foreign-language document.
• Sign your full name: Sign Form I-134 with your full name because USCIS rejects unsigned forms.

Informal B-2 invitation letter vs USCIS Form I-134 (from USCIS Form I-134 guidance and CBP Article 000001024)

Supporting documents and 5-step pre-interview checklist

An invitation letter cannot be uploaded to an online visa application, and you should not mail it to the embassy unless the local post on the US embassy and consulate directory instructs you to do so. Email a clear PDF or courier printed copies directly to your guest to carry by hand to the interview, along with copies of your US status document, a lease or utility bill showing your address, and any event proof such as a graduation or wedding notice.

Use this 5-step pre-interview checklist from our team before interview day:

• Step 1, Match passport details: Confirm every visitor's name, birth date, and passport number match their current passport.
• Step 2, Check B-2 activity rules: Make sure nothing in the trip plan crosses into prohibited visitor work, study, or paid performances under CBP rules.
• Step 3, Separate paperwork per person: Verify each accompanying spouse or child has their own visa application, plus a separate Form I-134 if financially sponsored.
• Step 4, Check local embassy rules: Review the interview post on the US embassy directory for local document and security rules.
• Step 5, Review details in your guest's language: Explain every line of the letter beforehand so your guest knows your job, city, and dates from memory.

Tips for retired parents, young relatives, interviews, and arrival

Retired parents visiting a newborn grandchild should make sure both the letter and their spoken answers describe a temporary family visit rather than employment, which CBP bars on a visitor visa, and be ready to name their pension, home, or family ties abroad. Young single visitors should keep vacation dates within approved job leave and rely on their own employment proof rather than host assurances. Self-funded vacationers staying with a friend only need an informal invitation letter confirming free lodging and trip dates rather than Form I-134, along with proof of their own funds to cover flights and daily spending.

At the interview window, do not push the letter through the slot right away. Answer spoken questions first in one or two plain sentences, and offer the letter only if the officer asks about your host, housing, or event.

Carry a printed copy in your hand luggage when flying. Under USCIS visitor rules, an immigration officer at the port of entry authorizes admission and sets your stay on Form I-94, and staying past that Form I-94 date without departing requires filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, with supporting documents.

Practice example

You say you are visiting your sister in Chicago for three weeks. What does she do there, who is paying for your trip, and why will you return home afterward?

Answer all three parts in short, plain sentences without sliding papers under the glass unless the officer asks for a document. First, state your sister's job title, US city, and legal status, making sure those facts match her invitation letter. Second, say clearly who is paying for your flights and daily expenses. If you pay your own way, know your monthly income and savings. If your sister is covering costs, know her annual income and keep her signed Form I-134 and income copies tabbed in your folder. Third, name the concrete commitments tying you to your residence outside the United States, such as your job, approved leave return date, family staying home, or property. Keep your letter, leave approval, and host status copy organized to hand over in seconds if requested.

The officer is checking three core visitor requirements at once: a temporary trip purpose, sufficient funds for the stay, and an unabandoned residence with binding ties abroad. Answering directly from memory shows you qualify on your own circumstances rather than relying on a host's letter.

This is interview practice, not legal advice. For questions about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney. Visaful is not affiliated with the U.S. government or the Department of State.