Letters of Invitation

Written by Owen Thompson on March 16, 2017

If you are residing in Canada as a Canadian Citizen or permanent resident and have friends or family coming to visit from another country, they may ask you to write them an invitation letter. Most often a visitor will need this type of letter if they are coming on a temporary resident or tourist visa. The visitor will submit the letter along with their application to the Canadian embassy closest to them, to support their application to visit Canada.

A letter of invitation needs to contain information about the person inviting the visitor, including their full name, address, date of birth, job information, and details of their family, among other necessities. Requirements of information for an invitation letter can vary depending on who is being invited. A parent or grandparent being invited on a Super Visa will require a different type of letter than a sibling or cousin, for instance. Generally a person giving a letter of invitation allows the visitor to stay with them for at least part of their visit, though this isn’t necessarily required.

A letter of invitation should also indicate how the visitor is going to pay for things like food, travel, and accommodation while they are in Canada. Generally an invitation letter will state that the person inviting the visitor will assist them financially if necessary. A visitor on a temporary resident visa cannot legally work in Canada during their stay, so they must either travel with sufficient funds to cover their visit or be supported by the person who has given them the letter of invitation.

An invitation letter does not mean that the person inviting the visitor is legally responsible for them when they arrive. However, the offers and statements made in the letter should be taken seriously and be made in good faith that they will be upheld. If someone is not able to accommodate a visitor from another country, they should not give an invitation letter.

Invitation letters are often notarized by the person inviting the visitor before being sent to the visitor for use with their application. Notarization confirms that the person signing the letter is the same as the one referred to in the letter, and that the contents of the letter are true to the best of their knowledge. Notarizing the invitation letter can ensure that it is accepted as valid by the Canadian embassy who will issue the visitor’s visa.

Please note that just because a visitor has a letter of invitation, does not automatically mean that they will be issued a temporary resident visa. Visa officers will still have to assess whether the visitor meets all the criteria set out in Canada’s immigration laws.

If you need help writing a letter of invitation or need a letter of invitation notarized, we would be happy to assist you. Contact us

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