The first step towards any international travel is the visa process, which also applies to UK visas. The United Kingdom is a fascinating European country known for its rich history, amazing culture, gorgeous architecture, stunning landscapes, and the like. These are why more than 30 million people visit the UK every year. But anyone who has applied for a UK tourist visa in the past would know how cumbersome the whole process is. Even after submitting all the necessary documents, your UK visa application may get rejected. This is when an additional document like an invitation letter becomes helpful. Here, you will know everything about the invitation letter for a UK visa.
What is an Invitation Letter for a UK Visa?
The letter of invitation, as the name suggests, is a letter through which a citizen or legal resident of the UK invites a person of a foreign nationality to the United Kingdom. This invitation letter reconfirms the person’s purpose for the visit. Also called the sponsorship letter, the invitation letter guarantees the visa officer that the visitor’s financial needs and stay will take care of by the letter writer. A person visiting the UK for tourism, visiting his/her family or friends, or attending a business meeting or conference would benefit from the invitation letter for a UK visa.
Who can Write an Invitation Letter for a UK Visa?
You may reside in the UK, but can you write an invitation letter for a UK visa? Here are the eligibility criteria for this visa.
- The writer of the letter should be a UK citizen or a lawful resident of the UK.
- You can write a letter to invite your family member, friend, spouse, or boyfriend/girlfriend to the country.
- You must have a registered home or apartment, owned or rented.
- There should be enough space in your home to accommodate the person or people you are inviting.
- You must have enough financial resources to support the person(s) staying in the UK for the time specified.
Who Should the Letter of Invitation be Addressed to?
This is quite a common question when writing an invitation letter to a family member or friend. In this case, you can address the letter to your friend or family member or the UK visa officer. Both are acceptable, although the visa official would read both letters. However, visa experts believe that the letter of invitation that is addressed to the visa officer has more weightage than the one addressed to the visa applicant.
What Should be Included in a Letter of Invitation for a UK Visa?
Here are the key elements you should include in the invitation letter for a UK visa.
Details of the Sponsor and Visitor: It is important to establish the identity of the sponsor and the visitor right at the beginning of the letter of invitation. You should begin by introducing yourself, your UK citizenship status, contact information, address, etc. You must also introduce the visa applicant, including his/her full name, nationality, contact details, etc. It is also important to specify your relationship with the person you invite to the UK.
Details of the Trip: The next part of the letter should include all the details of the trip. This includes the dates of the visit. Even if the visitor has not fixed the dates of travel, the tentative dates and the duration of the trip can be specified. Apart from this, it is extremely crucial to mention the purpose of the visit. This could be for tourism, attending a family event like a wedding, to be a part of a family get-together, or to participate in a work conference or meeting.
Details of Accommodation: The letter must include accommodation details of the visitor. If you are hosting the person in your home, this should be mentioned in the letter. You need to provide your home address, specify whether it is rented or owned, and whether you have enough rooms to accommodate the people you have invited. In case there are travel plans within the UK, details of accommodation like hotels, hostels, etc., should also be mentioned in the letter.
Details of Finances: If you are planning to financially support the visa applicant, you need to specify the same in the letter of invitation. Details of what costs you will cover, whether you will support the person partially or completely, and such other details should be included. Alternatively, if the person would be handling his/her own expenses, this should also be mentioned in the letter.
Sample Invitation Letter for UK Visa
To make it easier for you, here is a sample letter of invitation for a UK visa. This letter is addressed to the visa official. You can use this UK visa invitation letter template by adding the names of the people and other details.
Your Name
Your Address in the UK
City, Postal Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Date
To
The Visa Officer
(UK Embassy, City, Country)
Subject: UK Tourist Visa Invitation Letter for (Name of the Person)
Dear Sir/Madam
I am (your name), working at (name of the company in the UK) since (year). I have been living in the UK for more than (number of years) and I am British (citizen/permanent resident).
With this letter, I invite (name of the family member/friend) to visit me in the United Kingdom. (Name of the visa applicant) is my (relationship with the person). He/she would be staying with me for three weeks, from (date of arrival) to (date of departure).
(Name of the visitor) wants to visit the UK to meet me and my family and also to explore the country. He/she would be staying in my home during the duration of his/her stay in the UK. I have enough room in my home to accommodate him/her while he/she is in the UK. Apart from this, we have also planned to explore a few places like (names of the cities or places in the UK.) We would be staying at (name of the accommodation) during our travels.
(Name of the visitor) wants to visit the UK to meet me and my family and also to explore the country. He/she will be staying at my home during the duration of his/her stay in the UK. I have enough room in my house to accommodate him/her while he/she is in the UK. Apart from this, we have also planned to explore a few places like (names of the cities or places in the UK.) We would stay at (name of the accommodation) during our travels.
(Name of the visitor) would be responsible for his/her traveling expenses, although I would be supporting him/her financially during the stay. This includes meals, accommodation, sightseeing, internal travel expenses, etc.
I have attached copies of my passport, legal status, rent agreement/ownership contract, last three months’ bank statements, and booking details of accommodation, along with this letter.
If you need any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to provide you with all the additional documents that you require.
Your Faithfully,
(Your Name)
(Signature)
UK Visa
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FAQs About Letter of Invitation for a UK Visa
1. Is the letter of invitation mandatory for a UK visa application?
No, it is not compulsory to submit a letter of invitation along with the UK visa application. Not submitting an invitation letter may not be one of the UK visa rejection reasons. However, the presence of a UK invitation letter will add credibility to your visa application, improving the chances of visa approval.
2. What should be the tone of the letter?
This will depend on who you are addressing the letter to. If you are addressing the invitation letter to the visa consular, the letter’s tone should be formal. On the other hand, if the letter is addressed to the visitor, the letter can be slightly casual, depending on your relationship with him or her.
3. Do I need to submit supporting documents and the invitation letter?
Yes, attaching supporting documents would strengthen the invitation letter. Here are the documents you will need to submit:
- A scanned copy of the host’s passport
- Proof of UK citizenship or permanent resident status
- Proof of financial status: bank statements for the last three months
- Proof of rental contract or flat ownership
- Flight itinerary or flight details of the visitor
4. Is a digital copy of the letter acceptable?
Yes, a scanned or digital copy of the invitation letter is generally acceptable. However, if the visitor is from a high-risk visa country, the original letter may be required.
5. Is notarizing the letter of invitation for a UK visa necessary?
No, notarization of the letter of invitation is not usually required. However, getting one would enhance the letter’s credibility.
Conclusion
We hope this sample and answered FAQs about UK visa from Dubai will help you write the letter. The letter of invitation for a UK visa would not guarantee that the visa application would get the UK visa approval. However, it will definitely make the visa application stronger. Hence, it should not be skipped.
