Anyone who visits Canada must apply from outside the Country. When someone applies for a visa to visit Canada, they are sometimes asked to provide a letter of invitation from someone in Canada. You may provide your family member or friend a letter of invitation in support of their visa application. The letter of invitation needs to include information about you and the person you are inviting. The letter should explain how you will help the visitor during their stay; the purpose of the trip; where the visitor will stay and when the visitor will be leaving Canada. For example, you may offer to pay for plane tickets or provide accommodation during the visitors stay in Canada. The primary questions in the visa officer’s mind is “Will the visitor return to his or her own country when the visitor visa expires?” and “Does the visitor have sufficient means to support himself or herself while visiting Canada?

A letter of invitation can help, but does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. Visa officers assess and decide whether the visitor meets the terms of Canada’s immigration law.

Some visa officers may require that the Letter of Invitation be notarized.

For more information on letters of invitation, visit the Government of Canada website.