If you have a family member or friend applying for a Canadian visitor visa, you may be asked to write an ‘Invitation Letter to Canada’. The purpose of an Invitation Letter is to provide the Immigration Officer assessing the application with important information about the visitor and the purpose of the visit.
Responsibilities of the Person writing the Letter of Invitation to Canada
If you choose to provide an Invitation Letter, you do not become personally responsible for your family member or friend. It is nevertheless very important to be completely honest and forthright when writing your letter. Attempts to mislead Canadian immigration authorities may lead to negative consequences for the person seeking entrance to Canada. These negative consequences can include refusal of the application, a negative immigration record, or a temporary ban from entering Canada, among other potential consequences.
Information to Include in the Letter of Invitation to Canada
The person writing the Invitation Letter must include the following information about himself or herself:
- Full Legal Name (as written in passport)
- Date of Birth
- Full Address in Canada
- Phone Number in Canada
- Job Title
- Status in Canada (e.g. citizen, permanent resident, etc.)
- Photocopy of One Document Confirming Status in Canada (e.g. birth certificate, passport page, citizenship card, permanent resident card, etc.)
Additional details to include about the person writing the Invitation Letter:
- Names and dates of birth of your immediate family members (e.g. spouse and dependents)
- Total number of people living in your household
- Names of people whom you sponsored in the past, whose sponsorship is still in effect
Note the above three pieces of information are considered optional for letters written for regular visitor visa applications. However, for letters written for super visa applications, it is mandatory to disclose all of the above information to the Immigration Officer. For a complete list of information and documentation to provide with visitor visa or super visa applications, consult the checklists and guides provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or speak with an Immigration Lawyer.
In addition to the above information, the person writing the Invitation Letter must include the following information about the visitor:
- Full Legal Name (as written in passport)
- Date of Birth
- Full Address (in country of residence)
- Phone Number (in country of residence)
- The Nature of your Relationship (e.g. brother and sister, childhood friends, etc.)
- Purpose of the Visit
- Expected Length of the Visit
- Expected Dates of Arrival and Departure
- Place where the visitor will stay during the visit
- How the visitor will cover travel-related expenses such as airfare, accommodation, meals, transportation, etc.
If you are writing an Invitation Letter, gather the above-mentioned information before you start writing. When you are ready, write an honest, detailed letter to the Immigration Officer, providing the above information.
To help you out, we have provided the below two sample Letters of Invitation to Canada. The first is written for a hypothetical scenario involving siblings. The second is for a hypothetical scenario involving childhood friends. Please note the examples below should not be copied word-for-word. Instead, use the below examples to gain clarity on how to organize and write your personal letter.
Sample of Invitation Letter for Canada – Siblings
The below sample letter is based on the following hypothetical scenario:
An older brother, Shahrukh Khan, is residing in Canada as a permanent resident. His little sister, Karishma, is residing in India. Karishma is a citizen of India. She is currently living with her parents, and is a full-time student. Shahrukh and Karishma are devout Christians, and they would like to celebrate the Christmas holidays together in Canada.
Sample Letter:
November 13, 2019
Shahrukh Khan
19 Yellowbrick Road
Hamilton, Ontario
L2M 5N5
Ph: 905-555-1919
Dear Immigration Officer,
RE: Letter of Invitation to Canada for Karishma Khan
I am respectfully writing to your office to request your assistance in issuing to my younger sister, Karishma Khan, a visitor visa. I would like for Karishma to visit me in Canada over the upcoming Christmas Holidays.
My name is Shahrukh Khan. I was born on February 1, 1981. I am a citizen of India and a Permanent Resident of Canada. I am attaching a photocopy of my Permanent Resident card to this letter as proof of my status in Canada.
Karishma is a citizen of India. She was born on March 9, 1985. Karishma is single and lives with our parents at their apartment. Their home address is No.66, ‘B’ Block, 3rd Floor, 1st Avenue, Anna Nagar East, Chennai-600102, India. Their home phone number is +91 45 2866 0076.
Karishma is currently a full-time student who is in the midst of completing her Bachelor’s degree at the Chennai Institute of Technology. She has a three-week break from school coming up in December, and would like to use this opportunity to visit me in Canada.
I have booked round trip airline tickets for Karishma with Air India. We are submitting copies of the tickets with her application. We plan for Karishma to depart India on December 20, 2019, and arrive in Canada at Hamilton International Airport on December 21, 2019. Karishma will visit Canada for three full weeks, and will then return to India on January 11, 2020.
I initially came to Canada in 2017 as a student, and I later became a Permanent Resident in September 2018. During this time, I have not had the opportunity to visit my family in India, and I therefore have not seen my little sister for over 2 years. I would love for her to visit me, so we can celebrate Christmas together. We are both devout, practicing Catholics, and Christmas is an especially holy time of year for us. During Karishma’s visit, we will be attending mass at my church in Hamilton, Saint Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church. I will also be taking Karishma to popular tourist spots in Toronto and Niagara Falls.
I reside in Hamilton, Ontario with my wife, Jessica, and our 2-year-old daughter, Lilly. We own a three-bedroom townhouse, and have plenty of space to host Karishma, who will stay with us for the full length of her visit.
I will be covering all of Karishma’s travel-related expenses, including airfare, accommodation, meals, and transportation. I am employed on a full-time basis as an Assistant Manager at General Motors, located in Hamilton at 20 Yellowbrick Road. I will comfortably be able to cover all of Karishma’s expenses during her visit, and doing so will not create any financial burden on me.
Thank you for your assistance. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 905-555-1919, or by email at shahrukh.khan@gmail.com.
Best Regards,
__________________________________________________________________________
Shahrukh Khan
__________________________________________________________________________
Signature & Seal of NOTARY PUBLIC
Sample of Invitation Letter for Canada – Friends
In this second hypothetical scenario, Frank Wang, a Canadian citizen, is inviting his childhood friend, Bill Zhao, from China to visit him for ten days.
Sample Letter:
November 13, 2019
To: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Dear Officer,
RE: INVITATION LETTER TO CANADA – BILL ZHAO (DOB: July 11, 1981)
My name is Frank Wang, and I am a Canadian citizen. I was born on June 10, 1980. Please find attached a copy of my Canadian birth certificate. I live and work in Toronto, Ontario. I am self-employed as a freelance writer, working for a variety of newspapers across Toronto, including the National Post, Toronto Star, and Globe and Mail.
I would appreciate your assistance in issuing to my friend, Bill Zhao, a visitor visa, so he can visit me in Canada for a period of 10 days, from February 2, 2020 to February 12, 2020. Bill was born on July 11, 1981. Bill’s address and contact details in China are as below:
Address: Apartment 12S, Tower B, Central Point
Plaza, No. 1919, Dongzhimen South Ave, Dongcheng District, Beijing,
China, 192220
Phone Number: +86 4000997736
Bill and I have been close friends since we were four years old. I was born in Canada, and I lived in China with my parents from the age of four to fifteen, after which I returned to live permanently in Canada. Bill and I were close friends when I was living in China, and we have maintained our friendship to this day. I have visited him three times over the past five years while visiting China to spend time with old friends. Bill and I have also traveled together on vacation to Australia in 2016, and more recently to the United Kingdom in 2018.
I would like for Bill to visit me in Toronto in February 2020 so I can show him around the city and introduce him to my friends here. Also, we are both interested in minimalist living, and we have purchased tickets to the ‘Becoming Minimalist’ Exhibition at the Meridian Arts Centre in Toronto, on Saturday, February 8, 2020. I have attached copies of our tickets to this letter.
Bill and I are both single, without children. I’ve invited Bill to stay with me at my apartment during his visit. My address is: Apartment 411 – 12 Unicorn Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, M1M 2N2. I will be providing him with accommodations free-of-charge. I live in a large one-bedroom, and I have a sofa bed in my living room where my friend will stay. Bill will be covering all other expenses related to his trip with his personal savings.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. My contact details are as below:
Phone Number: (647) 444-4343
Email: frank.wang@gmail.com
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Best Regards,
__________________________________________________________________________
Frank Wang
__________________________________________________________________________
Signature & Seal of NOTARY PUBLIC
Signing your Invitation Letter for Canada
It is important to sign your letter, as this confirms you have written the letter. If you sign your letter in front of a Notary Public, this eliminates concerns surrounding the authenticity of the letter, as a Notary Public is a trusted official who will verify your identity, prior to witnessing your signature. We would be happy to help if you would like to meet with a Notary Public to have your letter notarized. We can be reached by phone or text at 647-389-4631.
*Please note that information provided on this site is of a general nature, and is not intended as legal advice.