Inviting Family Members and Friends

 

Inviting Family Members and Friends

If you would like to invite a family member or a friend to visit you in the U.S., you must prepare a personal letter of invitation for your guest. Please know that a letter from ISSS is not necessary for a successful B-2 invitation; your letter of invitation is most important!

Documents Needed to Apply for B-2 Visa

The following documents are required to apply for a B-2 visitor visa:

  • Valid passport
  • Photographs
  • Visa application fee
  • Visa application DS-160

For more information about the B-2 visa, refer to U.S. Department of State Visitor Visas.

Additional Recommended Documents

To help strengthen your B-2 visa application, we recommend that you provide additional documents to clarify that the visit is temporary and/or is for a specific occasion (e.g., graduation ceremony), and that the visitor will be supported financially while visiting the U.S. Most importantly, the additional documents should show proof of ties to the home country to prove that the visitor does not intend to immigrate to the U.S. Proof of ties to the home country may include economic, social, family, or other commitments showing that the visitor intends to return home after a temporary stay in the U.S.

Examples include:

  • Proof of employment – a letter from the employer indicating that this individual is currently employed and taking time off, but is due back at their job on a specific date.
  • Proof of property ownership – house, apartment, or a business.
  • Proof of contact with other family members in the home country.
  • Proof of finances – bank statement, stocks, property.
  • A formal letter of invitation (written by you as the F-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor) indicating the specific reason for the visit (e.g., graduation, wedding, illness, birth of a child). The letter should include information about the purpose of travel and planned itinerary or schedule. It may also include information about your U.S. immigration status as an F-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor.

 

Below is a sample invitation letter for your convenience. Copy and paste the text into a Word document, edit to fit your situation, print, sign, and send to your family member or friend. If more than one person is planning on visiting you, each needs his or her own letter of invitation.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your full name
Your mailing address
 
Date
 
Address for U.S. consulate where visa will be applied for
 
To Whom It May Concern:
 
I am a student or scholar at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), enrolled in the ___________ degree in ________________ program/conducting research in the _____________ program.
I wish to invite my ____________ to visit me during my studies to _____________________ (for example, attend my graduation, wedding, birth of child). 
 
If other activities or travel will occur, add a sentence “After ____________________, my visitor and I plan on visiting ______________________________ to do some sightseeing.”
 
The dates of the visit will be from ________________ to _______________.  In order to enter the U.S., my _______________ will need to apply for the B-2 visa.
 
Relationship:
Last name:
First name:
Date of Birth:                                                                
 
My _____________ will be staying with me during his/her visit at the following address: ____________.  I will provide for his/her living expenses. 
Or:
He/she will be paying for all expenses while visiting me.
 
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
Your full name
Your phone number
Your email

 

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