How to Write an Invitation Letter for Canada Visa Correctly (Sample Included)

There are many reasons you may be applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to Canada. It could be to visit friends or family, for tourism, or business.

It is a good idea to include an invitation letter with your Canada visa application, even if Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not ask for it.

The letter should be written on company or personal letterhead and include: contact information of the person extending the invitation; their relationship to you (friend, relative); how long they will host you; what financial commitments they will make during your stay; where in Canada they live; and more.

We’ve gone through the details of what a Canada visitor visa invitation letter is and added sample invitation letters as well. Read on!

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What is an Invitation Letter for Canada Visa?

A Canada visitor visa invitation letter is a simple letter written and signed by someone you have a close relationship with within Canada, inviting you to the country. The person can be your relative, friend, or business partner, but you must have a close relationship with him or her, and they should be able to vouch for your identity and the purpose of your visit. 

Whether you are applying for a Canadian temporary resident visa or a business visa, a letter of invitation can strengthen your application.

The person inviting you is basically guaranteeing the Canadian Consulate that you are not giving false information about your reasons to enter Canada, that you will not overstay your visa, and that they can provide you financial support if you can not. However, the invitation letter does not guarantee your visa approval.

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Who Needs an Invitation Letter to Visit Canada?

Most people intending to visit Canada will not need an invitation letter for a Canada visa. People who are qualified or eligible for an eTA (electronic travel authorization) do not need to include an invitation letter in their application.

Citizens of other countries apart from the United States travelling to Canada have to apply for a paper visa at Consulates or Canadian Embassies. Most of these applications will not require an invitation letter, but applicants are asked to present one in some cases. 

The invitation letter only strengthens the visa application with a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident (such as a student) backing. It does not guarantee visa approval. 

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Who is Qualified to Write An Invitation Letter for Canada Visa?

As stated earlier, anyone close to you that resides in Canada can help you write an invitation letter for a Canada visa. The person can be a close relative or friend and must meet the following requirements:   

• The person inviting you must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• The person could also be a temporary resident in Canada with legal status, such as an international student inviting their family or friends for their graduation.
• He or she cannot be an illegal immigrant.
• He or she must have good standing status in Canada. 
• The person should have a job and stream of income, if they are finally responsible for your visit. This will increase the chances of their letter yielding a positive result. 

An invitation letter for a Canadian working visa application must come from the Canadian host company. The letter should be written by a representative of the company.

Business visitors who would require a letter of invitation from a Canadian company can be:

• Partners.
• Investors.
• Employees.
• Existing or potential buyers.
• Conference visitors.
• People who are coming for training at the company’s Canadian premises from overseas. 

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What Should a Canada Visitor Visa Invitation Letter Contain?  

The invitation letter for the Canada Visa has to contain some information to be accepted. If the person does not include all the required details, the Canadian Consulate may not accept the letter, and it can even end up hurting your chances of getting the visa. The requirements are in three sections: 

1. The visa applicant’s information.
2. The information of the person inviting the applicant.
3. Super visa invitation letter (specific information, if applicable).

Let’s discuss them one after the other.

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1. The Visa Applicant’s Information

The person writing the invitation letter for Canada visa must include the following information about you:

• Your full name (first name, last name, and any middle names);
• Date of birth;
• Your contact information (the current address you are applying from, your telephone number, and email);
• The relationship you have with the person inviting you (brother or sister, friend, nephew, etc.)
• How long you intend to stay in Canada
• The purpose of the trip to Canada (e.g., family visit, work, tourism, etc.)
• Where you will stay in Canada and how you plan to pay for your stay;
• The date you will arrive in Canada and the date you plan to leave.

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2. The Information of the Person Inviting the Applicant

The person writing the invitation letter for Canada visa must include the following information about themselves:

• Their full name (first name, last name, and any middle names);
• The date of birth;
• Contact information- their exact address in Canada and a telephone number and email they can be reached. 
• Their status in Canada (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) 
• Proof of status. For citizens- providing a photocopy of: 
  • Canadian citizenship card or passport if the person naturalized as a citizen, i.e., swore an oath;
  • Canadian birth certificate or citizenship certificate if the person was born in Canada;
  • For permanent residents- photocopy of their Permanent Resident (PR card) or the IMM 1000 (Record of Landing document).
• Their job title
• The names and dates of birth of the close family members and dependents of the person sending the invitation letter.  
• The total number of people living in the person’s household, including people that the person has sponsored for permanent residence previously or those who are still being sponsored.  

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3. Super Visa Invitation Letter (Specific Information, If Applicable) 

What is a Super Visa? It is a visa that allows parents and grandparents to visit their children or grandchildren for a period longer than six months. Since the visa’s validity is longer than that of other Temporary Resident Visas (TRV), the super visa invitation letter must contain some additional information to the ones above. 

Children and grandchildren who are inviting their parents or grandparents to Canada have to include the following in the super visa invitation letter: 

• A declaration written and signed by the child or grandchild that they will provide their parents or grandparents financial support throughout their entire stay in Canada;
• Evidence that the child or grandchild have enough income equal to or above the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) to provide for the total number of people living in the household, as well as the visiting parents or grandparents.

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RELATED -> Complete List of Canada Visa Application Documents for Nigeria

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Does The Invitation Letter for Canada Visa Need to be Notarized? 

In some cases, the person inviting you has to notarize the letter of invitation in Canada. However, there’s no way you can tell if the visa officers will ask for a notarized invitation letter. But, it is better to be safe and have a notarized copy prepared and ready for submission in case they request it. 

These can help you:

• If you are asked to submit your biometrics as part of your visa application, then the person inviting you to Canada should notarize the letter before sending it to you. You can check if you need biometrics by selecting your country and age.
• If you’ve had any problem with the Canadian authorities previously, you should also have your invitation letter notarized.

A Commissioner for Oaths or a Notary Public will have to sign your letter or a certificate attached to the letter for your Canada visa invitation letter to be notarized.

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How to Send the Canada Visa Invitation Letter

The person inviting you to visit Canada should sign and date the letter to make it more official. After this, they can scan it and email it to you. If the Canadian Consulate requests the letter to be notarized, they should do this before sending it. 

However, a notarized letter may need to be mailed. Mailing is pretty slow, causing the letter to take longer to arrive. So, in this case, they should not send the notarized letter by regular mail. Instead, they should mail the letter through a service that tracks the letter to prevent it from getting lost.

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How to Submit the Canada Visa Invitation Letter

After receiving the invitation letter, there’s no need to submit it separately from other documents. Instead, if possible, you should submit it when you submit your initial Canadian visa application. Do not wait till the visa office requests you to submit an invitation letter before you do, as this can delay your application.

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RELATED -> Canada Visitor Visa: Simple Steps on How to Apply in Nigeria

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Is the Person Inviting Legally Responsible for the Visa Applicant? 

The writer of the invitation letter is not legally responsible for the person they invite. Visitors are held responsible for their actions once they arrive in the country.

The letter of invitation only helps convince or assure the immigration officers that the visitor has a genuine reason to visit Canada and has financial support (if applicable) and a place to stay.

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Letter of Invitation Canada Sample

To give you a clearer picture of everything we’ve discussed, we’ve added an image of a complete letter from a person inviting their close family friend to stay in Canada. 

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Letter of Invitation – Canada Sample Template for Parents, Family Members, Friends, and Other Visitors

Below is a template of an invitation letter for Canada visa. The italicized words indicate where the person will write the personal information. You can follow this template and include your information:

Date 

The Canadian High Commission
(Address of the Embassy)
(Country of the Embassy)

SUBJECT: Letter of Invitation for (Full Legal Name of Applicant as noted on their passport)

Dear Visa Officer,

My name is (Full Legal Name of the Person Inviting) and I am the (relationship to the applicant – daughter, son, brother, sister, spouse, friend, etc.) of (Full Legal Name of Applicant). I am a (current status in Canada – citizen, permanent resident, international student), and I live at (complete Canadian address). My household has (total number of people who live in the home), and I work as (job title, company, and location), earning (monthly or yearly income).

This is to confirm that I am inviting (Full Legal Name of Applicant), born on (date of birth) and currently residing at (the exact address of the applicant) to Canada for a temporary visit. I will be hosting (Name of Applicant) at my residence from (date of arrival) till (departure date).

(Name of Applicant) has strong economic, financial, and family ties to their home country, (Name of Country). He/She currently works (job title and location), and earns (monthly or yearly income) with which they will afford to stay in Canada. (Name of Applicant) is a legitimate visitor who will not overstay their visit in Canada. He/She has visited (Name of other countries the applicant has visited – the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, etc.) in the past and returned back to their home country.

Kindly find attached a copy of my (Proof of status in Canada – Canada citizenship certificate, Canada birth certificate, PR card, study permit, work permit, etc.) and my bank statement for the past six months. [Note: You do not need to provide your bank statement if you will not be financially responsible for the applicant during their visit to Canada.]

Should you require any additional information, you may reach me via my contact information provided below.

Sincerely,

(Signature)
(Full Legal Name of the Person Inviting the Applicant)
(Phone Number)
(Email Address)

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Final Words: Invitation Letter, Canada

Now that you know what an invitation letter for Canada visa is and how to write one don’t forget to include all the necessary information in the letter to prevent any ambiguity.

Remember that providing a letter of invitation from a resident of Canada is not a guarantee that your Canada visa will be approved. However, it certainly helps to provide one.

What if you followed all these steps and your Canada visa was not approved? Learn about the chances of getting a Canada TRV after refusal.

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