Sometimes, when you apply for a visa to visit Canada, we ask you to give us a letter of invitation from someone in Canada.
A letter of invitation does not guarantee that we will issue a visa. Visa officers check you to decide whether or not you meet the phrases of Canada's immigration regulation.

Information for the person writing the letter of invitation

Writing an invitation letter does not make you the visitor's legal guardian after they enter Canada. The letter should still be written in a sincere manner. You must be sincere and have a strategy in place to uphold the commitments you make in the letter.

If the visa office requests it, get your letter notarized and send it to the individual you are inviting to Canada. When a person applies for a temporary residence visa, they must send this letter to the Canadian embassy or consulate abroad.

You must include this information about the person you are inviting:

• Complete name
• Date of birth
• Address and telephone number
• Your relationship to the person
• The purpose of the trip
• How long the person plans to stay in Canada
• Where the person will stay
• How he or she will pay for things
• When the person plans to leave Canada

You must include this information about yourself:

• Complete name
• Date of birth
• Address and telephone number in Canada
• Job title
• Whether you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• A photocopy of a document proving your status in Canada
• Details of your family, such as names and dates of birth of your spouse and dependants
• The total number of people living in your household, including people you sponsored whose sponsorship is still in effect