When you are making plans to travel to another foreign country, you have to star making plans. Starting from whether you will be allowed to enter the country to where you will be staying and for how long. If you are coming from a country that does not have a lot of free movement in foreign countries, then you will most likely need a visa.
This is the case for many non-EU nationals who want to enter the EU or Schengen zone countries. These people will need a visa to enter any of the participating countries. But getting a visa is a long process and you as an applicant will need many documents required by the country embassy and steps to get it. One of the most important things you have to prove though is that you will not stay illegally in any of the Schengen zone countries. Because of this, having an invitation letter for the Schengen visa is extremely beneficial and will help your application a lot.
This article will guide you through the invitation letter details, their types, and provides visa invitation samples.
What Is an Invitation Letter for Visa?
A visa invitation letter is a written letter from the person you are visiting who lives in the Schengen country you want to go to. The person you are visiting is inviting you to stay with them and by default, they guarantee that you will not stay in the country illegally.
For example, if you are visiting a friend in Germany, they will send you an invitation letter to stay with them for specific dates. They will describe the relationship they have with you and state that they will support you financially if you are unable to for the time you are in the country.
You must attach the invitation letter to the rest of the documents in your application, which you will give to the Embassy. The invitation letter is a strong supporter of your application because the Embassy will know that you are not just going to the country without a purpose. The letter will tell them why you are going and who you are seeing.
So in case you do not return to your home country within the specified time frame, the authorities will know you are staying illegally, but they will also have the contact information of the person you were staying with. That is how they can find you and take the necessary measures if you overstay your Schengen Visa.
If you are planning to travel for a specific purpose to the Schengen area countries, you must make sure that you have an invitation letter. The letter will make it much easier for the Embassy to grant you the Schengen Visa.
How to Write an Invitation Letter?
Writing an invitation is not a very complicated task. As long as the letter includes all the necessary information, you or the person inviting you will not have trouble writing it. Some people choose to write it themselves, but many people opt for VisaGuide. writing service to get their invitation letters. For a small fee, you can have your letter written by professionals and delivered within days. Contact Us Here to write for you
To be able to write a good invitation letter, you can follow the tips below.
Write all the required information
The required information depending on your purpose of visit can include:The date that the letter was written
The Embassy name
Embassy contact information (phone number and address)
Opening salutations and statements
Inviting person’s name
Inviting person’s status in the Schengen country (citizen or permanent resident)
Inviting person’s contact information (phone number, address, and email)
Applicant’s name
Applicant’s passport number
Purpose of travel
Relationship with the inviting person
Dates of travel
Itinerary of travel
Closing salutations
Inviting person’s signature
Necessary document attachments or enclosures
Use formal language
In addition to the necessary information and documents, you must also use formal language in the invitation letter. You must show that you understand the Embassy’s importance and you respect their authority.
The letter of invitation cannot use colloquial language or any local expressions or metaphors. The letter must be straightforward without any embellishments, so as to demonstrate a serious intent to visit the country and also return to your home country. To show how this could be phrased, we have included samples of invitation letters below.
What Are the Types of Invitation Letters to the Embassy?
Since there are many reasons you would want to travel to a Schengen area country, there are also many types of invitation letters. Each type of invitation letter will also require additional supporting documents to prove that what is written in the letter is true. The Embassies are very particular about this and they will not take into consideration an inviting letter without documents that support its claims. Below we have compiled a list of the different types of invitation letters with descriptions of what they are and the necessary documents.
Invitation Letter From Family or Friends for Tourism Purposes
One very common reason people travel to the Schengen area is to visit relatives or friends. This is also seen as a visa for tourism in a particular country. So for the invitation letter for a tourist visa, family or friends must write it for you. The letter must state that you are the person’s relative or friend and that you are going to visit for a specific period of time.
As a supporting document to this invitation letter, you must attach proof of the relationship with the person and clearly state the duration, purpose, and financial status that you have.
This letter could be from your spouse who is an EU or Schengen area national, your parents, or your children. For each one, you must attach a valid marriage certificate or birth certificate to prove your relationship.
Business Invitation Letter for Schengen Visa
Many people need to go to a Schengen country for purposes of business. You might have a meeting with a potential investor or with your foreign partners. Because of this, you will need a business letter of invitation.
The letter must specify the business relationship you have with the person you are visiting and what you will be doing during the time you are in the country. It is a good idea for you to attach an itinerary of the business activities to the invitation letter so you can show what you have planned to work on during your time there.
You must also attach a letter from your employer confirming that you are an employee in a specific company and the details of your work. This includes your job position, dates of employment, salary, and why it is necessary for you to leave the country for business purposes.
Sponsor Letter for Schengen Visa
Besides going to a Schengen country for business, you could be invited to a conference to give a presentation, speech, or attend a trade show. The invitation letter must be from the person or company sponsoring you to go to this activity. The organizers of the conference or trade show must write the invitation letter and clearly state your name there.
The letter must say why you are the right person for this event, and other details such as the itinerary, conference dates, and where you will stay. The sponsor must also write, whether they will pay you for participating or whether they will cover your expenses.
Finally, the letter must clearly show the contact information and certificate of registration of the company or person sponsoring you for this event.
