Inviting Relatives & Friends: B-2 Tourist Visa
To invite your relatives (any family members other than your spouse and children) and friends to the United States, send the following to the person(s) invited:
- A letter of invitation written by YOU in English, stating that you would like to
invite the person for a visit. The letter should include:
a. the length of the visit
b. who will provide financial support for the visit
c. the purpose of the visit, e.g., to attend graduation - If the visit is to attend your graduation ceremony, give your family the invitations to the ceremony to bring with them to the visa interview** (**if you have not yet received the graduation invitations, the graduate school (143 Caldwell) can give you a letter of invitation to the graduation ceremony for your family members, or if you are an undergraduate, ask your college advising office for such a letter.)
- Evidence of your student or scholar status such as a copy of your I-20 or DS-2019
- If you will support the person's visit financially, you should provide evidence of financial support (a bank statement, your assistantship letter, your sponsor's letter, etc.).
Your family members or friends should also bring “proof of ties” to home country with them when they apply for the visa stamp at the U.S. consulate, such as:
- copies of deeds to any property (land, house, apartment) they own at home
- bank statements of any accounts they maintain at home
- if they are employed, they could bring a letter from that employer stating that they will return to their job after the visit to the U.S.
If your friend is a citizen of one of participating countries in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), please check this information.
Please check these pages for inviting your spouse and children.