Students Studying in Canada Letters of Invitation

For visitors to Canada, letters of invitation can help to explain the purpose or a reason for a visit to Canada and describe the details about a planned trip.

For visitors that require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to visit Canada, it is a good idea to provide a letter of invitation to support the application.

It is also good practice to have a letter of invitation ready to provide to border officers at ports of entry upon arrival in Canada to help demonstrate purpose of entry. This applies to all visitors if someone is inviting them, including visitors from visa exempt countries.

A letter of invitation does not guarantee that Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue a visa or that Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will allow entry into Canada. Visa officers assess the applications to decide whether the person invited meets the terms of Canada’s immigration laws. Similarly, border officers at ports of entry will consider all the relevant factors in accordance with Canada’s immigration laws, including purpose of entry in making the decision to allow entry.

Writing a letter of invitation does not mean you are legally responsible for the visitor once they enter Canada. You should still write the letter in good faith and you must tell the truth and adhere to any promises that you make in the letter.

A letter of invitation should include the following information:

• At the top left-hand corner of the letter, the letter should include the recipient’s details, whichever is applicable: “Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada,” “Embassy ofCanada-Immigration Section,” “Consulate of Canada-Immigration Section” or “CanadaBorder Services Agency.”
• The letter should be addressed “To Whom it May Concern or “Immigration Officer.”
• The letter should include the date it is written.
• The letter should be signed.
• As the person making the invitation, you should include the following information:

  • Full legal name as it appears on your passport and provide a copy of the biographical page.

  • Date of birth.

  • If you are working, your job title, and employer.

  • Your address, phone number, and contact details such as email address.

  • Relationship to the person that you are inviting. If relevant, provide proof of relationship such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate.

  • Describe your current immigration status in Canada and provide proof (e.g. copy of post-graduate work permit or study permit).

  • Describe the program you are studying or studied, the campus you are studying at or studied at, date of graduation, and mention any relevant dates of significant events, where the event will happen, and provide proof that the event will be happening.

  • Details about your family such as your spouse and dependents’ names and dates of birth.

  • If you are helping to financially support a trip or part of the trip, include proof of funds such as an up-to-date bank statement.

• Information to include regarding the person you are inviting:
  • Full legal name as it appears on the person’s passport.
  • Date of birth.
  • Address and telephone number.
  • Purpose of the trip.
  • Planned duration of the trip including expected departure date.
  • Where the person will be staying and how the person will pay for the trip.

After you have written the invitation letter, you should share it with the person that you are inviting, and they can submit the letter with their application and/or have a copy prepared for when they are entering Canada.

You can find more information on the IRCC website about letters of invitation.

To help with this process, we have also created a PDF version of the information on this page: Letters of Invitation Instructions