What is it and when is it requested?
When you apply for a visa to visit Canada, IRCC will in some cases ask you for a letter of invitation written by someone in Canada. Its role is to help confirm that the purpose of your visit is genuine and that someone there is expecting you.
The process is simple: the person inviting you writes the letter and sends it to you. You must then include it with your visitor visa application (Temporary Resident Visa or TRV), along with the rest of your supporting documents.
A letter of invitation does NOT guarantee the visa
This is the most important point, and the one that causes the most confusion. The letter is a supporting document, not an approval. Visa officers assess your whole case to decide whether you meet the terms of Canada's immigration law. A well-written letter helps, but it does not replace ties to your home country or proof of financial means.
Who writes the letter and what does it imply?
It is written by the person inviting you from Canada — a relative, a friend or a contact. Writing the letter does NOT make that person legally responsible for the visitor once they enter Canada.
Even so, the letter must be written in good faith: whoever signs it must tell the truth and genuinely intend to keep the promises made in it (for example, the accommodation being offered).
📋 Key Facts
- Who writes it: The person inviting you, from Canada
- What it is for: Helps confirm the purpose of your visit
- Guarantees the visa? No. The visa officer decides
- Legal responsibility? It creates no legal responsibility
- Where it goes: Included with the TRV application
- Requirement: Written in good faith and truthfully
✈️Information about the person being invited
The letter should include the following information about the person travelling to Canada:
- Complete name
- Date of birth
- Address and telephone number
- The relationship between the traveller and the person inviting them
- The purpose of the trip
- How long the person plans to stay in Canada
- Where the person will stay, and how they will pay for things
- When the person plans to leave Canada
🏠Information about the person writing the letter
The person inviting must include their own details:
- Complete name
- Date of birth
- Address and telephone number in Canada
- Job title
- Whether they are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident
- Details of their family, such as names and dates of birth of their spouse and dependants
Proof of status in Canada
They must also attach a photocopy of a document proving their status in Canada, such as:
- A Canadian birth certificate, if they were born in Canada
- A Canadian citizenship card, if they are a naturalized citizen
- A copy of their PR card or their IMM 1000 proof of landing, if they are a permanent resident
- A Secure Certificate of Indian Status or Certificate of Indian Status (status card)
✍️ The letter is written by the person inviting
Everything above is a guide to what information to include — not a form or an official template. IRCC is clear on this: the letter of invitation must be written by the person doing the inviting, in their own words. There is no mandatory format.
💡 Important Tips
- •The letter isn't required in every case. IRCC asks for it in some cases, and it helps most when the purpose of the trip is visiting family or friends.
- •Be specific with dates. A letter saying "they will come for a few weeks" is weaker than one stating concrete entry and exit dates that match your itinerary.
- •Make clear who pays for what. If the host covers accommodation, say so; if you cover your own expenses, the letter should reflect that and your bank statements should back it up.
- •The letter must be consistent with the rest of your application. If the letter says you're staying 3 weeks but your itinerary shows 3 months, that contradiction works against you.
- •Don't embellish or exaggerate. The letter is written in good faith and truthfully — a promise there's no intention of keeping can hurt both the visitor and the host.
- •If the trip is for business, IRCC has a separate guide for business visitor letters of invitation.
Official Sources
- IRCC — Letter of invitation for visitors to Canada (Government of Canada)
- IRCC — Letter of invitation for business visitors
- IRCC — Apply for a visitor visa
Information verified July 2026. Requirements may change. Always check official sources before applying.
Need help with your Canadian visa?
At The Clubbe we are experts in Canadian visa applications. We review your letter of invitation to make sure it has everything IRCC expects, complete the forms, organize your documents and guide you step by step until your visa is approved.