Inviting Friends and Family to the U.S.

If your family/friends wish to visit you in the U.S., they may need to apply for a visitor visa. In preparation for their visa application and interview, your family/friends will need to prove:

WHY they are coming to the U.S.
WHAT they will be doing here.
WHERE they are going in the U.S.
WHEN they will be in the U.S.
WHEN they will return to their home country.
HOW they will support themselves while they are in the U.S.

NOTE: If your family/friends need a visitor visa, they need to thoroughly read the instructions for visitor visa applications which can be found on the website of the U.S. embassy/consulate where they will apply for the visa. This is a personal application in which applicants must demonstrate their eligibility through a visa interview.

Useful tips for visa applications

Invitation Letter:

You are responsible in creating your own invitation letter for your friends & family. See sample letter here
Your family/friends may bring a letter from you explaining who you are and what you are doing in the U.S. and that you want to invite them to visit for your graduation (and/or vacation, tour, etc.).
Your letter should list the dates and locations that your family/friends will visit in the U.S.
You should be as specific as possible. Include your name, date of birth, SEVIS ID# (if applicable) and address in the U.S.

Additional (Optional) documentation

Most recent I-20
If you do not have a copy, you can request through ISGSS website under the Forms for international students.
Most recent
Copy of your passport and visa
Proof of graduation (if inviting friends and family for graduation)
MyLewis Portal > Degree Works (you can print this out as proof)
More info for graduation can be found here
Official school transcript 鈥� order here