Inviting Family Member to Visit the U.S.

During your studies at PLU, you may want to invite your parents or other family members to visit you. Although there is no guarantee, providing your family members with an invitation letter from you may improve their chances of obtaining a visitor’s visa (B-2) at a U.S. consulate or embassy in their home country. This page will guide you in writing an invitation letter.

What we recommend to include in the letter

  • Your full name and and your International Student (F-1/J-1) status at PLU.
  • Visitor’s full name, date of birth and relationship to you
  • Purpose of the visit (To do sightseeing and/or to attend your commencement;  for commencement, make sure to include date).
  • Where visitors will be staying during the visit.
  • Itinerary details and the length of time they will be visiting, if known.

Example Letter templates

Additional Tips

  • If there are multiple visitors, you can write a separate letter for each visitor or include multiple visitors in one letter.
  • Letters do not need to be original. You can scan & email it or fax it to your family.
  • For additional information about U.S. consulate/embassy locations and application procedures, review the U.S. Department of State Visa information.

Please note that ISS staff are unable to write letters of invitation for your family members.