- International Student and Scholar Services
- Students
- Inviting Family
Inviting Family Members to Visit You in the U.S.
ISSS does not issue invitation letters for family members planning to visit students in the U.S. According to guidance from the U.S. Department of State, an invitation letter from Northern Illinois University is not needed for your relatives to apply for a visitor's visa. For specific instructions on what is needed for a B-1/B-2 tourist visa, please refer your family member to the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where they plan to apply for the visa.
Writing Your Own Invitation Letter
As a student in F-1/J-1 status, you are welcome to write your own invitation letter for family members that you plan to host. Your letter should confirm that you are an NIU student and that you would like to invite your family members to visit you in the U.S. Confirm the address where the visitors will stay in the U.S. You should also include your family member's name, home country address, birth date, relationship to you, and passport number.
A sample invitation letter template is provided below, which you can download and customize with information relevant to your visitors.
View sample invitation letter.
Additional Documentation
Depending on the U.S. embassy or consulate that your relatives will visit, other documentation may be required. This can include planned itineraries or schedules, family registers and/or photos evidencing relationship, copies of your passport, etc.
Be sure to visit the specific embassy or consulate website for a full list of required documentation. View a list of all embassies and consulates.
