While you will be required to provide a range of different documents when applying for a temporary resident visa in Canada, the majority of those documents will not need to be notarized. At Sidhu & Associates, we understand that applying for Canadian immigration can often be a confusing process. That is why we are always willing to take the time to answer any questions you might have about notarized documents for Canadian immigration.
What is a Letter of Invitation?
Depending on your country of origin, you may be required to apply for a temporary resident visa or a visitor visa before entering Canada; however, in order to obtain a visitor visa, you will be required to submit a letter of invitation to the embassy or consulate that you are applying for the visa from. A letter of invitation must be written by the person who will be hosting you and will need to be notarized by a notary public.
Letter of Invitation Requirements
In order for a letter of invitation to be considered valid, the host must fulfill the following requirements:
- Must be a citizen or lawful permanent resident
- Must be the applicant’s friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, or relative
- Must have a registered home
- Must have enough room for the applicant
What Should be Included in a Letter of Invitation?
A letter of invitation can either be addressed to the applicant or to the consular officer and must confirm that the host will accommodate the applicant in their home for the entire duration of their stay in Canada. When writing a letter of invitation, it is important to ensure that it contains some important details about the host, including:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Occupation
- Type of home
- Host’s status in Canada
- Signature
The invitation letter must also contain the following information about the applicant:
- Full name as shown on their international passport
- Date of birth
- Address
- Phone number
- Relationship with the host
- The purpose of the trip
- Exact entry date and exit date
In some cases, the embassy may be able to provide you with its own invitation form, so it is important to ask about it when getting the checklist of required visa documents. If the embassy has its own form, your host will only have to fill out the empty spaces with the right information.
If you are interested in learning more about notarized documents for Canadian immigration or about letters of invitation, or if you are interested in any of our services, please contact Sidhu & Associates at 604-859-4825 or fill out a contact form on our website.
