If you have friends or family members planning to visit you in the UK, they will need to apply for a standard visitor visa before they travel.
Visitor visa applicants are required to complete an online form and submit supporting documentation to evidence their eligibility to come to the UK as a tourist. In addition, it is generally advisable for visitor visa applicants to also submit a visa sponsorship letter in support of their application.
For visa sponsorship letter to be considered by the consular officer in support of the application, it should be written by a UK citizen or a UK lawful permanent resident. The individual should also have a relationship with the visa applicant, such as being a relative, friend or partner.
The individual should also have a registered place of residence in the UK and have enough room to accommodate the visitor for the entire period of their visit to the UK, unless either they or the applicant can provide clear evidence of alternative accommodation.
While there is no specific, prescribed format for a visa invitation letter, the ‘sponsor’ should consider including the following information in their letter:
While it is not mandatory for a visitor visa sponsor to provide financial support or accommodation for the applicant, if the sponsor is providing such support, the sponsor should make reference to this in the letter. This will require you to detail your occupation and income, as well as the extent of support you will be providing to the applicant during their visit. For example, how much financial support will you be giving, and will you be providing accommodation.
As discussed, there is no right or wrong format for a sponsorship invitation letter for a UK visa. That said, the following practical tips will help you to structure and write a letter that will have more impact in supporting a successful outcome for the visa application:
Having drafted your invitation letter, you should send this, together with any supporting documents, to the applicant so that they can include this within their visa application. Do not send your sponsor letter directly to the Embassy.
There are no rules stating what documents you should provide when sponsoring someone to come to the UK, although these could include any of the following:
In addition to a visa sponsorship letter, the applicant will also need to submit documents evidencing their eligibility for a UK visitor visa. This will require them to provide proof of their:
Applicants are advised to remember that applications are more likely to be refused on the grounds of a lack of evidence, making it important to focus on building up supporting documentation to evidence their intention of returning to their home country.
Note also that if the application is refused, there is no right of appeal for a visit visa. While it is possible to make a new visitor visa application after a refusal, applicants should ensure they address the reasons for refusal, as detailed in the notification letter, in their new application.
DavidsonMorris are experienced UK immigration specialists offering guidance and support to individuals in relation to their UK immigration status and making Home Office applications. We can advise on the eligibility criteria you will need to evidence and the process you will need to follow for your application. We can also help where you have dependants applying for permission to join you in the UK.
Whether you are applying for a UK visa or settlement, or if you have ILR and are looking to apply for a biometric residence permit as proof of your settlement, we can help.
For specialist UK immigration advice, contact us.
A sponsorship letter is used if you are inviting someone to visit you in the UK.
Under Paragraph 35 Part I of the Immigration Rules, visitor visa applicants should provide a letter from their sponsor as proof of their invitation to the UK.
Your sponsorship letter should include information such as your full contact details and details of the person you are sponsoring.
The applicant will need to show they have enough funds to cover their needs during their visit. UK immigration rules do not specify what is acceptable in terms of funds, so it is recommended to take advice on the specific circumstances.
Last updated: 10 November 2022
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/ Anne Morris https://www.davidsonmorris.com/author/anne/As employer solutions lawyers, DavidsonMorris offers a complete and cost-effective capability to meet employers’ needs across UK immigration and employment law, HR and global mobility.
Led by Anne Morris, one of the UK’s preeminent immigration lawyers, and with rankings in The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, we’re a multi-disciplinary team helping organisations to meet their people objectives, while reducing legal risk and nurturing workforce relations.
Legal Disclaimer
The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct at the time of writing, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.
