Invitation letter

[dhollander81 0]

I would like to invite a friend from the Gambia to come stay with me for a few weeks while on vacation and I was wondering if I need to send a copy of my birth certificate, drivers license or social security card to verify my identification with the letter of invitation?

[Hypnos 6,578]

Invitation letters at best do nothing to help the applicant's case, and at worst can actually work against them; applicants for a tourist visa need to qualify on their own merits. You will not be involved in the process.

Edited March 27, 2014 by Hypnos

[blk 87]

I would like to invite a friend from the Gambia to come stay with me for a few weeks while on vacation and I was wondering if I need to send a copy of my birth certificate, drivers license or social security card to verify my identification with the letter of invitation?

Hi in answer to you question NO the letter on it's own should be sufficient, just put a contact number in the letter so that if the CBP need to contact you they can. Also if you send copies of documents like you have mentioned someone might get hold of them & could try to steal you ID.

[dhollander81 0]

thank you that was my thoughts exactly so i thought i would ask first before i sent that stuff

[RhettVoe 282]

An invitation letter will not enhance anyone's ability to obtain a tourist visa....it has more chance to work against them than for them. And sending ID and SSN's to random people just doesn't seem wise.

An invitation letter does not exert any form of physical control over an individual...it cannot force someone to depart the US when they are supposed to, and no promise anyone can put to paper is legally enforceable, in regards to the future visa holder's actions.

[Jawaree 718]

A positive answer to your question is...an invitation

letter is not needed the burden of proof is on your guest

Job letter (long term employment to go back =good salary)

Mortagage payment and or Title owning a home( a lease contract if renting)

Savings, stocks or credit union current statements

Any type of contract that's binding at home he has to go back to

If in school show classes, payments made etc

All documents needed his. photo, Passport, Birth-cert (maybe)

A pleasant relaxed conversation with the CO on how long he's staying,

intending place to go, and maybe trick questions if he got a good job

offer would he take it, and questions asked twice in 2 different ways

basically the applicant has to prove he intends to return home, Do not

send your paper-work , you are not petitioning him...goodluck