If you intend to invite someone for a visit to Australia you may write a letter explaining your and the applicant(s) situation. Your letter must include the following information about the person being invited (applicant):
- Complete name.
- Date of birth.
- The applicant’s address and telephone number.
- Your relationship to the applicant being invited (friend, sister, brother, parent, niece, uncle, etc).
- The purpose of the trip (vacation, business visitor, seminar, event).
- How long the visa applicant you are inviting intends to stay in Australia (number of days, weeks).
- Details on accommodation and living expenses (if they will be staying with you or at a hotel, etc).
- The date the person/applicant you are inviting intends to leave Australia.
Your letter must also include the following information about the person writing the letter:
- Complete name.
- Date of birth.
- Address and telephone number in Australia.
- Occupation (job or profession) in Australia.
- Your status in Australia (Permanent resident, Citizen, 482 Visa holder, Student).
- A scan of documents supporting your visa/citizenship status in Australia, living arrangements and financial capability.
Tips for a strong invitation letter
- Use real dates that match the applicant’s flight booking or planned itinerary, and keep the stay to the time actually needed.
- Explain who will pay for flights, accommodation and living costs, and attach evidence such as bank statements if you will be supporting the visitor.
- Mention the visitor’s reasons to return home, such as their job, studies or family, and attach evidence where you can.
- Make sure the details match the visa application exactly. Inconsistent information is a common reason for refusal.
- Sign and date the letter, and include your phone number and email address.
An invitation letter supports an application, but it does not guarantee a visa. The visitor must still show they are a genuine visitor. See reasons for visitor visa refusal and documents required for an Australian tourist visa.
Remember that this is just a sample and should be considered as general information only. Please contact us for a detailed analysis and review of your case.
Example of a letter of invitation
2 March 2026
Sam Smith,
2/85 Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
To Whom It May Concern
Re: Application for Visitor visa (Tourist stream): Bernard Shaw; date of birth 4 April 1990; passport number W9284720
I am writing to confirm that I wish to invite my friend Bernard Shaw to visit me in Melbourne, Australia, for a two week holiday from 10 April 2026 to 24 April 2026.
I am an Australian permanent resident and work as a general practitioner at a medical clinic in Melbourne. I will be on annual leave during his visit.
Bernard will stay with me at my home for the whole of his visit, and he will pay for his own flights and spending money. He will return to the UK on 24 April 2026 to resume his job as a teacher.
Please see attached the following documents:
• Copy of my passport and evidence of my permanent residence
• My lease agreement
• Confirmation of my approved annual leave
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any additional information.
Sincerely yours,
Sam Smith
Phone: [your phone number]
Email: [your email]
Hanna Peterson
55 Eastwood Drive
Melbourne VIC 3145
1 March 2026
Re: Invitation letter for Australian Visitor visas for my parents
Visa applicants: Oscar Peterson (passport number X938472) and Briana Olask (passport number O8372645)
To Whom It May Concern
My name is Hanna Peterson and I would like to ask for consideration of Visitor visas for my parents. I have recently completed my PhD at Victoria University and would love my parents to attend my graduation ceremony on 15 April 2026. I would like them to stay with me for one month, from 5 April 2026 to 5 May 2026. It is a very important event in my life, and I hope to celebrate four years of hard work and study with them.
I currently hold a Temporary Graduate visa that is valid until January 2028. My parents will stay with me in my apartment, and I will help with their living costs during the visit. They will return home on 5 May 2026, where my father works as an engineer and my mother looks after their family home.
I have enclosed the following documents:
- a copy of my passport and visa grant notice
- my graduation ceremony invitation
- my lease agreement
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further information.
Sincerely yours,
Hanna Peterson
Zhong Phan
47/2 St Kilda Road
Melbourne VIC 3004
20 November 2025
Re: Request for Australian Visitor visas for my parents
Visa applicants: Don Phan (passport number) and Senu Hakiwa (passport number)
To Whom It May Concern
I am Zhong Phan and I am an Australian citizen. I have lived in Australia for eight years. I would like to invite my parents to Australia to spend the Lunar New Year holidays with me. They plan to visit from 10 February 2026 to 24 March 2026. As I work full time in Melbourne and cannot take extended leave, I would love to have my parents stay with me for six weeks. My parents have enough money to support themselves while in Australia, and I will provide them with accommodation in my home.
Please see attached the following documents:
Copy of my Citizenship Certificate
My father’s bank statements
Travel itinerary and return flight booking
Should you require further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely yours,
Zhong Phan
Phone: [your phone number]
