Format of invitation letter (accomodation)

[Random]

Folks,

I have recd. HSMP approval and am planning to go for my EC shortly.

Can somebody help me with what needs to be written by a friend of mine who will write an invitiation letter to me as a proof of accomodation.

Also is the copy of my friend's passport required at all?

Thanks in advance

[Saint]

It's a simple letter from your friend, saying that you'll be staying with him/her during your time in the UK. You might want to include documentation to prove your friend's legal residence in the UK. I would add:

- Copy of passport (identity pages)

and if not EU citizen

- copy of visa page

a letter from his/her employer might help but shouldn't be necessary.

[John]

Saint78, I have no expertise at all in this area, but isn't it also necessary to show that the accommodation is "suitable" and certainly will not be overcrowded, as defined?

[deborahCO]

I just wrote an email to my friend and asked him to verify & send his residence address in the return email. Are you saying you don't think that'll suffice?

[Saint]

John: Well I know a few friends who used invitations and they didn't need it, I myself used invitation letters for visit (I know it's not very relevant but it's still the same form) visas a couple of times and was never asked about proof of suitability of the place (how will you prove it anyways). But I am no expert either and it might depend from country to country.

DeborahCO, I wouldn't count on e-mail..

[bani]

my friend supplied me with a letter for a visitor visa previously. he used the sponsorship page of British Embassy Manila as a guide.

http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servle ... 9287486166

here are the relevant parts I can see -

What evidence can I supply?

There are no hard and fast rules about what documentation you should produce when sponsoring a visitor to the UK. You may wish to produce evidence of your own immigration status in the UK, and there are some other things you can do, particularly if the visit is for a special reason:
If the visit is for a holiday and you are a relative or a friend, a letter of sponsorship explaining your relationship to the applicant and why the visit is taking place at this particular time may be helpful.

If you are offering to provide support and accommodation or to pay for travel to the UK, you must provide evidence of your ability to do so. The following would be helpful:

a letter of sponsorship detailing your occupation and salary and how you will be supporting and accommodating the applicant. There is no need to have this letter attested before a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths

evidence of your ability to finance the trip, such as copies of your last six months' bank or building society statements and salary slips. If you are in receipt of public funds the entry clearance officer will need to consider carefully how long you will be able to maintain additional people on limited means; you will not be able to seek additional public funds to support the applicant

[deborahCO]

That seems like an awful lot of items when I've read elsewhere that a 2 weeks (or more) hotel reservation would also suffice. My friend won't be supporting me, just giving me a couch to crash on for 2 weeks or so while I'm looking for a place to live. Do they really require/need proof of his employment?

[bani]

they tend to be more strict in manila. my friend was only providing me with accommodation as well. he sent me a letter addressed to the consulate confirming my accommodation, then scanned copies of his passport, work permit, electric bill and nhs card as proof of residence and status in the UK. these were just emailed to me and i printed them out for the consulate.

[Alagomeji]

Bani, i got something like that too, emails, and scanned documents.