If you’re applying for a JAPAN VISA to visit a friend or relative, one of the most important requirements is the INVITATION LETTER (Letter of Reason for Invitation). Thankfully, you don’t need to start from scratch. The Japanese Embassy has provided a standard form that you can use as template to create your own. All you need to do is fill it out and have it sealed or signed.
WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?
Invitation Letter Samples
Whether you have a guarantor or not, if you’re visiting a friend or relative, you need a Letter of Invitation.
Below are links where you can get downloadable forms. These are Word files, so you can easily fill them out digitally.
- DOWNLOAD BLANK INVITATION FORM HERE! If you want to start from scratch, this is for you.
- DOWNLOAD SAMPLE ACCOMPLISHED FORM HERE! If you want to see a sample, get this one. This is also editable. However, my sample entries are yellow-highlighted. You can remove the yellow highlights and replace the entries with your own information.
How to Fill Out Japan Visa Invitation Letter
Ideally, the invitation letter has to be filled out by the inviting party because you will need their seal or signature.
But if you’re the applicant, you can also accomplish the form yourself and just email it to your contact in Japan. Then, ask them to print it out and place their seal or signature. It has to be printed out because the seal/signature has to be original. Once sealed or signed, just ask your contact in Japan to mail it to you.
In this post, I’m assuming you’re the applicant (not the inviter).
Here are some parts that you might have questions about.
- Inviter’s address. Note that Japanese addresses usually start with the larger unit (prefecture) and go smaller (city, building, etc.)
- Inviter’s name. Write the full name.
- Contact numbers. Include the area code. If you don’t have an extension number or fax number, write NONE.
- Seal. Japan citizens and residents have their own personal seal. Foreign nationals who do not have a seal can place their signature instead.
- Inviting Company or Organization. If you’re invited by a company or organization in Japan, add the details here. I didn’t write any sample in this field because I have never experienced being invited by a company. But the form has a note at the bottom that reads, “When a company/organization is extending an invitation, fill out the name of the company/organization as well as your title and affix, and put the registered seal of the representative, or non-registered seal of the company or the sub-organ (a personal seal is unacceptable). If it is difficult to put the seal, a person in a position of authority at the company/organization may put his/her signature.”
- Applicant’s Nationality and Occupation. Enter the applicant’s nationality and current occupation.
- Applicant’s Date of Birth. Note that it’s YEAR/MONTH/DAY.
- Applicant’s Age. It’s often overlooked. Don’t miss it. Just write your age.
- Additional Applicants. If you’re applying alone, write NONE. If you’re applying as part of a group and the group is invited by the same person, write how many other persons are part of that group. For example, when I accomplished this for my mother, I wrote 1 because she was traveling with my niece. If you’re part of a group, don’t forget to accomplish the List of Visa Applicants form.
- Purpose of Invitation. Just write why you’re invited to Japan. Be specific. If you’re attending a wedding, write it down. If there really is no reason other than tourism, write you will be touring with the inviter. When my cousin and mother were invited by my sister (on 2 separate occasions/applications), I wrote something like this: I’m inviting my cousin to come visit me in Hiroshima for 5 days so I could spend time with her and tour her around the city. I plan to take her to Hiroshima Memorial Park and Miyajima.
- Background to Invitation. In this part, you need to provide more details about WHY you’re being invited. For example, my sister has been living in Japan for 5 years now, so I mention that each time I apply for anyone in the family. I write something along these lines: I have been living in Japan for 5 years now and I have not seen my family in a long time. Sometimes I invite them over so I could spend time with them and show them beautiful places here in Japan.
- Relationship with Visa Applicant. Just write down how you’re related.
For Items #10 and #11, if the space provided is not enough, you may use a separate sheet to provide a more detailed explanation.
Other Japan Visa Requirements
The letter of invitation is just one of the requirements to apply for a Japan visa. For the list of other documents, check out the post below:
✅ JAPANESE VISA FOR VISITING FRIENDS OR RELATIVES
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More Tips on YouTube ⬇️⬇️⬇️
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Hi ask ko lang kung san po makakakuha ng letter of invitation and guarantee letter?, pede po bang itype yung info or kelangan sulat kamay po? Thank you
Pwede syang sulat kamay, pwede ring itype.
For invitation letter format, may link sa post sa taas.
For guarantee letter, sa website ng Japan Embassy
Dear sir /Madam
we want to looking tourism in japan and we need invitation letter
Hi my family in Japan are inviting me to visit them. I already received the invitation letter how long does invitations letter valid?
Hi Mhark, di nila sinasabi pero ang personal na rule ko sa sarili ko, 1 month.
hello im del, is it necessary to type it in UPPERCASE letters?
Hi Del, not sure. Pero mas sanay lang ako na uppercase parati basta mga forms.
Hello Sir, ask ko lang po kung paano po ma forward ang invitation letter sa Pinas,.?
Hi, regarding the letter of reason for invitation, there is a part there that tells if the inviting person and guarantor are the same, we can omit that part and just write omitted. Am I going to write omitted in each part? Can you kindly please explain more? or do we still need to complete that section?
Hi Ane, yung ginagawa ko, fini-fill-out ko pa rin ung part na yun kasi yun, never naman ako nagka-problema.
hi. ask ko lang po. sa japan embassy po ba kukuha ng invitation letter? yung mag iinvite yung kukuha ng invitation sa japan embassy para ifill up niya?
Hi Jandis, if you’re referring to Invitation Letter for visa application, hindi po. Idodowload lang online, ififill up tapos lalagyan ng personal seal ng inviter. Di kailangan na sa embassy.
If ang tinutukoy mo ay Invitation Letter for Immigration (Affidavit of Support), yes, sa embassy yun kukunin kung Pinoy ang inviter.
sir hndi po kita nagets dto sa invitation letter na kukunin sa embassy if pinoy ang inviter
I meant, may template po na ginagamit ang embassy, yung “Letter of Reason for Invitation”. Ito po mismong diniscuss sa post na ito. Pwede nyo pong i-download sa website ng embassy.
hello po pupunta po ako sa japan this year po if mag open na. anu po mga requirements po bf ko po mag invite sakin pa papuntang japan slamt.
Here’s our guide po: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/japan-visa-requirements-with-guarantor/
Hi, Yoshke.
Pag ang guarantor is in the Philippines, yung sample letter of guarantee ba na nasa Japan embassy website pa rin ang gagamitin? Yung mother ko kasi ang guarantor nang brother (student) ko, wala na man siyang seal, so signature nya na lang ilalagay?
HI PO PWEDE NYO PO BA AKO SENDAN NG EXAMPLE NG INVITATION LETTER WITH ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS??
Hello I don’t have invitation if you provide me a invitation for a work plz tell me
Hi, should it be typewritten or can i just print a form and answer it using my handwriting? Thank you.
Hi Ciara, either. Both are okay and accepted. :)
Hi, I’m Irine. Tanong Ko lng Po kung pwde Ko invite un sister Ko and her grandson for atleast 2 weeks. I shoulder Ko ang plane ticket nla at iba png expenses. Permanent ako dto pero part time job lng ako. Un sister ko nkarating na sya dto once. Ano Po ang kylangan kong requirements pra mabisita nla ako?
Hi Irine,
Andito po yung requirements for visiting relatives: https://www.thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/japan-visa-requirements-with-guarantor/
Hi bro, The purpose of my invitation is just written for tourism and visiting friend, while back to invitation states,inviting my friend to come visit and explore tokyo for some days, is this okay or it needs to be more detailed pls help me i am so paranoid
Hi Terry, although some details would be a plus, I believe having short, concise answers is okay lang. My sister is like that, too. She only writes 1-2 sentences when explaining the reason for invitation.
Hi hingi lang po ako ng idea. Plan po namin ng gf ko pumunta sya dito sa JApan while working pa ako here in Japan and ano po and importanting req. need sa side ko as here visiting friend?
Hi Francis, check out this post po: https://thepoortraveler.net/2018/03/japan-visa-requirements-with-guarantor/
hello sir. thank you for the tips and recommendations ,
please can you provide a full statement of letter and reason for inviting .
you can send back to my email if you have time .
thank you again for this.
God bless and more power. :)
Hi Herman, I already provided samples in the post. You can use those as your guide.
I can’t write your statement for you because only you know the reason for inviting.
Hi! Is invitation letter still applicable if my boss invited me to stay in their place in japan along with my friends?
And can affidavit of support commence even if non-relative yung i-vouch mo?
For example: My mom will issue affidavit of support to my friend.
Hello, want to consult a Japanese tourist visa, I’m going to / 12/01 in 2019-05, want to go to travel, go to kazakhstan today in Tokyo, Japan to the Japanese embassy passport, the embassy let me provide the “Invitation from Japan, redeemed tour” I can get this information in your here? I’ll pay if I can.
Hi!
dapat po ba na original yung guarantee at invitation letter or pwde bang scanned and email?
saan po banda ilalagay ang salitang “omitted”?pg ang inviting person and guarantor ay the same
hey sir i am Muhammad Irfan pakistan passport holder i want to invitation latter from Japan .
me or my wife
is it okay if we put our girlfriend or boyfriend is inviting us in Japan?