In short: Your parents do not need an invitation letter for a US visitor (B-1/B-2) visa. The State Department says a letter of invitation or an Affidavit of Support is not needed, and if they bring one, it is not one of the factors used to issue or deny the visa. What decides the case is their own ties to Guatemala: a home they are not leaving, a trip with an end date, and a legitimate purpose. If you are paying for the trip, evidence of that is something the State Department says applicants may show. A template is at the end if you still want one. This is general information, not legal advice.
This page is for the moment when the parents get an interview date at the embassy in Guatemala City, and someone in the US starts writing a letter. Plenty of people will tell you the letter is essential. The State Department says the opposite, and it says so plainly.
We read the State Department’s visitor visa page and the section of the Foreign Affairs Manual that consular officers follow for B visas (9 FAM 402.2) on 24 September 2026. This page reports what they say. It does not predict how any officer will decide a case.
What the State Department says about invitation letters
On its visitor visa page, the State Department says:
- Applicants must qualify on their ties abroad, to their home country, rather than assurances from US family and friends.
- “A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa”
- If an applicant chooses to bring one to the interview, the page says it “is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa”.
That is the honest answer. A letter does not unlock a visa, and not having one does not sink an application.
What the officer weighs instead
The Foreign Affairs Manual, 9 FAM 402.2-2(B), tells officers to assess whether a visitor visa applicant:
| The officer checks whether the applicant… | What that means for your parents |
|---|---|
| Has a residence in a foreign country they do not intend to abandon | Their home in Guatemala, and a life there to come back to |
| Intends to enter for a specifically limited period | A trip with a clear end date that fits the purpose |
| Seeks admission only for legitimate business or pleasure | Visiting family is a recognised B-2 purpose (9 FAM 402.2-4(A) lists social visits to relatives or friends) |
If an applicant fails any one of these, the manual says the officer must refuse under section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Three more points from the same sources are worth knowing before the interview:
- Ties can be shown simply. The State Department’s visitor page says evidence of employment or family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of the trip and the intent to return home.
- Leaving someone behind does not count as proof. The manual says an applicant cannot overcome an officer’s doubts about returning by offering to leave a child, spouse or other dependent abroad.
- The length of the visit matters less than whether it has an end. The manual’s section on temporary stays says the period must be consistent with the purpose, and that the applicant must have specific and realistic plans for the whole visit.
Where you, the relative in the US, actually come in
Your role is narrower than a letter suggests:
- Paying for the trip. The State Department’s visitor page says that if applicants cannot cover all the costs, they may show evidence that another person will cover some or all of them. If you are paying for flights or hosting your parents, evidence of that can go in their folder. It supports the question of who pays. It does not replace their ties to Guatemala.
- Keeping the story consistent. Whatever you write, your parents will be asked about the trip themselves. The State Department’s visitor page warns: “Attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States”. Make sure the dates and purpose in any letter match what your parents will say.
- Knowing the timeline. Interview waits in Guatemala City, the fee, and which booking site to use are covered in our page on US visa interview wait times in Guatemala City.
If you still want to write a letter: a plain template
If you want a letter anyway, for your own peace of mind or because your parents feel better carrying one, keep it short and factual, and make sure every line matches what your parents will say. Do not add anything you cannot back up.
[Your full name]
[Your address in the United States]
[Phone] · [Email]
[Date]
To the Consular Officer
Embassy of the United States of America, Guatemala City
Re: Visit of [parent's full name], passport no. [number]
I am writing to say that I have invited my [mother / father / parents],
[full name(s)], who live in [town, department], Guatemala, to visit me
in [city, state] from [arrival date] to [return date].
During the visit they will stay at my home at the address above.
[I will pay for their round-trip tickets / They will pay for their own
trip / I will cover their expenses while they are here.]
The purpose of the visit is [a family visit / to attend my graduation /
to meet their grandchild], and they plan to return to Guatemala on
[return date].
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Your full name]
A few notes on the template:
- You do not have to include your immigration status. The letter is not a required document, so it does not need to cover everything.
- Match the dates to the ones your parents give at the interview.
- Do not promise anything you cannot show, for example that you will pay for everything, if you would not be able to document it.
- Notarizing: none of the sources we read mentions notarizing the letter.
Before the interview: what matters more than any letter
- Your parents answer for themselves, about their home, work, family and plans in Guatemala.
- The trip has an end date that fits the purpose.
- If you are paying, there is evidence of who pays.
- Everything they say matches everything in writing, including any letter.
Sources, read on 24 September 2026: the State Department’s visitor visa page (travel.state.gov blocks scripted requests, so we read the Internet Archive copy of 11 July 2026) and the Foreign Affairs Manual, 9 FAM 402.2, B visas (update CT:VISA-2193, 19 March 2026). General information, not legal advice. En español: Carta de invitación para la visa americana.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my parents need an invitation letter for a US tourist visa?
No. The State Department’s visitor visa page says a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a visitor visa, and that if you choose to bring one to the interview, it is not one of the factors used in determining whether to issue or deny the visa. Applicants have to qualify on their own ties to their home country, not on assurances from US family and friends.
Then what does the consular officer look at?
The Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM 402.2-2) tells officers to assess whether the applicant has a residence abroad they do not intend to abandon, intends to come for a specifically limited period, and seeks admission only for legitimate business or pleasure. If any of those fails, the officer must refuse under section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The State Department’s visitor page says evidence of employment or family ties may be enough to show the purpose of the trip and the intent to return.
Can I pay for my parents' trip, and how do they show that?
Yes. The State Department’s visitor page says that if applicants cannot cover all the costs of the trip, they may show evidence that another person will cover some or all of them. That is a different thing from an invitation letter: it is evidence of who pays. It does not replace the applicant’s own ties to Guatemala.
Can my parents promise to leave a sibling or grandchild behind as proof they will return?
No. The Foreign Affairs Manual says that if the officer doubts the applicant’s intent to return, the applicant cannot satisfy those doubts by offering to leave a child, spouse or other dependent abroad.
Is there any risk in writing an invitation letter?
The letter itself is not required and is not a factor. What matters is that everything in it is true. The State Department’s visitor page warns that attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States. Keep every line consistent with what your parents will say at the interview.
