Arranging the Visit
Letters of Invitation
Prior to issuing the invitation to an international guest, you should first determine the financial obligations of the University and the responsibilities of the guest. Many departments may consider paying for the visitor's local expenses including lodging, transportation, and food. They may also wish to provide the visitor with an honorarium. (Note: Certain visa types do not allow for the visitor to receive either a reimbursement for expenses or an honorarium.) The formal invitation letter is an appropriate format in which to clarify some of these issues. An invitation letter should indicate the dates a guest is expected to come to the University, the length of stay, expectations of what the guest is to do while at the University, and what the University's financial obligations are for the visit. Two sample letters of invitation are included in the Appendix (A-1 and A-2).