Letters of Support for Family and Friends applying for B-2 Visas

If you are inviting family or friends specifically to attend commencement and want to help your visitor(s) establish the purpose for their visitor visa application, we recommend the following:

1. If you attended Lehman College on a F-1 visa and graduated in the winter term or are currently attending Lehman College on a F-1 visa, please email isso.shuster@lehman.cuny.edu.
2. If you are inviting friends and family to the Commencement ceremony event, Then please use the following Sample letter to submit to your embassy or consulate; Visa Invitation Student Letter 2024.   

Preparing Family and Friends for B-2 visa interview questions:

• WHY are they coming to the U.S., and WHAT will they be doing?
  If your family or friends are planning to come to your commencement, they should show proof of this. For example, your full-time enrollment verification and/or a letter from your academic advisor confirming that you are completing your degree this spring/fall, copies of commencement ceremony tickets or invitations, etc.  In addition, the Lehman Commencement & Convocation webpage provides information on upcoming ceremonies. Your family/friends may present a print-out from this website to prove that there are graduation ceremonies being held during the time that they will be visiting.  
• WHERE in the U.S. are they planning to visit?
  This could be hotel reservations in the Bronx or nearby areas and reservation confirmations from any special tours or events they will attend.
• WHEN will they arrive in the U.S. and WHEN will they return to their home country?
  The best way to prove this is with plane tickets or a flight itinerary that they plan to purchase, upon visa issuance, to prove they will be visiting the U.S. for a limited period only.   Family and friends who are employed might provide a letter from their employer to verify employment, share planned vacation/holiday/leave arrangements, and to note the specified date they will return to work.  Family and friends who are in school might bring documents from their school to demonstrate their intention to return to their home country, resume enrollment, and continue classes.
• HOW will they support themselves while they are in the U.S.?
  A bank statement from your family/friends should be presented to show that they have the funds to travel and support themselves while they are visiting the U.S. or letters from their employers to show that they are working and earning a salary.