Letter of invitation

A letter of invitation is an official document issued by the Spanish National Police certifying that you are inviting a foreign national to stay at your home in Spain for a maximum period of 90 days.

It does not replace a visa, but it is one of the documents that the invited person may submit when applying for a visa at the consulate in order to prove that they have somewhere to live once in the country. Having a letter of invitation does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.

The prospective host must apply for authorisation to issue a letter of invitation at their local Police Station (in the municipality in which they are registered).

Once the authorisation has been granted and the fee paid, the Police will issue the signed and stamped original, which the guest must present alongside their passport and other entry requirements at the Consulate where they are applying for the visa and/or at border control upon arrival in Spain.

It is important to remember that the process of issuing a letter of invitation is not immediate. First of all, authorisation must be granted, then the letter must be issued, delivered and collected, and finally, it  must be sent to the person applying for a visa.

A letter of invitation does not exempt the host from liability, since, if the guest were to remain in Spain illegally or commit a serious offence, the host could be penalised for facilitating illegal immigration (Articles 54 and 57 of Organic Law 4/2000).