Complete guide to providing a bank account verification letter to sponsor a US visa application.
If you are sponsoring someone’s US visa application, you must send the applicant several documents, including a Bank Account Verification Letter.
The Bank Account Verification Letter for sponsoring a US visa serves to prove to the Embassy or Consular services that you are capable of supporting your guest financially during their time in the US.
Your bank has to issue your letter (it usually involves a fee) and you have to send it to the applicant abroad in advance of their visa application.
Bank Account Verification Letter for US Visa Sample
Here is a sample of how a Bank Account Verification Letter for US visa applications looks like. Normally, depending on the bank, there could be slight differences in form, but the main information should be included:
[Bank Name]
[Bank Address]
[Date]
To: US Embassy/Consulate [country of guest]
Regarding: Sponsorship for the US Visa application of [guest full name] from [your name and address].
To Whom It May Concern,
This letter verifies that [your full name] has an account with [name of bank]. Following, are the records of the account:
Type of Bank Account: ______________
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXXXX
Current Balance: $X
Average Balance: $X
Date Opened: xx/xx/xxxx
We hope that this information will be of assistance.
Sincerely,
[Bank name]
[Name of authorized bank employee]
[Signature]
What Should Be Included in a Bank Account Verification Letter for Sponsoring a US Visa?
A Bank Account Verification Letter for sponsoring a US Visa should include the following:
- Your full name
- The full name(s) of the person/people you are sponsoring
- Your bank account number
- The date when you opened your bank account
- The type of bank account you have
- Your current balance
- Your average balance (usually taken from the last three, six, or twelve months)
How to Get a Bank Account Verification Letter for US Visa?
In order to receive a Bank Account Verification Letter for US Visa application, you have to contact your bank’s customer services. Explain what you need, and they will direct you to the competent authorities.
You can go to the bank in person, write an email, or write to them via their customer service chat centre on their website if one is available.
Things to remember:
- You will likely have to pay a fee for the letter (usually $10-$20)
- Some banks can issue the account verification letter through fax or mail if you are unable to request or receive it in person
- It will take at least one working day to issue the verification letter, so be prepared to return to the bank if you go there in person
- If you are receiving the letter by mail, factor in the time it will take to be delivered to you
- Make sure you have enough funds in your account to be considered eligible to sponsor your relative/friend
Who Has to Write the Bank Account Verification Letter?
It is your bank that writes the letter on your behalf. The letter has to be written on the bank’s letterhead, hold the bank stamp, as well as the signature from a bank officer or authority.
You don’t have to write the letter yourself since the bank should already have a procedure in place for this type of thing.
However, if your bank does not have a procedure already in place for a Bank Account Verification Letter for sponsoring a US visa, they may ask you to provide a sample letter or example.
Who Do I Send the Bank Account Verification Letter To?
You have to send the letter to the person who you are sponsoring, not the US Embassy, Consulate or Visa Application Center. Then, the applicant will submit the letter him/herself along with all the other US visa required documents.
What If My Bank Does Not Issue a Bank Account Verification Letter to Sponsor US Visa?
If your bank does not issue Bank Account Verification Letters, then it may be enough for you to submit your bank statements. However, talk to the bank’s customer care services, either way, to see whether they will issue such a letter.
If it is not at all possible for them to issue a verification letter, then the US visa applicant abroad can inquire with the US Embassy or Visa Application Center whether your bank statements are enough. They can also write a letter explaining why the document is missing.
What Else Do I Need For Sponsoring US Visa?
Along with the Bank Account Verification Letter, when you sponsor someone’s US visa application, you have to include the following documents as well:
- An invitation letter. You have to confirm that you are willing to host your relative or friend in the US, and that you have enough financial means to support them as well as room to host them for the entire period of their stay in the US.
- Letter for Affidavit. If you will help with the financial support of your guest, you must include proof of sufficient financial means to do so. This can be done by submitting your bank statements, which clearly state your funds.
- Letter of employment. You should also include a letter of employment, which proves you have a job as well as your salary
- Payslips. Include three to four of your most recent payslips