涵涵君的小站中文
办来华签证时，邀请函是最容易被退回的材料之一。它不是一封泛泛说明来意的信，而是有固定内容要求的三段式文件。本文按中国签证申请服务中心公布的签证材料要求，把邀请函必须写清的内容和常见问题列出来。
- 第一段，被邀请人个人信息：姓名、性别、出生日期。部分签证中心的邀请函模板还要求填写国籍、护照号码、联系电话和电子邮箱。
- 第二段，访问信息：来华事由、抵离日期、访问地点（或逗留地点）、与邀请单位或邀请人的关系、在华期间费用来源。
- 第三段，邀请方信息：邀请单位名称或邀请人姓名、联系电话、地址、单位印章、法定代表人或邀请人签字。
- 形式要求：邀请函可以是传真件、复印件或打印件，但领事官员可能要求申请人提供原件；中国境内个人出具邀请函的，需提供个人身份证件复印件。
- 谁对内容负责：按《出境入境管理法》第十九条，出具邀请函件的单位或者个人应当对邀请内容的真实性负责；违反规定为外国人出具邀请函件或者其他申请材料的，按第七十四条处罚。
- 邀请函不等于签证：领事官员根据申请人的具体情况决定是否颁发签证，以及签证的入境有效期、入境次数和停留期限；必要时可要求补充材料或接受面谈。
最常见的退回原因不是格式，而是信息缺口。三段内容里，“费用来源”和“与邀请方的关系”最容易被漏写：前者要明确是邀请方承担还是申请人自理，后者要写清是员工、客户、亲属还是合作方。日期也要具体到日，“下个月来”“停留一段时间”这类表述没法用。
邀请函还要和签证类别对得上。F 字（交流、访问、考察）通常由中国境内有关单位出具；M 字（商业贸易）由中国境内贸易合作方出具商务活动文件或经贸交易会请柬；Q1、Q2（探亲）由境内中国公民或具有中国永久居留资格的外国人出具，并附邀请人的中国身份证复印件，或外国人护照及永久居留证复印件；S1、S2（私人事务）按对应事由提供相应邀请材料。类别选错，邀请函写得再完整也对不上。
实操上，建议让邀请方按上述三段逐项填写、盖章签字，先发电子版核对，纸质件随身带着以备查验。递交后如领事官员要求原件或补充材料，按通知补交即可。邀请函只是申请材料的一部分，行程单、机票订单、酒店预订、在职证明等材料仍按所申请签证类别的要求准备。
以上为要点摘录，具体以官方发布为准。
English
China Visa Invitation Letter: What It Must Contain
For a Chinese visa, the invitation letter is one of the documents most often sent back. It is not a general letter explaining why you want to visit: it is a three-part document with fixed content requirements. This summary follows the document requirements published by the Chinese Visa Application Service Centres and sets out what the letter must contain.
- Part one, the invitee: full name, gender and date of birth. Some visa centre templates also ask for nationality, passport number, phone number and email address.
- Part two, the visit: purpose of the trip, dates of arrival and departure, places to be visited or stayed, the relationship between the invitee and the inviting organisation or person, and who pays for the trip.
- Part three, the inviter: the name of the inviting organisation or individual, a contact phone number, an address, the organisation's seal and the signature of its legal representative or of the individual.
- Form: a fax, photocopy or printout is accepted, but a consular officer may ask for the original. Where the letter is issued by an individual in China, a copy of that person's identity document must be provided.
- Who is responsible: under Article 19 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, the organisation or individual issuing the invitation is responsible for the truth of its content, and issuing an invitation letter or other application materials in breach of the rules is punishable under Article 74.
- An invitation letter is not a visa: the consular officer decides whether to issue a visa and what validity, number of entries and duration of stay it carries, and may request further documents or an interview.
The usual reason a letter is rejected is not its format but missing information. Within the three parts, "source of funds" and "relationship with the inviter" are the most frequently omitted: the first must say whether the inviter or the applicant pays, the second must make clear whether the invitee is an employee, a client, a relative or a business partner. Dates must be specific to the day; "coming next month" or "staying for a while" cannot be used.
The letter also has to match the visa category. An F visa (exchange, visits, study tours) is normally supported by a letter from the relevant organisation in China. An M visa (commercial trade) requires a business document or trade fair invitation from the Chinese trading partner. Q1 and Q2 (family visit) letters are issued by a Chinese citizen or a foreign national with permanent residence in China, with a copy of the inviter's Chinese ID or of the foreign inviter's passport and permanent residence card attached. S1 and S2 (private affairs) follow their own supporting documents. Pick the wrong category and even a complete letter will not fit.
In practice, ask the inviter to fill in all three parts item by item, seal and sign the letter, send a scan first for checking, and carry the paper copy in case it is inspected. If a consular officer later asks for the original or for extra documents, submit them as instructed. The letter is only one part of the file: itineraries, flight bookings, hotel reservations and proof of employment are still required according to the category you apply for.
The above is a summary of key points only. Please refer to the official announcement for the authoritative version.
