Invitation letters

Invitation letter as documentation for the researcher’s home institution

As part of the initial agreement phase regarding a foreign guest researcher’s stay at the school, the researcher may request an invitation letter to serve as documentation or confirmation of the stay’s approval and validity for their home institution/employer.

Invitation letter as documentation for residence and work permits

In connection with a potential application for a residence and work permit, an invitation letter will typically be required as documentation of the stay’s validity for SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration).

AU's Guest Researcher Support can prepare the invitation letter

When an academic staff host at CC is set to receive a guest researcher and is therefore expected to follow CC's internal process for hosting international guest researchers and PhD students, early contact is typically established with AU's International Staff Office/Guest Researcher Support. This office provides guidance throughout the process and can address the often numerous mobility-related questions the guest researcher may have.

If an invitation letter is required, the academic staff/host must use the standard invitation letter, which can be obtained from Guest Researcher Support via the "host form" that the host is required to complete when affiliating international guest researchers. This type of invitation letter clearly states that all expenses related to the stay must be covered by the guest researcher themselves and ensures compliance with formal requirements. Therefore, no changes may be made to the wording of the standard letter, except for the yellow-highlighted fields.

Guest Researcher Support will return the completed invitation letter to the host for their signature.

Invitation letter as documentation for the researcher’s home institution

• Since agreements with foreign, unpaid guest researchers do not involve financial matters, these invitation letters can, as a rule, be signed by the nearest supervisor. We therefore encourage the host to obtain the signature of their head of department.
• If the guest researcher later requests a signature from the head of school, the invitation letter can be sent to Anne Overballe, who can arrange this.

Invitation letter as documentation for residence and work permits

• For invitation letters intended solely for use in applications for residence and work permits, SIRI (the Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration) does not impose any requirements on the signatory. This type of invitation letter can therefore be signed by the host themselves or by a secretary. You can find the Guest Researcher Support’s standard invitation letter here.