A blogger wrote in to ask if invitation letters are still required.  An invitation letter is not required, but can help the consular officer understand your purpose of travel.  But please do not feel like you *have* to have an invitation letter and write one to yourself.  Many good applicants have found themselves in trouble because they wrote themselves an invitation letter and signed the name of their American contact at the bottom.  Under certain circumstances, this could be considered fraud, and in all circumstances will do you more harm than good.

-Vice Consul