I am the sponsor to my fiancee living in Viet Nam. Our application has been approved but they have not issued the VISA because of my income. In March of this year I started working full-time on an hourly wage with full benefits. When I received a verification of employment from Human Resources, my salary is indicated my hourly rates and the Consulate wants my income stated in annual rates. My boss says to me that he cannot write a letter to indicate what my annual earnings will be. I fear that the VISA will not be issued.

What should I do? Has anyone else had this problem?

txeugene3,

Did the Consulate specifically say not to show proof in hourly? (if not) am sure it will be OK - hourly employees typically do not have an annual rate versus a salaried employee who would have the reverse 'issue'. Am sure they know to simply multiply by 2040 hours to get an estimated annual rate.

~O

Or figure it up yourself. Multiply your wages for the week times 4...take that figure, multiply it times 12. That will give you a rough annual figure. Send a copy of a full paycheck, with the figures for the month and year written below. I did that to prove what my child support income is for the month and the year. They accepted it I guess 'coz I never got an RFE for it.

This seems to be a common problem. If my employer would have told me that he couldn't write my income, I would have just asked for a letter of recommendation or whatever he could provide, then attach my vouchers, statements etc.

Can he provide anything other than the hourly wage? Maybe state a disclaimer that you are hourly, but since you work full-time your estimated salary for the year is $XXXX? I am an hourly employee, too, but HR was willing to come up with an estimated annual salary for me. He should be able to provide you with something given how important it is.

You could also write a letter explaning that your employer cannot give you the annual # and then show what that # would be based on your calculations. All you have to do is multiply your hourly wage by 8hrs/day (which is a full day as a full time employee). Then you can multiply that # by 5 (5 days of a full time week), then multiply that # by 52 (there are 52 weeks in a year) and that should give you your annual income. I do that all the time when I see a job pay description by the hour instead of annual salary.

Weekly rate times 52 is probably going to be closer.

The employer is more than likely thinking along these lines. He probably doesn't want to put it in writing your "annual" amount. If he decides to cut back on your hours for whatever reason, you won't have anything from him in writing stating that you "were" supposed to make "X-amount" of money for the entire year.

2080 hours in a 40 hour week, per year.



Otto/Karin are closer

hourly rate x 2080 if you work full time (40 hours) and this will give you an annualized amount.
Bobbie

True - my typo...

if it is not a seasonal job / guaranteed 40 hours per week then you should definately explain to your boss to simply write the calculations on the sheet. (I am not recommending that you have your fiancee write this information on the sheet, but it would certainly speed things up)
for example he writes "employee x makes $10 per hour"

$10 hourly rate
2080 hours annually
$20,800 annual salary

Or have him write a letter that states that you are currently a full-time employee, but it is company policy to not disclose salary in writing.

Then attached your pay stubs that you have for the year so far.

i had the same problem with the employment letter. HR said that by law (perhaps maybe in CA)...they cannot put an annual salary for those that are salaried non-exempt (or is it exempt? not sure...it the one where you have a salary but are paid overtime when you work overtime...) she put my salary in bi-weekly rates...since that's when i get paid.

anyways, what i did was...attached my old OFFER LETTER since it has my annual salary in it and the latest six months of paystubs. it turned out fine.