One letter from employer as proof of ties to Canada on short visits?

[Kukolka 8]

My fiance and I know that for him to visit me in the US while the I-129F is in process, he has to provide proof of ties to Canada. His best option is a letter from his employer.

I'm currently seeking employment, so we don't know whether we'll be able to visit after Dave gets a car and before I get a job in which case we could visit for a week; or if I get a job before or around the same time as he gets a car, we'll have to make do with weekend visits. (If I'm not working weekends.)

Will the POE likely accept a letter that is written around now, that says he is to return to work until around September, 2010.. are they likely to accept that each time he is to cross the border? If his boss provides a phone number at which they can reach him, to verify? He doesn't want to inundate his boss with requests for ten or fifteen letters, once or twice a month... that seems a bit much.

Dave will need to get the letter(s) from the lady in the office instead of directly from his boss because his boss doesn't do his own paperwork.

The office lady will need to mail him the letter, because both Dave and his boss work out of the shop or field offices, not the main office.

So this means we need to plan ahead. And if we plan a visit, and my job calls me in for that weekend, we've wasted a one-weekend letter. >_< And we could have a planned visit, but the letter could have gotten delayed in the mail, and ruin our planned weekend visit. If having one letter would work, that would eliminate the need to plan ahead for weekend visits.

So our main question is whether or not he could use one letter for every cross-border visit he makes if it states he is to return to work until roughly September?

[lynamon 0]

My fiance and I know that for him to visit me in the US while the I-129F is in process, he has to provide proof of ties to Canada. His best option is a letter from his employer.

I'm currently seeking employment, so we don't know whether we'll be able to visit after Dave gets a car and before I get a job in which case we could visit for a week; or if I get a job before or around the same time as he gets a car, we'll have to make do with weekend visits. (If I'm not working weekends.)

Will the POE likely accept a letter that is written around now, that says he is to return to work until around September, 2010.. are they likely to accept that each time he is to cross the border? If his boss provides a phone number at which they can reach him, to verify? He doesn't want to inundate his boss with requests for ten or fifteen letters, once or twice a month... that seems a bit much.

Dave will need to get the letter(s) from the lady in the office instead of directly from his boss because his boss doesn't do his own paperwork.

The office lady will need to mail him the letter, because both Dave and his boss work out of the shop or field offices, not the main office.

So this means we need to plan ahead. And if we plan a visit, and my job calls me in for that weekend, we've wasted a one-weekend letter. >_< And we could have a planned visit, but the letter could have gotten delayed in the mail, and ruin our planned weekend visit. If having one letter would work, that would eliminate the need to plan ahead for weekend visits.

So our main question is whether or not he could use one letter for every cross-border visit he makes if it states he is to return to work until roughly September?

I used to do up the letter and have them sign it ... If he's not regularily in the office an easy way of doing it is by scan/email .. all depending on the relationship he has with the lady in the office .. have him bring her something as a thank you for her efforts

[Kukolka 8]

Ok.. will they accept a signature that has been scanned? He never goes to the office, has never met the office lady, and very rarely sees his boss, so can't easily draft up a letter at home and ask for a signature in person (besides which only the office has company letterhead, not even his boss does). They could write up the letter and sign it, and fax it to the shop, but what he's concerned about is if they won't accept a faxed signature at the border, that it has to be a solid signature on the paper.

He doesn't want to annoy his boss with multiple requests, because then he may lose his job. No one's in the office by the time he gets out of work, so driving to pick it up wouldn't work. If they leave it in the shop, somebody could take/move/destroy it.

Do you think one letter for the whole duration of time he's expected to work, if the visits are on weekends, would suffice? If so, then she can send him the one letter by mail now and be done with it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

If he works during the week and is visiting you on the weekends, then I think it is certainly acceptable to get a letter that states he is expected to be at work Monday to Friday and state the hours, or that he has vacation time coming and is expected to be off from date a to date b, or that he is expected to be back to work each Monday until such and such a date, things like that. One letter should be fine. He can also bring along copies of his most recent pay stub on each visit. If he is crossing the border on a weekly or somewhat regular basis, he will establish a relationship with the border officials who will see him come and go. This will count for something. He should also include a lease or a rent receipt, copies of utility bills, copy of the internet service provider bill, things like that. If he lives at home, then have his parents write up a basic lease agreement verifying that he lives there and pay the bills in exchange for such and such amount of rent, etc. When he does cross the border have him volunteer a certain amount of information such as when they ask "where are you going" or "why are you coming here" he can say "I am visiting with my fiancee in (location) for the weekend/until Sunday night/etc. while we are waiting for my fiancee visa to be approved". That tells them right off a lot of useful information - that his visit is short and that he is aware and following the immigration process.

Once you file for the K-1 make sure he also carries a copy of the application including any NOAs you receive. This is further evidence that shows he is following the correct route for immigration. Good luck.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Kukolka 8]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm sorry we get.. hastily negative about being able to visit. We know coming from Canada is easy compared to many countries, and many couples have it a lot harder than we do. There's usually a solution, for us, to any problem that in the moment seems impossible.

The Mondays wording makes sense, especially if he can get a Friday off to come here for the weekend. That sounds like a good option. Also, he realised he can get his direct supervisor to sign a letter, that it doesn't have to be the boss who signs his paychecks, so that makes it a lot easier. x)