What is a travel letter

In the business world, a travel letter is an official document confirming a foreign worker’s international travel plans to border authorities. It is not to be confused with a travel consent letter, which a parent writes to provide evidence of parental consent for a child traveling alone or without both parents.

What is the purpose of a travel letter?

Travel letters help foreign workers re-enter a host country after an international trip. They:

• Ease the reentry process
• Reduce the likelihood of security checks (administrative processing) and
• Streamline business travels

A well-written travel letter confirms a foreign worker’s intent to return to their employment after a trip, which assures border control officers of their ongoing visa validity.

Why do you need a travel letter if you have a valid visa?

A visa does not always guarantee admission into a host country. In the US, for instance, Customs and Border Protection (CPB) officials maintain discretion over every entry request.

Nonimmigrant workers who travel internationally must document their ongoing employment to support their continued stay in the host country.

A travel letter informs border control officials that the worker was on an approved business trip, has valid nonimmigrant status, and is expected back by their employer.

See also: How to streamline international hiring with EOR visa sponsorship

How do travel letters impact global hiring?

You can use a travel letter to confirm a new hire’s employment status and facilitate their entry into the country. This makes it easier for you to hire talent from across the world.

Once hired, a nonimmigrant worker can use travel letters to attend business trips, conferences, and international meetings without losing their visa status. Many workers value this global mobility and may feel more satisfied with their jobs because of it.

As a global employer, you can also use travel letters to streamline international assignments. A travel letter supports an international assignee’s travels to and from their post, also granting them mobility.

Deel offers mobility support to help you execute new global hires, international trips, and employee relocations across 150+ countries. See how we help TalentQL relocate talent and support knowledge exchange across different territories.

“Deel offered me a great deal of support when I needed to get a US visa. This has greatly benefited my business, enabling me to easily connect with key stakeholders both within and outside the US.” —Adewale Yusuf, Co-founder, TalentQL and CEO of AltSchool Africa.

Can travel letters help with administrative processing?

Yes. When a traveler seeks entry into a country, the officers at a port of entry may initiate a background security check or administrative processing. This is especially common for workers or researchers from countries or fields tagged on travel alert lists.

These checks tend to be lengthy (up to 8 weeks or longer in the US) and can derail a foreign worker's resumption of duties. While you cannot influence them once they are in progress, you can shorten or avoid them altogether by supporting your employee's return to the country through an official letter.

See also: How to streamline employee relocations worldwide

How do travel letters improve the employee experience?

Travel letters reduce the stress and challenges associated with international travel, especially for nonimmigrant workers. By offering travel support, they demonstrate to employees that you value them and are willing to afford them the same traveling opportunities as immigrant workers.

This creates an increased sense of satisfaction and job security. It also increases engagement because workers can travel and perform their duties without worrying about logistics.

What is the role of HR in issuing travel letters?

HR teams are responsible for writing travel letters for nonimmigrant employees scheduled for an international trip. To do this job accurately, they must:

• Maintain accurate visa records for all nonimmigrant employees
• Track visa validity dates to avoid deploying employees with expired visa stamps
• Provide travel letters for traveling employees in advance
• Liaise with immigration officers where necessary to ease reentry

Who needs a travel letter?

In most cases, nonimmigrant workers who travel outside their host country need a travel letter to return. International assignees may also support their visa applications with a travel letter.

Generally, however, it depends on several factors like the:

• Host country
• Travel destination
• Traveler’s immigration status
• Length of trip
• Traveler’s work or research field

Some countries exempt certain employees from reentry procedures based on existing business treaties. For instance, US citizen workers do not need travel documents to take short trips to Singapore. On the other hand, Singaporean citizens need a B-1 visa to travel to the US for business.

An immigration partner like Deel can advise you of when a travel letter is necessary. Our experts review travel requirements in advance to help you plan stress-free business trips. Learn more here.

What forms of international travel require a travel letter?

Nearly every international business trip your nonimmigrant employees make may require a travel letter. This includes the following:

• Business meetings and conferences
• Office check-ins for companies with multiple locations
• Mid-term off-site assignments
• Off-site team-building trips
• Seminars and lectures
• Corporate events

Do remote teams require travel letters?

It depends. If your remote employees occasionally travel to company headquarters or off-site locations for meetings, projects, and other business activities, they may need travel letters.

Deel can help you confirm your remote employees' visa options and travel requirements and initiate the application process. Get started with a demo.

What information is included in a travel letter?

A travel letter should clearly and accurately identify a traveling employee and their reason for travel. It should establish the relationship between you and the employee and confirm their visa status. To do this, a travel letter must contain the following:

• The traveler’s full name as it appears on their visa
• Your full company name and contact information
• The traveler’s job title
• The travel destination, duration, and intended dates
• The reason for travel
• A statement of approval from the company for the trip
• Any other relevant information

Some host countries have specific requirements for what a travel letter should contain. Refer to these guidelines when writing your letter or outsource the task to Deel’s HR and compliance experts.

How do you write a travel letter?

Address your travel letter to the port of entry in the host country your employee will travel from. Write the letter on official company letterhead to give it legitimacy.

Once you identify yourself and establish your relationship with the traveling employee, identify them accurately by name, job title, and other relevant details.

Emphasize the nature and reason for the travel, using clear, simple language devoid of industry jargon. It is also common practice to write your letter in English unless it is not the host country's official language.

Finally, demonstrate the traveling employee's ongoing employment and active visa status and provide supporting documentation, such as an employment contract.

Some countries require you to demonstrate that a traveling employee can afford their travel and stay expenses during their trip. If applicable, attach financial documents, reservations, and receipts showing how the company is facilitating the trip.

What mistakes should you avoid when writing a travel letter?

When writing a travel letter, do not:

• Leave out any required information
• Submit any false information
• Make grammar, spelling, or structural errors
• Submit an unsigned letter or one not written on official stationery
• Handwrite your letter
• Fail to attach supporting documentation

An incomplete or insufficient letter may cause delays at the port of entry. Similarly, falsifying details about the employee, their immigration status, or the trip could cause them to be denied entry and expose you to legal and compliance issues.

If you cannot spare the time or resources to write an accurate and effective travel letter, outsource the task to Deel’s immigration experts. Our team is familiar with the compliance and immigration policies of different jurisdictions and can help you generate valid travel letters in no time.

What challenges might you face when writing a travel letter?

Unpredictable travel timetables can invalidate the dates on your travel letter. Language barriers could also cause communication problems between you, the traveling worker, and the border officers when deploying international assignees to non-English-speaking countries.

Elsewhere, changing immigration policies may complicate the task of writing compliant travel letters. Deel can help you avoid these challenges by taking over the task.

Can Deel help you streamline your travel letter processes?

Yes. Research shows that companies make about $12.50 of additional revenue for every $1 they spend on business travel. At Deel, we are dedicated to helping you make the most of your business trips and grow your global team.

Our over 200 in-house experts can provide ongoing mobility support to help you facilitate international assignments and trips for your employees. Contact the team or book a demo today to explore our services.