If someone you know is facing the hassle of the immigration application process, you can help them by writing a letter of recommendation for immigration. It’s a formal document that summarizes your experience with the applicant and your endorsement.
It must contain relevant character traits you have observed, and the positive impact their presence can have on the community in the long run. It’s also a useful resource for immigration judges, as it helps them get a general view of the applicant through the eyes of other US citizens.
What Is a Letter of Recommendation for Immigration?
The letter of recommendation for immigration is the way a US citizen can support the immigration application of someone they know. It’s a written testimony on that person’s character, behavior, relevant actions that were witnessed and that speak for their moral sense and rightfulness.
The immigration judges consider these documents before making the final decision, so writing a reference letter for immigration should be taken seriously.
The immigration reference letter is your personal recommendation, your endorsement of the applicant. You mention significant aspects of their life and activity, to present them in a positive way and try to get the judge to see them from your point of view.
Who Needs a Letter of Recommendation for Immigration?
People can apply to the immigration process, whether they are already in the US or from abroad. In any case, they can benefit from having someone write a recommendation letter for immigration.
If they already live and work in the US, it’s easier because they can turn to employers and community members and ask them to vouch for their character and work ethic.
The immigrant visa process is complex, and any support the applicant can get matters. The goal of these recommendation letters is to show the judge that the applicant’s presence in the community is beneficial, that they have strong ties both at the workplace and in the social background.
How to Write a Recommendation Letter for Immigration?
Letters for immigration must give a personal view of the applicant’s life in the US. But that doesn’t mean the tone shouldn’t be formal; after all, they are addressed to a judge. They should be written by people who are close to the person applying for immigration.
That way, their testimony is even more relevant, as they can provide valuable details on many aspects of the applicant’s life. It can be a church member, a neighbor, employer, or friend. Family members aren’t objective, so it’s better to ask someone you know socially or from work.
But if the applicant is facing deportation, letters for immigration written by their children can help. Showing how the family will be affected by the removal of a member can have a significant impact.
Although it is addressed to the authorities, the letter of recommendation for immigration is a less formal document, based on the experience and emotion of the author. It has to be honest and convincing, but it still needs to have structure. The format of a character letter for immigration has the following sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
The best way to write a reference letter for immigration is by avoiding useless information that may annoy the judge; just stick to expressing your honest opinion and giving relevant examples. To help you write an efficient immigration reference letter, these are the elements you need to include:
- Introduce yourself, mentioning your name, age, job, citizen status, and the relationship you have with the applicant.
- The closer you are to the applicant and the more relevant details you provide, your letter of recommendation for immigration will have a more significant impact.
- You can address the letter with one of the following expressions: ‘Dear Immigration Judge,’ ‘Honorable Immigration Judge,’ or the more general ‘To whom it may concern.’
- The body paragraphs must contain the major part of your plea; that’s where you develop your presentation and support of the applicant.
- The second paragraph should also contain examples from your personal experience with the applicant, instances when their actions have proven that they are decent and reliable people; the goal is to show the positive impact they have on their family and the community.
- The conclusion needs to be one more heartfelt appeal, and a summary of why you consider the applicant a good person, a reliable member of the community, and why you support their application process.
- End the letter with your contact information and, if possible, have the letter notarized; that way, you eliminate any suspicion on the authenticity of the document.
Conclusion
The immigration visa application process is complex and challenging, but you can show your support for the person going through it by writing a letter of recommendation for immigration.
It’s a document that offers your open and honest testimony of that person’s character and contribution to the community and is meant to lean the balance in their favor when the judge makes the decision.
To make sure your immigration letter of recommendation has the impact you hope for, use the template created by CocoSign. We offer a wide variety of templates for all the documents people usually use.