Travel letters from Temple Departments can assist non-immigrant scholars and employees in the following ways:

• Ease the visa interview process
• Aid a US Consular Officer decide whether or not a security check (administrative processing) is needed
• Facilitate readmission by a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agent at a US Point of Entry

Specific, standardized guidelines on the exact information that should be included in the letters have not been provided. However, below please find a suggested format and guidance for content if you are asked to write a letter by your a foreign national in your Department. 

This letter is different than the Employment and Income Verification Letter available through TUPortal (Staff Tools, Pay & Tax Information). Visit Human Resources' website for details.

[On department, lab, or center letterhead:]

Date

To Whom It May Concern:

Paragraph #1:

• Scholar's name and job title
• Brief job description
• Amount and source of any non-Temple University funding

Paragraph #2:

If the Individual is engaging in research, answer all four questions briefly. If the question does not apply to the applicant, please explain why it is not applicable.

• What are the goals and practical applications of the applicant's research?
• What are the source(s) of funding for the applicant's research?
• What export-controlled technologies and/or information will the applicant have access to during his/her research?
• What U.S. government projects will the applicant participate in or will have access to during his/her research? Please state whether non-U.S. citizens have access to the project.

Be sure to include the following in layman's terms:

• A detailed and non-technical description of the research to be conducted by the scholar and whether it is basic research or applied research. If the research has no military or defense-related purposes, say so
• A detailed description of how the scholar's qualifications match the requirements of the position

Paragraph #3:

• Indicate that the individual is expected to return to Temple University to continue research/employment/training and why a timely return to campus is important to the Department.
• List contact information for the individual's supervisor.

Signature of the Individual's Supervisor