When applying for TN status at a U.S. port of entry or preclearance location, the employer support letter must be presented on proper company letterhead. While CBP does not publish a formal “letterhead rule,” officers routinely review the appearance and authenticity of employer documentation as part of the TN adjudication process.
One of the most common problems in TN applications is a support letter printed on plain paper with little or no company identification. A TN support letter should not look informal, generic, or unverifiable.
Why Letterhead Matters in TN Applications
CBP officers must quickly determine whether:
- the U.S. company is legitimate,
- the job offer is genuine, and
- the employer can be contacted if necessary.
The company letterhead helps establish credibility and authenticity. A properly formatted letterhead signals that the document is an official communication from the sponsoring U.S. employer.
A letter that lacks company identification may lead to:
- additional questioning,
- requests for supporting evidence,
- delays at the border, or
- increased scrutiny of the TN application.
A TN Support Letter Should Not Be Printed on Blank Paper
A TN support letter should never appear to be:
- typed on a blank sheet of paper,
- missing company information,
- missing an employer address,
- signed without identifying the employer, or
- prepared using only the applicant’s personal contact information.
Even if the contents of the support letter are otherwise sufficient, poor presentation can create avoidable credibility concerns during a CBP inspection.
What TN Letterhead Should Contain
The letterhead should clearly identify the sponsoring U.S. employer and typically include the following:
1. Full Legal Name of the U.S. Company
The official legal business name of the sponsoring employer should appear prominently on the letterhead.
The company name should match:
- payroll records,
- incorporation records,
- the employment offer, and
- supporting business documentation submitted with the TN application.
2. U.S. Business Address
The letterhead should contain a verifiable U.S. business address.
This should generally be:
- the company headquarters,
- office location, or
- principal place of business.
Using only a foreign office address in a TN application may create confusion regarding the actual U.S. employer.
3. U.S. Phone Number
The letterhead should include a direct U.S. company phone number.
CBP officers may view the absence of a company phone number as a credibility issue, particularly where the employer cannot easily be verified.
4. Company Email Address or Website
Professional company contact information should appear on the letterhead whenever possible, including:
- company website,
- HR email, or
- corporate domain email address.
Using personal email accounts instead of company email addresses may appear less credible.
5. Company Logo or Branding
While not legally required, a company logo or consistent corporate branding helps reinforce that the letter is an official employer document.
6. Date of Issuance
The letter should be recently dated and printed on the current company letterhead. Older letters or undated letters may raise concerns about whether the TN employment offer remains valid.
The Contact Information Must Be from the U.S. Employer
One issue frequently seen in TN applications is the use of:
- recruiter contact information,
- foreign affiliate information,
- attorney-only contact information, or
- applicant contact information instead of the actual U.S. employer’s details.
CBP expects the letterhead and contact details to identify the sponsoring U.S. company directly.
The TN support letter should therefore contain:
- the U.S. employer’s address,
- the U.S. employer’s phone number, and
- contact information for a representative of the U.S. company.
While attorneys may prepare the support letter itself, the document should still clearly originate from the sponsoring U.S. employer.
Electronic Letterhead Is Generally Acceptable
Many companies now use digitally generated letterhead rather than traditional printed stationery. CBP generally accepts electronically generated company letterhead, provided it appears professional and contains the necessary employer identification details. However, the document should still look official and complete.
Final Thoughts
For TN visa applications, presentation matters. The employer support letter should immediately appear to CBP as an authentic business document issued by a legitimate U.S. company. Proper TN letterhead should contain:
- the legal company name,
- U.S. address,
- U.S. phone number,
- company contact information, and
- professional business identification.
A TN support letter printed on plain paper without employer details or verifiable U.S. company contact information can create unnecessary scrutiny and weaken an otherwise strong TN application.
Sources
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JEREMY L. RICHARDS is the founding partner of Richards and Jurusik and has dedicated his career to U.S. immigration law, with a specialized focus on assisting Canadian and Mexican citizens under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to work and live in the United States. (Full Bio)
