How to Close a Formal Letter to an Embassy
Correspondence with an embassy is an official correspondence with a government office and should always be formal. A formal letter format includes the addresses of both sender and receiver, a salutation that addresses the reader by title, and a formal close. The formal close includes a concluding paragraph that restates the intent of the letter, thanks the reader for his time, contact information when warranted, the word "sincerely" followed by the name of the sender.
Step 1
Read over the content of your letter. Assess whether your letter has been primarily informational or whether you are making a request.
Step 2
Start the final paragraph by stating plainly what direct action you require from the embassy from your request, if any. For example, if you are writing in support of a family member's visa application, write "Please approve Mr. -----'s visitor visa for the two months he will visit me and my family in the United States."
Step 3
Add additional information to the paragraph that relates immediately to that request, such as "We will make sure Mr. ---- returns to [country name] on or before the expiration date. Do not repeat information that was written in earlier paragraphs. Provide contact details, such as an email address and phone number.
Step 4
End the final paragraph with "Thank you for your consideration." This phrase may also form an ending paragraph if the letter is purely informational and no request is being made of the embassy.
Step 5
Press the return key twice between the body of your letter and the close.
Step 6
Add "Sincerely" followed by a comma. Ensure that "Sincerely" is capitalized. Press the return key twice again. If doing so will move the letter to a second page, delete one of the spaces between the closing paragraph and "Sincerely."
Step 7
Type your name and any official title you may hold. Include only official titles relative to the letter itself. For example, if you are writing on behalf of a company, then include your official title with that company. If you are writing as an individual outside of an official capacity, no title should be included. It is customary for the title to be typed onto the line below the typed name of the sender, but it is not required. Some titles, such as "Esquire," customarily follow the name of the sender.
Step 8
Sign your name by hand in blue or black ink in the space between your typed name and the "Sincerely."
Note
Use "please" when making your request along with other forms of etiquette relative to the country the embassy represents throughout the letter.
Note
A formal letter needs to be typed on either a typewriter or computer.
References
Tips
- Use "please" when making your request along with other forms of etiquette relative to the country the embassy represents throughout the letter.
- A formal letter needs to be typed on either a typewriter or computer.
Writer Bio
Kristin Jennifer began writing professionally in 2010, with her work appearing on eHow. She has five years of experience working as an immigration specialist in Houston and New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a minor in economics from Barnard College.
