Writing a visa letter for my own maternity cover??

[maveta]

My replacement (who I have had contact with only when she emailed me her cv for my boss´ attention) needs a visa to work here (not UK) and sent me an email the other day asking me to write a letter as her kind of ´sponsor´ I guess, saying she was coming to stay with me and to help look after my baby this summer. Obviously this is to get her a tourist visa, not a proper working one.
I don´t know this girl from Adam, I´m really not sure what to say to her?! She would have had my autoreply saying I´m already on ML so to contact [colleague] and [colleague] says she has not been in touch with her at all.
Not sure what to do, I could mention it to my boss but she´d probably say ´yeah, that sounds fine, write her a letter´ and not see why it just seems odd. Or am I being difficult? Is this weird?

Very weird - definitely mention it to you boss hon - Not your place to be doing stuff like that!!

maveta - i do think it sounds a bit much. as you say - you dont know here and thre has been no real contac/ relationship building. you are being asked to act as a sponsor - which in reality you are not as she is not coming to help out with the baby. if she needs that as a reason - coudl she not ak your boss. also - surely it is up to your boss to sort this out - not you? if this replacement needs someone to sponsor her - your boss should have thought of that when hiring her and had a plan in place??

that is probably no help at all but i think you shouldnt have to do anything that you are not comfortable with!

I don´t really feel comfortable doing it but it is exactly the kind of thing my boss would not think twice of asking me to do. She´d see it as just writing a letter, what´s the biggie? And maybe she´s right? But it just seems a bit off.

don't do it! Could be turn into a real headache - get your maternity cover it sort it and they need to tell the truth!

stick your ground on it if it doesnt feel right. why is she getting a tourist visa and not a work one? would that be alot more difficult? if your boss considers it not such an issue and as only a letter - could she not do it then? maybe present it to your boss as a "could you please do this as i have so much else on my mind with the baby coming" and go as far as to have the draft letter ready?????????