United States TN Visa

TN Visa Requirements:

• You must be a Citizen of Canada or Mexico.
• You are qualified under one of the recognised NAFTA professions.
• You have enough evidence that the position in the United States needs a NAFTA professional.
• Participant has prearranged a part-time or full-time employment with the qualified U.S. employer. Any form of Self-employment is not allowed in this visa.
• Provide evidence that the participant matches all the qualities and educational requirements of the position.

How to apply for TN Visa?

Application and Admission Procedures for Canadians

The Canadian applicants can apply for TN status directly as Canadian people do not need visas to enter the United States. The Application for admission must be done in person to a U.S. immigration officer at most ports of entry, at designated U.S. airports handling international traffic, or at selected pre-clearance checking stations at airports outside the U.S. If admitted, the Canadian citizen is given a Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record. This I-94 specifies the date and place of entry, the day on which the lawful stay expires, and the visa type entry symbol “TN” or “TN-1. Form filing fee of $50 (U.S.) must be paid.  And additional $6 (U.S.) document preparation fee (unless the TN applicant travels to the U.S. by commercial airline in which case the $6 document preparation fee is usually included in the cost of the airline ticket).

Application and Admission Procedures for Mexicans

The process for the Mexicans is not as same as the process for Canadian citizen. Mexican citizens must get a visa before requesting admission to the United States in TN classification.  Applicants must schedule a visa appointment at an U.S. consulate office or embassy.  In according to the law, a visa appointment may be booked at any U.S. consulate it is better to book an appointment at a U.S. consulate in Mexico.  Proper Information and guidelines about applying for a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. consulate are available on the specific U.S. consulate’s website.  A list of U.S. consulates and their websites can be found at www.usembassy.gov.

when a TN visa is approved, the TN visa holder can apply for admission to the United States at a U.S. port-of-entry.  additional fees won’t be applied for Mexican citizens.  If the visa holder is admitted to the United States, he or she is issued a Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record.

Canadian Citizens must present the following documents to the CBP officer:

• Evidence of your Canadian citizenship status
• A letter from your potential employer which says details like the professional dimensions which you will be working in, the minimum duration of your stay, the reasons of your employment, and your educational qualifications.
• Assessment of your credentials (if applicable) which compares your credentials from Canada to those in the U.S.
• Any applicable fees.
• It is also possible that your prospective employer can also apply for your TN visa on your behalf. In that case, they must submit a Form I-129 to USCIS.
• if the Form I-129 is approved, you can apply to CBP to be admitted to the U.S. as a TN nonimmigrant afterwards. The following documents are required to be handed over to the CBP Officer at the designated port of entry or pre-flight inspection station:
• evidence of your Canadian citizenship
• The Approval Notice for your Form I-129 issued by the USCIS
• It will be a good idea to have a copy of your Form I-129 and relevant supporting documents (which were submitted to the USCIS) with you, as the CBP Officer can ask you questions about your eligibility. An inspection fee may be applicable at this point.

If you are a Mexican citizen the you must take the following documents to your interview:

• Your passport
• The Form DS-160 confirmation page.
• The receipt of the application fee.
• A photograph
• Your letter of employment or contract. This letter must include the following information:
• The purpose of your entry
• A description of your employment responsibilities
• Your length of stay in the U.S.
• Your credentials and educational requirements
• Arrangements for your pay
• Documents that can demonstrate you meet the minimum requirements of your relevant NAFTA profession.
• Other documents as per the consular officer’s choice.

The visa application fee for the TN visa in USA (TN 1 and TN 2 Visa) is $160.