If you are a resident of Canada or Mexico and you have the ambition to realize the “American dream”, then we are sure that you know very well what TN Visa is. if you still haven’t heard of this kind of visa, this text is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the meaning of the term TN Visa but understand the application process for getting it.
TN is an abbreviation of Trade NAFTA, which represents the status of non-immigrant professional employment in the United States, and is intended for Canadian and Mexican citizens. The acronym NAFTA refers to the former North American Free Trade Agreement. This agreement is now known as the USMCA, or U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, and it allows for special trade and economic relations between these 3 countries. The essence of TN Visa, or status as it is popularly called, is in the following: it allows qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to line up and, if they wish, stay in the United States, as long as their occupation is in the description of recommended NAFTA occupations. This list includes 60 professions, including architect, accountant, engineer, forester, hotel manager, lawyer, librarian, mathematician, dentist and many others. This visa is valid for 3 years, after which it can be renewed.
Now that we are familiar with the definition of TN Visa and know who it is intended for, it is time to understand how to apply for this visa. You will find that this is one of the easiest visas to obtain. There are no lengthy application processes, filling out a bunch of forms and stuff like that. The application can be made when you cross the U.S. border or at your local consulate. The only thing that must be respected is the interview that is conducted at the border. So let’s go in order:
1. At the very beginning, you must know how you will enter the United States, or in what way, because the applications are not the same for land or air entry.
If you are crossing the land border from Canada or Mexico, then you have chosen the easiest way to obtain this visa. You have to keep in mind that it will be as easy as possible for Canadian citizens to enter and obtain this visa compared to Mexican citizens because they are much better acquainted with these possibilities at the border.
If you enter the United States by plane, you need to register before you arrive in the United States. There are special rooms for approving this visa. Here you can submit an application and have an interview, after which you go through customs and then you can board on your flight. However, TN status was obtained only when you arrived in the United States at the first customs. Although your flight may have transferred, don’t forget to submit this request in the first place in the United States where you land.
If something is still not clear to you in this regard, it would be best to call or visit the US embassy or simply contact them via tnvisaexpert.com.
Source: khandelwalaw.com
2. Once you have learned where and how to apply for a TN visa, it is very important that you know what documents you need in this process. Take care of this, so that it is not too late when you land.
A TN letter of support signed by the employer is required. You need a passport with valid validity date. Original diplomas and transcripts. If you have, get all the professional licenses you have. If possible, have credential evaluations as well as an official English language test. In addition to this, it is important that you have a paid application of 50 USD.
3. It is very important to explain that the job you will be performing and which is defined in the letter of support corresponds to the NAFTA categories. So clearly and precisely explain your occupation. Your role and responsibilities in the new job must correspond to the above categories, so we recommend that you inquire about NAFTA categories in advance and determine your place.
Source: visaplace.com
4. You have to keep in mind that this is not, we will repeat once again, this is not an immigrant visa. If your intention is to remain permanently resident in the United States, your application will be rejected immediately. Not only will they reject it now, but you probably won’t be able to get this status in the future either. Be prepared for the interview, because the border worker will surely ask you about your intentions. You need to be clear in your conversation and testify that your employment in the United States is only temporary and that you have no intention of immigrating. In this sense, it is best to have proof that you are permanently attached to your country. This can include bank accounts, property ownership, or membership in a particular organization.
If your intention later changes or the conditions for switching to another status are met, the TN status will not burden you.
5. If your application goes well and you get TN status, congratulations! Still, check again to see if everything is all good. Your passport must have a standard CBP stamp stating your TN status, the NAFTA category in which you have a specific role, the name of the employer, and if the date until which this status is valid. The CBP officer mostly prints these details by hand, so check all the details one more time.
Source: dayross.com
After this, we suggest you log in to some internet browser to check your I-94. Here you are checking to see if you have actually been admitted to the US with this status. Also, check all the data here once again, whether they are correct. This is your electronic record, just as important as the one at the border.
Indeed, applying for this TN status seems very simple, and if you do not have some hidden purpose, this will really be the simplest visa you will fill out so far. However, there is another side. Although it is unlikely that you will encounter any problem in CBP, there are certain circumstances in which your application will be rejected. If they feel that you are not adequate for this application, they may ask you to withdraw your application. Believe me, it is much better to withdraw an application than to be rejected. Of course, even without their consultation, you can withdraw the application at any time. But if CBP rejects your application, those records will be on your file and you will most likely have problems with every entering into the USA.
