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TN Visa
NAFTA Professionals
Overview
Apply
Pay Fees
Schedule an Interview
Country Specific Information
Application Status

Overview

The nonimmigrant NAFTA Professional (TN) visa allows citizens of Canada and Mexico, as NAFTA professionals, to work in the United States in prearranged business activities for U.S. or foreign employers. Permanent residents of Canada and Mexico are not able to apply for TN visas to work as NAFTA professionals. Select TN NAFTA Professionals on the USCIS website to learn more about TN nonimmigrant status.

Canadians and Mexicans may be eligible to work in the United States as NAFTA professionals under the following conditions:

        • The applicant is a citizen of Canada or Mexico;
        • The profession is on the NAFTA list;
        • Position in the United States requires a NAFTA professional;
        • The applicant will work in a prearranged full-time or part-time job for an employer (see Required Documentation). Self-employment is not permitted;
        • The applicant has the qualifications, meeting the specific requirements, education, and/or experience, of the profession.

With some exceptions, each profession requires a baccalaureate degree as an entry-level requirement. If a baccalaureate is required, experience cannot be substituted for that degree. In some professions, an alternative to a bachelor’s degree is listed. For some professions, experience is required in addition to the degree. For a complete list of professions with minimum education requirements and alternative credentials, see Appendix 1603.D.1 of NAFTA Chapter 16.

Note: Requirements for Canadians and Mexicans are different, as explained below.

Canadian Citizens

To perform this type of work in the United States, a visa is not required for a Canadian citizen entering as a NAFTA Professional,  although a visa can be issued to qualified Canadian TN visa applicants upon request.

A Canadian citizen without a TN visa can apply for TN nonimmigrant status at a U.S. port-of-entry. Learn about these requirements on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) websites. More information about receiving TN status without applying for a visa is also available on the U.S. Embassy Ottawa website.

When is a NAFTA Professional (TN) visa required for a Canadian citizen? A Canadian who resides in a third country with a non-Canadian spouse and/or child(ren), and who plans to enter the United States as a NAFTA professional with  family member(s), will need a TN visa in order for the family member(s) to be eligible to apply for derivative TD nonimmigrant visa(s).

Mexican Citizens

Mexican citizens require TN visas to request admission to the United States in this status.

For more details on a TN Visa, visit Travel.State.gov.

Be sure to view local information below to determine fees and payment process and additional requirements.

 

 

How to Apply

Complete the Online Visa Application

      • Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
      • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must be in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.

You should have the following documents available while you complete your DS-160:

        • Passport
        • Travel itinerary if you have already made travel arrangements.
        • Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States if you have previously travelled to the United States. You may also be asked for your international travel history for the past five years.
        • Résumé or Curriculum Vitae – You may be required to provide information about your current and previous education and work history.
        • Other Information – Some applicants, depending on the intended purpose of travel, will be asked to provide additional information when completing the DS-160.

Some applicants will need to have additional information and documents handy while completing the DS-160

A consular officer will interview you to determine your qualifications for a TN visa. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified. For example, additional requested documents may include evidence of your intent to depart the United States after employment as a NAFTA professional. Evidence of your family ties may be sufficient to show your intent to return to your home country.

Licensure – Proof of licensure to practice a given profession in the United States is not required to receive a TN visa, but you should consider presenting such proof along with your job offer letter and other documentation in support of your TN visa application. Upon arriving in the United States, state or non-Federal authorities may require you to present proof of licensure to practice a given profession.

Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the embassy, consulate, or office providing consular services where you will apply.

After you complete your DS-160, gather the required documentation

        • Passport valid for travel to the United States – Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.
        • Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page
        • Application fee payment receipt, if you are required to pay before your interview
        • Photo – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements. (A photo is not required if you are applying in Mexico.)
        • A contract or letter of employment in the United States – To show that you have a job offer, provide a contract or employment letter from your employer in the United States confirming your upcoming employment in one of the professional occupations listed in Appendix 1306.d.1 of NAFTA Chapter 16. The letter should also include:
          • Your purpose of entry;
          • A detailed description of your anticipated business activities or job responsibilities;
          • Your anticipated length of stay in the United States;
          • Your educational qualifications or appropriate credentials demonstrating professional status;
          • Evidence of your compliance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations and/or state laws; and
          • Arrangements for your pay.
        • Documentation proving that you meet the minimum education and/or work experience requirements set forth in Appendix 1603.d.1 of NAFTA chapter 16 – Evidence of education would include degrees, diplomas, certificates, professional licenses, and /or membership in professional organizations. To demonstrate your experience, present letters from former employers. If you were self-employed, provide your business records.

Additional Information

        • Spouse and Children – Your spouse and unmarried, minor children may apply for TD visas to accompany you to the United States or join you later. You must be able to show your ability to financially support your family in the United States.
          • Review TN NAFTA Professionals information on the USCIS website for information about employment and studying while in the United States in TD nonimmigrant status.
          • Canadian citizen spouses and children do not need visas, but should review the CBP website for the port of entry requirements.
          • Spouse and children who are not Canadian citizens must apply for TD nonimmigrant visas.
          • Mexican citizen spouse and children must apply for TD nonimmigrant visas.
          • Spouse or children seeking to join a TN NAFTA Professional in the United States must show a valid Form I-94 from the principal TN visa holder to show that the principal TN visa holder is maintaining TN visa status.
        • We cannot guarantee that you will be issued a visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
        • Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.

For more information on the DS-160 please visit the Travel.State.gov FAQ page.

Pay Fees (Prices in U.S. Dollars)

Each Applicant must pay a non-refundable processing (MRV) fee of US$160.00.

For some nationalities and visa types, an additional issuance fee may be required. Detailed information is available on your country of nationality’s Reciprocity Table on travel.state.gov. These additional fees will be paid at the time of your interview.

Schedule an Interview

Schedule an interview online  (using the barcode of your Form DS-160) and print the appointment confirmation. Because of space limitations in our public waiting area, only the person with an appointment for an interview will be admitted. Exceptions: Parents or guardians of a minor child who has an appointment, a caregiver for a disabled person, and young children accompanying the person with an appointment will be allowed to enter the waiting area.

Applicants aged 14 – 79 are required (some exceptions for renewals) to book one interview slot each and appear in person for an interview with a consular officer. While an interview is generally not required for children aged 13 and younger or for adults aged 80 and older, please keep in mind that a consular officer can require any applicant to appear for an interview. When submitting an application for a non-present child, the person present at the interview should bring the child’s birth certificate or family book as a supporting document.

Local Information

Please read the information in this section carefully.  It contains location-specific information that you will need to know when applying for your Visa.

Select the country or area where you will apply for your visa:


     

    Application Status

    You can check the status of your visa application on ceac.state.gov.

    Some visa applications may require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant’s interview by a consular officer. Applicants are advised of this requirement when they apply. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.