TN Visa (USMCA) for Canadian and Mexican Professionals
TN is a work status under the USMCA trade agreement (formerly NAFTA) for Canadian and Mexican citizens with a US job offer in a profession on the official list. It is granted for up to 3 years and can be extended. We check whether your profession qualifies and prepare your package for the border or the consulate. Our fee is $500.
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What the TN visa is and what we do
TN is a category for Canadian and Mexican professionals under USMCA. The list has more than 60 professions: engineers, accountants, computer systems analysts, scientists, physicians for teaching and research, registered nurses and others. You need a job with a US company or organization, and self-employment is not allowed.
The key to a TN case is that three things match: a profession on the list, your degree or license, and the job described in the employer's letter. If they don't match, CBP or the consulate will refuse.
We compare your job title and duties with the USMCA list and its education requirements. Whether your case fits, we confirm at the consultation.
We help prepare the letter: the profession on the list, duties, length of employment, qualifications and pay. It is the key document of the case.
Degrees, licenses, experience letters and a foreign credential evaluation if needed. For Mexican citizens, the DS-160 form and interview preparation.
We explain how to extend TN or move to a new employer, through a USCIS petition or at a new entry.
Who gets TN and how
The process differs for Canadian and Mexican citizens. Permanent residents of these countries who are not citizens cannot get TN.
Three cases
No visa is needed. You apply for TN status at a port of entry or at a preclearance location in a Canadian airport, with the employer's letter and education documents. The CBP fee is paid on the spot.
You need a TN visa from a US embassy or consulate in Mexico: the DS-160 form, a $185 fee and an in-person interview. Then you enter the US with the visa.
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 get TD status for the same period. They cannot work in the US, but they can study.
How to get TN status
Timing depends on the route. Canadians get a decision at the border on the day of entry, Mexicans after the consular interview. Your I-94 record, not the visa, sets how long you can stay.
TN is not meant for permanent immigration: at every entry and extension you must show that the job is temporary. If you plan a green card, we discuss it separately.
Common reasons for TN refusals
TN refusals are almost always about the documents, not the worker. This is what we check in advance.
If your profession is not on the list, look at other options: the O-1 visa, the E-2 visa for investors or EB-2 NIW.
Want to get TN on the first try?
Discuss your situation with an immigration lawyer.
ReLocate is a team of immigration lawyers. For almost 20 years we have supported clients in immigration matters and assisted with complex visa applications. We specialize in immigration law, passport and visa regulations, and border control procedures.
A team of lawyers will work on your case
TN visa cost
Our fee for TN is $500. What's included depends on your citizenship and whether you need a visa, and we confirm it at the consultation. See all our fees on the prices page and other US services in the US section.
Official fees are paid separately
| Consular TN visa fee for Mexican citizens | 185 USD |
| TN extension in the US - Form I-129 (paid by the employer; online - 965 USD) | 1015 USD |
| Asylum Program Fee with I-129 (small employer - 300 USD) | 600 USD |
| TD extension for family members - Form I-539 (online - 420 USD) | 470 USD |
* Per the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055) and State Department fees as of 10.2026. Canadian citizens pay the CBP fee at entry. Fees change, so we check them again before filing.
Why our services are not expenses, but an investment
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