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Work visas - NAFTA

TN Visa

The TN (Treaty National) Visa was created after the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 to facilitate the temporary movement of qualified professionals between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The nonimmigrant NAFTA Professional (TN) visa allows citizens of Canada and Mexico to engage in pre-arranged business activities for a U.S. or foreign employer. Only Canadian or Mexican passport holders are eligible for TN visas. Mexican citizens should apply for the TN visa at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or at any U.S. Consulate in Mexico.

TD Visa

TD Visas may be issued to spouses and minor unmarried children (under the age of 21) who are accompanying or following to join TN professionals. TD applicants must establish a bona fide relationship to the TN professional.

Who Is Qualified for the TN Visa?

Mexican professionals may work in the U.S. under the following conditions:

• Applicant is a citizen of Mexico;
• Profession is on the NAFTA list (see www.nafta-sec-alena.org/en/view.aspx?x=343&mtpiID=147#Ap1603.D.1); 
  
• Applicant has pre-arranged a full- or part-time job in a NAFTA profession for a U.S. or foreign employer (self-employment is not permitted); and
• Applicant possesses the specific criteria — educational and/ or experiential — required for the TN profession.

Please note that all TN jobs are professional positions with certain qualifications. Most jobs require a bachelor’s degree from a certified undergraduate institution. Other jobs require a specified amount of work experience. In each case, the applicant must prove to the adjudicating consular officer that they have the required educational and/or work experience for the TN visa.

How to Arrange an Interview for the TN Visa at U.S. Embassy - Mexico City

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City processes visa applications Monday through Friday (please keep in mind that the nonimmigrant visa unit is closed on American and Mexican holidays). An appointment is required. Please make an appointment to visit the nonimmigrant visa unit well ahead of your planned travel. To make an appointment, call the telephone number indicated in "How to Apply," with passport in hand, between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Documents to Bring to the TN/TD Visa Interview

Once a TN Visa applicant has an interview appointment, the applicant must bring the following documents to the interview:

1. Job Letter

The applicant must provide an original job offer letter, written in English and addressed to the Embassy on company stationery (emailed, faxed, and scanned letters will NOT be accepted).

The letter should include the following key points:

a) TN Visa applicant’s full name;  
b) Job title and description of duties;  
c) Salary in U.S. dollars and whether it will be paid in dollars or pesos;  
d) Degree and/or experience required for position; and
e) Whether English is required for the position.

Below is the format of a sample petitioner’s job offer letter:

2. Valid Passport

Applicants should be able to present a valid passport with available empty pages. Applicants should check their passports before their appointment. Please bring any prior passports with U.S. visa stamps to the interview as well.

3. Visa Application

Applicants should submit an electronic application form, known as the DS-160 Non-Immigrant Visa Electronic Application. The application must be completed online. Visa applicants will simply print out the confirmation page containing the bar code and bring this page to the visa interview. It is no longer necessary to provide a printed application form to the Consular Officer during the visa interview.

4. Visa Interview Fee

Every applicant — including children — must have an original Banamex receipt for the EQUIVALENT IN PESOS of $131 USD (New fee-effective on June 4, 2010 - US$140) for an interview. This fee is nonrefundable.

5. Evidence of Professional Licensure and/or Work Experience

Applicants must demonstrate that they are eligible for a TN visa via their educational background or prior work experience, as set forth in the NAFTA agreement.

Education Requirement: For NAFTA professions requiring  a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree, applicants must present an original college degree (titulo) and/or a professional credential (cédula profesional).

Degrees, diplomas, or certificates received from an educational institution outside the United States, Canada, or Mexico must be accompanied by an evaluation from a reliable credentials evaluation service specializing in evaluating foreign documentation.

Work Experience Requirement: If qualifying via work experience, applicants must provide letters from former employers. If the applicant was self-employed, business records should be submitted.

6. Other Supporting Documents

Any other supporting documents, such as the company’s brochure, company profile, financial statement and/or tax returns, etc. will also be considered.

For the TD Visa Interview

TD applicants , whether accompanying the principal applicant to the interview or following to join a TN recipient already in the U.S, must present documentation proving their relationship to the principal applicant. Children under the age of seven do not need to be present for the TN/TD interview. TD applicants should bring the following documents:

a) Original marriage certificate  
b) Original birth certificate for minors (or custody decrees/adoption papers when applicable)  
c) Passport  
d) DS-160 form  
e) Proof of payment of visa interview fee (original Banamex receipt for the EQUIVALENT IN PESOS of $131 USD (New fee-effective on June 4, 2010 - US$140)
f) Photograph for minors 
(One 2x2 inch photograph is required of TD applicants under the age of seven. Photographs of applicants over the age of seven are NOT required).

In addition, TD applicants who are following to join TN professionals must bring:

a) Copy of proof of entry of principal applicant (such as a copy of the valid form I-94 arrival/departure record)
b) Copy of principal applicant’s visa and passport information page
c) Recent paystubs/tax returns of principal applicant

For TN visa interviews at a U.S. consulate in Mexico, please visit the appropriate web site below:

Ciudad Juarez 
Guadalajara 
Hermosillo 
Matamoros 
Merida 
Monterrey 
Nogales 
Nuevo Laredo 
Tijuana 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who must be interviewed?

Every applicant 7 years of age and older must be interviewed in person for a TN or TD visa. Applicants are not permitted to send lawyers or other representatives to the visa interview in their place.

2. Who must attend the TD visa interview for a minor?

 
Children under age 7: If your child is between 0 and 6 years of age on the day of your appointment, your child is not required to attend the interview, but will be allowed to enter the Embassy. All children under age seven must submit a 2x2 inch photograph with the application, whether or not the child is attending the interview. At least one parent must attend the interview on behalf of the child, and both parents are welcome. If both parents are also applying for visas and have appointments, both parents must be present.  

Children ages 7 to 16: All children between 7 and 16 years of age are required to attend their TN visa interview. At least one parent must attend the interview on behalf of the child. If both parents are also applying for a visa and have appointments, both parents must be present.  
Applicants ages 17 to 21: All applicants between 17 and 21 years of age are considered adults and are required to attend their TN visa interview. A parent may accompany an applicant, but their presence is not required.

3. Can a TD visa holder work or go to school on the TD visa?

Family members are not permitted to work. The TN applicant must prove that he/she can support the family financially during their stay in the U.S. However, children with a TD visa may attend public or private school.

4. How Long Can a TN Applicant Stay in the U.S.?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials working for the Department of Homeland Security decide whether to permit or deny admission to the United States and determine a visa recipient’s length of stay.

TN/TD visas are currently issued for one year. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants extensions of stay in periods of one year. There is no limit on the number of TN visas an applicant may receive; however, the TN visa status is not for permanent residence.

5. How can I extend my stay in the U.S. beyond the date permitted on my visa? Can I change employers while in the U.S. on a TN visa?

Mexican citizens admitted as NAFTA professionals may seek an extension of stay of up to one year. TN visa recipients may also change employers during their stay in the U.S.

For an extension of stay or to change employers, Form I-129 Petition for Non-immigrant Worker should be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’s (USCIS) Vermont Service Center.

The applicant may also apply at a port of entry using the same application and documentation procedures above as required for the initial entry.

6. USCIS has already approved my TN/TD extension of stay/change of employer. Do I still have to renew my visa?

Yes, applicants with such approvals must renew their visas at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or a U.S. Consulate elsewhere in Mexico the first time they leave the United States. Such applicants will need to provide the same documentation as first-time TN/TD visa applicants.

7. How can I renew my TN/TD visa at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City or at a U.S. Consulate elsewhere in Mexico?

TN/TD renewals should make an appointment in the same manner and submit the same documentation as first-time TN/TD applicants.

8. How can I find more information about the NAFTA Professional Job List?

For a complete list of TN professions with minimum education requirements and alternative credentials, see NAFTA's website.

9. If my TN application is approved, how long will it take to receive the visa?

Assuming no administrative processing is required, applicants generally receive their visas via messenger service 5 to 10 business days after their interview. Applicants with urgent travel needs may be able to pick up their visas directly from the messenger service 1 to 2 days after their interview.

10. I still have questions. Who can I contact to get more information about the TN/TD visa?

Please send an e-mail to MexicoCityTNVisas@state.gov.