TN: Canadian and Mexican Nonimmigrant Visas
The TN visa lets Canadian and Mexican citizens work in the United States in a professional occupation under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), the trade agreement that replaced NAFTA in 2020. Canadian citizens do not need a visa and apply for TN status directly at a U.S. port of entry; Mexican citizens apply for a TN visa at a U.S. consulate before traveling. TN status is granted for up to three years at a time and can be renewed indefinitely, as long as the work remains temporary. The job must be on the USMCA professions list, and the applicant must hold the degree or credentials the profession requires.
For a Canadian or Mexican professional with a job offer from a U.S. employer, the TN category is often the fastest route to work authorization. There is no annual cap and no lottery, unlike the H-1B, and a Canadian applicant can be admitted the same day at the border with the right paperwork.
The trade-off is that TN status is narrow. It covers a fixed list of professions, ties the applicant to a specific employer, and requires genuinely temporary intent. Which process applies, and what it costs, depends first on citizenship.
What Is the TN Visa?
The TN classification comes from USMCA (formerly NAFTA) and is set out in INA § 214(e) and 8 CFR § 214.6. It permits citizens of Canada and Mexico to enter the United States temporarily to work in a professional occupation for a U.S. employer. It is a nonimmigrant category, meaning it is for temporary stays rather than permanent residence.
The process is administered differently depending on citizenship. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) handles Canadian applicants at the border, the Department of State handles Mexican applicants at consulates, and USCIS handles extensions and changes of status through Form I-129 for applicants already in the United States.
Who Qualifies for a TN Visa?
To qualify for TN status, an applicant must:
- Be a citizen of Canada or Mexico (permanent residents of those countries do not qualify; this is a citizenship-only category)
- Have a job offer from a U.S. employer for a position on the USMCA professions list
- Hold the degree, license, or credentials the profession requires
- Be entering for a prearranged, full-time or part-time professional position that is temporary in nature
The position must genuinely require a professional in that field; holding a qualifying degree is not enough on its own.
TN Visa Professions
The professions eligible for TN status are fixed by USMCA Appendix 2 (formerly NAFTA Appendix 1603.D.1). Most require at least a bachelor’s degree; some accept a state or provincial license or specific credentials instead, and a few require experience in addition to a degree. The list is closed—an occupation that does not appear on it cannot support a TN, however professional the work.
Common qualifying professions include:
- Accountant
- Architect
- Disaster relief insurance claims adjuster
- Dentist
- Dietitian
- Economist
- Engineer
- Forester
- Graphic designer
- Geneticist
- Land surveyor
- Lawyer
- Librarian
- Mathematician
- Pharmacist
- Registered nurse
- Research assistant (at a post-secondary institution)
- Social worker
- Silviculturist
- Technical publications writer
- University professor
- Zoologist
For the full list and the exact credential each profession requires, see the USCIS TN USMCA Professionals page.
How to Apply: Canadian vs. Mexican Citizens
The application route depends on citizenship, and the difference is significant.
Canadian Citizens (at a U.S. Port of Entry)
Canadian citizens do not need a TN visa. A qualifying Canadian applies for TN status directly at a U.S. port of entry—a land border crossing or a CBP preclearance station at a Canadian airport—by presenting:
- Proof of Canadian citizenship, usually a passport
- A letter from the U.S. employer describing the position, its professional category under USMCA, the duties, the salary, and the length of the engagement
- Degrees, licenses, and credential documents establishing the qualifications
A CBP officer reviews the packet at inspection and, if satisfied, admits the applicant in TN status. No DS-160, consular interview, or visa stamp is required. An employer may instead file Form I-129 with USCIS in advance; that is optional for Canadians, but it produces an approval notice before travel.
Mexican Citizens (at a U.S. Consulate)
Mexican citizens are not visa-exempt and must obtain a TN visa from a U.S. consulate in Mexico before traveling. The consular process runs in four steps.
Complete Form DS-160. Every consular applicant files the online nonimmigrant visa application (Form DS-160), which covers background and the purpose of travel.
Pay the visa fee and upload a photo. The photo must meet the State Department’s requirements: color, taken within the last six months, full face, plain light background.
Attend the consular interview. Applicants between 14 and 79 generally interview with a consular officer at the U.S. embassy or consulate. Schedule early, since appointment wait times vary by post and season.
Provide supporting documents. Bring the employer letter, proof of Mexican citizenship, and credential documents. The consulate may request additional proof of licensure or qualifications.
Once the visa is issued, the applicant presents it at a U.S. port of entry to be admitted in TN status. An I-129 petition is not required for the consular route, though an employer may file one.
TN Visa Cost
What the TN costs depends on the route.
Canadian Citizens (Port of Entry)
No visa fee
and no petition fee. A Canadian applicant pays only a small I-94 admission fee at the port of entry.
Mexican Citizens (Consular)
$185
The nonimmigrant visa application fee (the MRV fee), paid before the interview and non-refundable regardless of outcome. Under USMCA reciprocity, Mexican citizens generally pay no separate visa issuance fee.
If an Employer Files Form I-129 (Either Route)
$1,015
The current Form I-129 filing fee ($510 for qualifying small employers and nonprofits). A separate Asylum Program Fee also applies to I-129 filings: $600 for most employers, $300 for small employers, and $0 for nonprofits. Premium processing is optional and costs $2,965 (Form I-907), which commits USCIS to act within 15 business days. Premium processing is available only on the I-129 route, not for applications made at the border or a consulate.
A $250 Visa Integrity Fee for nonimmigrant visa issuance was enacted in 2025, but the State Department has not yet published a collection procedure. It would apply at visa issuance, affecting Mexican consular applicants rather than Canadians entering without a visa.
TN Visa Processing Time
How long the TN takes depends on the route.
Consular interview wait times vary the most and can be checked on the specific embassy or consulate’s website.
How Long TN Status Lasts
TN status is granted for up to three years at a time. There is no limit on the number of renewals, so a TN professional can extend indefinitely in up to three-year increments, provided the work and the intent remain temporary. An employer can extend the status by filing Form I-129 with USCIS, or the TN professional can renew by leaving and re-entering with an updated employer letter—at the border for Canadians, or with a valid visa for Mexican citizens.
TN status is tied to the specific employer and position. Working for a different employer requires a new TN—a new port-of-entry application, a new consular visa, or a new I-129—before the new job begins.
TN Dependents (TD Status)
The spouse and unmarried children under 21 of a TN professional can apply for TD status. TD dependents may live and study in the United States but may not work.
Canadian dependents apply for TD at the port of entry and do not need a visa. Dependents who are not Canadian citizens—including all dependents of a Mexican TN holder—must obtain a TD visa from a U.S. consulate before entering. Dependents cannot be admitted in TD status until the principal TN professional has been granted TN status.
Frequently Asked Questions About the TN Visa
Do Canadian citizens need a TN visa?
No. Canadian citizens apply for TN status directly at a U.S. port of entry or CBP preclearance station and are admitted without a visa. They present proof of Canadian citizenship, an employer letter, and credential documents to a CBP officer. A consular visa and DS-160 are required only for Mexican citizens.
How long does a TN visa last?
TN status is granted for up to three years at a time and can be renewed indefinitely in up to three-year increments, as long as the work remains temporary. Extensions are filed with USCIS on Form I-129, or the professional can re-apply at the border or consulate with an updated employer letter.
How much does a TN visa cost?
For Mexican citizens applying at a consulate, the nonimmigrant visa application fee is $185. Canadians applying at the border pay no visa fee, only a small I-94 admission fee. If an employer files Form I-129, the filing fee is $1,015 plus a separate Asylum Program Fee, with optional premium processing at $2,965.
Can a TN professional switch employers?
TN status is specific to the employer and position that supported it, so a new job requires a new TN before work begins. That means a new application at the port of entry for Canadians, a new consular visa for Mexican citizens, or a new Form I-129 filed by the new employer. Adding or changing employers is not automatic.
Can a TN visa lead to a green card?
It can, but not directly. TN status requires temporary intent, and pursuing permanent residence can complicate a TN renewal or admission, because it may signal an intent to stay permanently. Anyone considering a move from TN to a green card should speak with an immigration attorney about timing and the risk to the current status.
Talk With Our Immigration Attorneys About Your TN Visa
For over three decades, Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C. has represented individuals, families, and employers in U.S. immigration and nationality law, including Canadian and Mexican professionals seeking TN status. If you have a job offer and want to confirm the profession qualifies, prepare the employer letter, or decide between the border, consular, and I-129 routes, our attorneys can help. Call 312.444.1940 or fill out our online contact form today.