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VISAS

NAFTA Visas (TN)

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 from Canada, Mexico and the United States. The nonimmigrant NAFTA Professional (TN) visa allows citizens of Canada and Mexico as NAFTA professionals to engage in pre-arranged business activities for a US or foreign employer. This is a nonimmigrant status. Only Canadian or Mexican passport holders are eligible for TN visas. 

Who Is Qualified for the TN Visa?

Professionals of Mexico may work in the U.S. under the following conditions:

  • Applicant is a citizen of Mexico.
  • Profession is on the NAFTA list.
  • Position in the U.S. requires a NAFTA professional.
  • Applicant is to work in a prearranged full-time or part-time job, for a U.S. employer. Self employment is not permitted.
  • Applicant must possess the specific criteria, educational and/ or experiential, required for the profession.

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

Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the TN visa holder are eligible for the TD visa.

Documents to Bring to the TN/TD Visa Interview

Once a TN Visa applicant has an interview appointment for the visa, the applicant must bring to the interview all of the documents referenced in the Visa Application Steps section, as well as:

1. Job Letter

Signed original company petitioner’s job offer letter, written on company stationary (please note: emailed, faxed and desktop published letters are NOT accepted).

The petitioner’s job offer letter needs to be written in English and should be written by the company for whom the TN Visa applicant will work. The letter should also state clearly the following 6 key points:

a) The 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) Length of contract
e) Degree and/or experience required for position
f) State whether English is required for the position

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

Date

Addressed to:
U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara
Non-Immigrant Visa Section

Re: Petition for TN/ TD Nonimmigrant Visa Application
Petitioner: Company Name and phone number of petitioner
Beneficiary:

  • Full name of applicant (i.e. two first names and two last names)
  • DOB of applicant
  • Phone number of applicant

Position: (Position Title, which must be on the NAFTA list of professions)

Dear Sir or Madam:

Introduction paragraph

I. Petitioner: Name of Petitioner
     (Petitioner Profile is the general company background information)
II. Position: Position Title
     (Position description includes duties, definition of degree and/ or experience required for the position)
III. Beneficiary: Name of Applicant
     (Beneficiary Profile describes applicant’s qualifications, including education degrees and/ related work experience)
IV. Terms of Employment:
     (Describes salary to be paid, length of contract – in months or years – and other terms of employment)

Conclusion paragraph (Summary of major points of the petition)

2. Evidence of Professional Licensure and/or Work Experience

Applicants must demonstrate that they are properly classifiable as NAFTA Professional for a TN visa, under U.S. law by:

Education Requirement: The applicant's employer must submit proof that the applicant meets the minimum education requirements or has the alternative credentials set forth in NAFTA agreement, Chapter 16 Appendix 1603.d.1. Evidence of professional qualifications may be in the form of degrees, certificates, diplomas, professional licenses, or membership in a professional organization. In Mexico, an original college degree and/or a professional credential (cédula professional) is required.

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

Work Experience Requirement - Documents proving the applicant's experience should be in the form of letters from former employers. If the applicant was self-employed, business records should be submitted proving the period of self-employment.

3. 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.

TD applicant spouses who accompany the TN applicant to the interview must present an original marriage certificate.

Additional Information

For more information about NAFTA visas, visit the 'Mexican and Canadian NAFTA Professional Worker' section of Travel.State.Gov.

For more information about the Consulate's visa application process, please see Visa Application Steps.