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VISAS

NAFTA Visas

The TN/TD 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.  As of January 1, 2004, the procedures were simplified for Mexicans by removing the requirement for petitions and labor conditions applications.  Mexican citizens should apply for TN visa at U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City, or any other U.S. Consulate. 

Who Is Qualified for the TN Visa?

Mexican citizens with a job offer in one of the jobs listed in the NAFTA Treaty are eligible for the TN visa.  Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the TN visa holder are eligible for the TD visa.

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 years of work experience.  In every case, the applicant must prove to the adjudicating consular officer that the applicant has the required educational and/or work experience for the TN visa.

How to Receive an Interview for the TN Visa at U.S. Consulate General, Guadalajara

To schedule an appointment for a TN Visa interview, you can click on the following to access the new Internet Visa Appointment Service or call a number shown in the How to Apply Section. 

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 5 key points:

  • The TN Visa applicant's full name 
  • Job title and description of duties 
  • Salary 
  • Length of contract 
  • Degree and/or experience required for position

Below is the format of a sample petitioner's job offer letter. This letter should be written in English:

LETTERHEAD-logo
ADDRESS
CITY, STATE, ZIP
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
Date

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

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)

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)

Documents to Bring to the TN/ TD Visa Interview

Once a TN Visa applicant has a visa interview appointment, the applicant should bring the paperwork indicated in the Documents section to the scheduled interview.   Additionally, the applicant should bring:

  • Signed original company petitioner’s job offer letter, written on company stationary (please note: emailed, faxed and desktop published letters are NOT accepted); 
  • Original degree(s) with S.E.P. (título) seal and cédula profesional;
  • Any other supporting documents, such as the company’s brochure, company profile, financial statement and/or tax returns, etc;

Children under 7 years of age do not need to be physically present for the TN/TD interview.  Instead, parents should bring to the interview the items indicated in the Minors page. 

For purpose of the TN visa interview, it is in the applicant’s favor to bring as much documentation (experience, education, etc.) as possible.

The U.S. Department of State website has a website with more information about the TN/TD visas.

For more information, see "How to Apply".