TN2 Visa

The TN2 visa allows nonimmigrant Mexican citizens who work in certain professions to seek temporary entry into the United States for employment and business activities with a U.S. or foreign employer. Mexican citizens must apply for the TN2 visa at a United States embassy or consulate prior to entry to the United States.

What are the Eligibility Requirements for the TN2 Visa?

In order to qualify for the TN2 visa, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a citizen of Mexico
• Must work in a qualified profession on the NAFTA list.
• Must have prearranged full-time or part-time employment, and will not be self-employed.
• Must have the requisite qualifications, specific requirements, education, and/or experience to work in the qualified profession.
• Must typically have a baccalaureate degree, though some professions allow qualified experience to be substituted for the baccalaureate degree.

What are Qualified Professions for the TN2 Visa?

There are numerous professions that are included on the qualified professions list for the TN visa. Most of these professions also require that visa holders have certain post-secondary degrees related to the profession, or have certificates or licensure for the profession and issued by applicable state or jurisdiction. Qualified professions include:

• Accountant
• Agriculturist (including Agronomist)
• Animal Breeder
• Animal Scientist
• Apiculturist
• Architect
• Astronomer
• Biochemist
• Biologist
• Chemist
• College Professor
• Computer Systems Analyst
• Dairy Scientist
• Dentist
• Dietitian
• Disaster relief insurance claims adjuster
• Economist
• Engineer
• Entomologist
• Epidemiologist
• Forester
• Geneticist
• Geochemist
• Geologist
• Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States)
• Graphic Designer
• Horticulturist
• Hotel Manager
• Industrial Designer
• Interior Designer
• Land Surveyor-
• Landscape Architect
• Lawyer
• Librarian
• Management Consultant
• Mathematician (including Statistician and Actuary)
• Medical Laboratory Technologist
• Meteorologist
• Nutritionist
• Occupational Therapist
• Pharmacist
• Pharmacologist
• Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada)
• Physician (teaching or research only)
• Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist
• Plant Breeder
• Poultry Scientist
• Psychologist
• Range Manager/Range Conservationist
• Recreational Therapist
• Registered nurse
• Research Assistant
• Scientific Technician/Technologist
• Seminary Teacher
• Social Worker
• Soil Scientist
• Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)
• Technical Publications Writer-
• University Professor
• Urban Planner (including Geographer)
• Veterinarian
• Vocational Counselor
• Zoologist

Do Mexican Citizens Need a TN Visa?

Yes. In order to work in the United States as a temporary nonimmigrant in a qualified profession, Mexican citizens must apply for the TN2 visa before seeking entry into the U.S. Unlike Canadian citizens, there is no option for Mexican citizens to seek entry into the United States at a designated port of entry without first applying for the TN2 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

What is the process for obtaining the TN2 visa?

The application process for the TN2 visa is primarily employer driven, though the employee will need to provide information and documentation during the process. The steps to apply for the TN2 visa are described below:

1. Step One: Employer Files Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker

   To apply for the TN2 visa, the applicant’s employer must first review the instructions for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker and file Form I-129 with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

   When submitting the Form I-129, the employer must pay any applicable filing fee and provide all required evidence and supporting documentation.

2. Step Two: USCIS Processes Form I-129

   After the USCIS receives and processes Form I-129, the employer will receive the following in return:

   • A receipt notice confirming the petition was received;
   • A notice to appear for an interview, if required;
   • A biometric services notice, if applicable; and
   • A notice of decision.

3. Step Three: Employee Files Online Form DS-160

   The TN2 visa applicant who will be working for their employer in the United States must complete Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160. This involves uploading a photo of the applicant that conforms to the U.S. Department of State photograph requirements. Once Form DS-160 is submitted, the employee must download and print the confirmation page showing Form DS-160 was completed and the filing fee paid. The confirmation page will need to be brought to the visa interview at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy.

4. Step Four: Schedule Interview and Biometrics Appointment

   When Form I-129 is approved, the USCIS will send Form I-797, Notice of Action. This may include with it a notice to appear for an interview and a biometric services appointment. The TN2 applicant is responsible for scheduling and appearing for his or her interview and biometrics appointment.

5. Step Five: Attend Interview and Biometrics Appointment

   If requested, the TN2 applicant (employee) must attend an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, where an official will evaluate the applicant’s documentation and ask questions pertaining to why the applicant is seeking the TN2 visa, including about the applicant’s employment with their employer. The TN2 visa applicant may be able to schedule the biometrics appointment to take place at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate when the visa interview is scheduled.

   Before attending the interview, the applicant should compile certain documentation to bring with them to the interview.

   The documents listed below must be brought with the TN2 visa applicant to the interview:

   • Confirmation page for Form DS-160;
   • Passport valid for travel to the United States that will remain valid for at least six months beyond the visa holder’s period of stay in the United States;
   • Application fee payment receipt;
   • Contract or letter of employment that confirms upcoming employment
   • Documentation proving the applicant meets the minimum education and/or work experience requirements for the qualified profession.

Can TN2 visa holders study in the United States?

Yes. TN2 visa holders may study full-time or part-time while in the United States so long as the original conditions of the TN2 visa are adhered to. If the educational program lasts longer than the period of validity for the TN2 visa, the visa holder should apply for a student visa that would permit them to remain in the United States for the purpose of completing their education. Continuing education is not a valid basis for extending the TN2 visa.

Can TN2 visa holders switch employers while in the U.S?

TN2 visa holders are only permitted to work in the U.S. for the employer named on the TN visa. TN2 visa holders who want to change their employer must apply for a new TN2 visa based on the new employer and employment.

Can TN2 visa holders apply for a green card?

No. Unless there is some other basis for applying for a green card, such as marriage to a U.S. citizen, TN2 visa holders are not permitted to apply for a green card based on their TN2 visa status. This is because the TN2 visa is not a “dual intent” visa, which means that TN2 visa holders must have the intent to only live in the U.S. temporarily when they are issued the TN2 visa.

How much does it cost to get a TN2 visa?

The application fee when filing Form I-129 is $460, which is commonly paid by the employer. The cost to file Form DS-160 is $160. An applicant can pay $2500 for premium processing, which expedites the application process.

An additional $2,500 may be paid for premium processing, which will expedite the approval process for receiving the TN2 visa.

For how long is the TN2 visa valid?

TN2 visa holders may stay in the United States for up to three years. If a TN2 visa holder wishes to remain in the United States beyond three years without first departing the United States, the visa holder must seek an extension of his or her stay by having his or her employer file form I-129 on the visa holder’s behalf.

Alternatively, TN2 visa holders may depart the United States before the date their visa expires and apply at a CBP-designated U.S. port of entry or pre-clearance/pre-flight inspection station using the same application and documentation provided at the initial application for admission as a TN2 nonimmigrant.