To be eligible for TN status, you must:

• Be a citizen of Canada or Mexico

• Have a job with a US employer

• Meet the qualifications for a position on the NAFTA list of TN occupations

• Candidates for tenure-track positions are asked to consult with ISSS on different immigration classifications which would allow permanent employment.

Please note that the TN category is only available to citizens of Canada or Mexico. Landed immigrants or permanent residents of Canada or Mexico are not eligible.

• TN status is initially granted for up to 3 years.
• Extensions of stay may also be granted in increments of up to three years, provided that they can demonstrate that they do not intend to remain or work permanently in the US.
• Use caution if you are pursuing a stay of longer than 6 years. DHS might deny your application (or re-entry into the US at the border) or require further proof of the temporary nature of your employment. 
• TNs may enter the US up to 10 days prior to the start date indicated in the TN Employment Letter or I-797 approval notice if a petition was filed, and may be granted a 10-day grace period after the end date indicated in the letter of offer or on the I-797 approval notice if a petition was filed. To confirm the grace period given, check the I-94 each time. The 10-day grace periods aren’t automatically given and are up to DHS discretion. TNs cannot work during the grace periods.

TN Processing When Outside the US

 Initial processing requirements differ for Canadians and Mexicans

• A Canadian citizen does not require a TN entry visa in his/her passport. A Canadian simply presents the required supporting documentation at a US port of entry. 
• A Mexican citizen must obtain a TN entry visa in his/her passport from a US Consulate or Embassy before being eligible for admission to the US in TN status. Otherwise, the application process is the same. Application for entry in TN status is made at a port of entry (at an airport handling international traffic or at a pre-clearance/pre-flight station directly upon entering the US). At that time, the prospective TN status applicant must present the required documentation listed below.
• Required documentation: Please refer to the TN checklist which will be provided after ISSS completes your TN request. 

TN Processing from within the US

• While it may be possible to change/extend status to TN within the US through a petition with US Citizenship and Immigration Services, the process is costly and significantly more time-consuming than applying for TN status at a port of entry.  Thus, TN processing from within the US is not recommended.

• TN scholars have a number of immigration responsibilities, including reporting any changes in your employment, keeping your local address updated with USCIS, and more. What you need to do >>
• The TN is specific to the employer and job/position for an individual TN employee. TN employment authorized for Emory University does not allow employment with another department at Emory, at another location, or for a different employer.
• Consult ISSS prior to any changes in the individual’s employment, such as change in title, academic degree required for position, number of hours worked, department, location, or position duties. In some cases, an amended petition will have to be filed with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  • Please note that failure to consult ISSS may put Emory and the individual employee at risk for sanctions and penalties by DHS.
• TN employees are not allowed to accept honoraria or payment from outside sources.
• If an individual is already in the US and in TN status but is sponsored by another employer and wishes to start employment at Emory University, s/he must obtain a new TN status that is specific to Emory employment. The individual must not begin working for Emory until Emory’s TN is approved.

You can bring your spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21 with you to the United States as TD dependents. 

TD dependents can't be employed in the US, but they can study full-time.