Work 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. Embassy – Mexico City or at any U.S. Consulate.

Who Is Qualified for the TN Visa?

Mexican citizens with a job offer in one of the positions 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.

The list of NAFTA Treaty positions can be found in Appendix 1603.D.1 on the NAFTA web page or at the following link:

http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/DefaultSite/index_e.aspx?DetailID=167#Ap1603.D.1

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.

How to Arrange an Interview for the TN Visa at U.S. Embassy - Mexico City

In order to be scheduled for a TN Visa interview applicants should email MexicoCityTNVisas@state.gov with a scanned copy of the original petitioner’s job offer letter.

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:

1. The TN Visa applicant’s full name
2. Job title and description of duties
3. Salary in U.S. dollars and whether it will be paid in dollars or pesos
4. Length of contract
5. Degree and/or experience required for position
6. 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. Embassy- Mexico City Non-Immigrant Visa Section Mexico City, Mexico 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)

After your documents meet our requirements we will send you a second e-mail with confirmation.

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 the following documents to the interview:

• Valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity and available empty pages. Applicants should check their passports prior to their appointment. If applicants have prior passports with U.S. visa stamps, applicants should bring them as well;
• A fully completed and signed visa application form DS-156 and, for males between the ages of 16 to 45, a DS-157 supplementary form. Please note that only DS-156 forms printed from the Internet are accepted. The Embassy can no longer accept handwritten applications;
• Visa Interview Fee. Every applicant –including children– must bring the original Banamex receipt for the EQUIVALENT IN PESOS of $131 USD for an interview. This fee is non-refundable and should be attached to the applicant’s passport;
• Original marriage certificate;
• Signed original company petitioner’s job offer letter, written on company stationary (please note: emailed, faxed and desktop published letters are NOT accepted);
• Cédula profesional or, if you do not have a cédula profesional, your original degree(s) with S.E.P. seal and/or proof of professional experience;
• Any other supporting documents, such as the company’s brochure, company profile, financial statement and/or tax returns, etc;

Children under 14 do not need to be physically present for the TN/TD interview; parents should bring the following documents:

• child’s passport,
• DS-156 form,
• bank receipt,
• original birth certificate,
• and a photo with a white background that shows their full face and both ears;

Please note children must be in Mexico to be issued a visa.

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

TN/TD Visa applicants will receive further instructions after the Embassy receives and accepts the job petitioner offer letter via email. Please email the Embassy at the following address with any questions: MexicoCityTNVisas@state.gov.

More information on "How to apply."