I'm a Canadian currently on my second 1-year TN extension, which expires in September. The basic facts around the TN (employer, job description, etc.) have never changed, but the last time I renewed (at Toronto airport), I got a lot of grief from the agent because my degree title (BA in Animation and Digital Effects) didn't match the NAFTA occupation title of "Graphic Designer". The agent was so adamant that the degree didn't qualify me as a graphic designer that he was going to reject the renewal. He eventually relented when I nearly broke down crying, but said he was noting on my record that my degree doesn't qualify me for that occupation and that I should not receive any additional TN extensions. -- I didn't get to read it personally, but that's what he said he was going to write.
So here's a bunch of questions:
1) How likely is it that he actually added such a note to my record, and how likely is it that such a note would be read and carry weight when I renew, especially if I renew through mail, or at the same airport, or at a different POE (probably San Ysidro)?
2) I completely disagree with his assessment, and can get everybody from my employer to the heads of my department and my school to support me on this. I could also match the individual skills in the definition of "graphic designer" to classes on my transcript. How likely would any of that be to convince an agent to disregard the previous agent's notes?
2a) If I assembled such documentation and wanted to renew through mail, should I include it with the initial application or wait for them to request additional documentation? (If I go to a POE, obviously I won't give them anything unless they bring the subject up.)
3) If I renew in San Ysidro in late July or early August, and my renewal is rejected, should I be worried that they'll prevent me from reentering the US, either on what's left of my current TN or as a visitor?
The whole experience has been incredibly frustrating because, from everything I've read, renewals should be easier than the initial application. It just doesn't make any sense that suddenly an agent could decide that the degree wasn't sufficient, after it'd already been approved twice.
Thanks in advance--
--Torc.
So here's a bunch of questions:
1) How likely is it that he actually added such a note to my record, and how likely is it that such a note would be read and carry weight when I renew, especially if I renew through mail, or at the same airport, or at a different POE (probably San Ysidro)?
2) I completely disagree with his assessment, and can get everybody from my employer to the heads of my department and my school to support me on this. I could also match the individual skills in the definition of "graphic designer" to classes on my transcript. How likely would any of that be to convince an agent to disregard the previous agent's notes?
2a) If I assembled such documentation and wanted to renew through mail, should I include it with the initial application or wait for them to request additional documentation? (If I go to a POE, obviously I won't give them anything unless they bring the subject up.)
3) If I renew in San Ysidro in late July or early August, and my renewal is rejected, should I be worried that they'll prevent me from reentering the US, either on what's left of my current TN or as a visitor?
The whole experience has been incredibly frustrating because, from everything I've read, renewals should be easier than the initial application. It just doesn't make any sense that suddenly an agent could decide that the degree wasn't sufficient, after it'd already been approved twice.
Thanks in advance--
--Torc.
