Preparing to apply for TN Visa

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manik79

Registered Users (C)
Hi; I am a Canadian citizen preparing to pack up my things and head to Buffalo where i will apply for a TN Visa to begin work in San Diego June 21st.

I have a few questions before i make my case at the border(i am a bit worried about quiting my job getting denied at the border).

1. I have a 3 year diploma in Multimedia Design. Does anyone think that diploma may not fit under the Graphic Designer title listed on NAFTA PROFESSIONAL JOB LIST?? I am under the impression that it is Graphic Design or a related field.

2. I have 3 1/2 years work experience. Do I need records of employment when i get to the border?

3. Are they any specific questions i should prepare for when I get there? Do they try and trick you somehow to watch you slip up?

4. What is required of the Job I am moving too? Do they need to do anything besides a letter stating that I am going to be employed when I arrive in San Diego?

5. I recently got married. Now my wife is going to be coming with me and she will hopefully get her TD visa when I get my TN Visa. Anyone heard of problems handing out TD Visa's to spouses?


Thank you so much for your help in advance.
 
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1) I'm not 100% sure but this sounds like a very good fit for that title. Bzuccarro might have more useful experience to share.

2) Yes. Preferably reference letters from those jobs stating that you worked as a Graphics Designer. Bring your resume, and your former jobs should be called Graphics Designer as well. If possible, you can borrow verbiage from the ONET site (mentioned below) to describe those former jobs. There's no need to lie if you actually were a Graphic Designer (or something very similar), just borrow the "words" used in the ONET description, since those are the words the officer wil be looking for.

3) Some officers are jerks and they will try to make you slip up. At a land crossing if you go during regular business hours, you have a better chance of getting the more experienced and more professional officers. My first attempt was outside regular business hours, and I got a jerk that picked on all kinds of things. If at all possible try to match the job description described in your TN letter to that on the ONET site, without actually copying the entire description. You'll need to search on the site and find a match for Graphic Designer. Chances are, the officers are trained to look for TN letters that resemble this description, and anything that deviates from it too remotely will cause the officer to give a subjective opinion on whether you qualify. Usually thier subjective opinions do not end in your benefit, so I recommend you look at the ONET site. http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/27-1024.00

Other than that just make sure that you have all the required info on the letter like start/end dates, salary, etc and that its signed, dated, and on company letterhead. Bring US cash for the fee, preferrably exact change to get out of there as quick as possible.

4) Essentially thats the only involvement from the company.

5) Unless she's not a Canadian, she should have no problems. Just bring her passport and/or proof of Canadian citizenship, and a marriage certificate. I got a TD for my wife a week after we got married. No issues.
 
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