TN Renewal and Traveling Abroad

[trusam2001]

Hi

We are Canadian citizens currently living in North Carolina on TN visa which will expire on July 28th 2009. Me and my son (TD visa holders) are planning to visit India bet. June 2009 - August 2009. My husband (TN visa holder) will be joining us in July and we all are planning come back in the 2nd or 3rd week of August. Which is the best way to renew the visa. RDU is an international airport but we are afraid to renew visa there because the immigration officer might be lacking expertise on this. If we choose to renew it by mail then we will have to send our passports in March/April 2009 and if processing takes longer than expected then we will not be able to travel on desired dates.
Please advise on this issue.

If I need information on the same issue, who shall I contact. Is there any website showing details on the same?

Thank you.

 

[nelsona]

First off, You NEVER EVER send your passports to CIS. Ever. A copy of the photo page and a copy of the I-94 is sufficient.

TN: I might consider submitting an I-129 in mid-February. This would more than likely be approved by the time he left. Its not important that it be approved before he left, its just that sending it in would keep him in status, and if approved would avoid him needing to get a new TN at the POE when coming back with you. If his mail-in is approved after he leaves US, but before he returns, he can even ask for it at the POE without making a new petition (save 60 bucks). I wouldn't worry too much about the staff at RDU.


As for your TDs, I would not do anything before leaving, as the instant you leave US any mail-in I-539 for TD would be dead, and you will have wasted $400. It will be simple to get TD when you land back in US. You are Cdn, don't need a visa, and either your husband will already have his TN by mail, or he will get it right there, so you will be issued TD with no problem -- and free, too.