TN visa renewal at Canadian border

M

mpkv

Registered Users (C)
Hello,

I am a Canadian citizen with a Ph d in engineering.I am working with a company in the USA which gives me an appointment letter for only one year. This is my first year and my TN visa (and my family too) is valid till the first week of January 2003. Say approximately two months from now.
The company will issue me a fresh letter of appointment saying that i have been offered the temp job for another year.

My questions are:

1) Can i go to the Canadian border now to renew the TN visa? Or is there some minimum time - like you should be there within a week or two before the expiry of TN visa?

2) Instead of going to the border - can i apply by mail? does it affect the chances of getting the renewal? When can one apply by mail? the time-frame i mean.

This forum has been really a great help to me. All replies with suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

mpkv
 
Originally posted by mpkv
Hello,

I am a Canadian citizen with a Ph d in engineering.I am working with a company in the USA which gives me an appointment letter for only one year. This is my first year and my TN visa (and my family too) is valid till the first week of January 2003. Say approximately two months from now.
The company will issue me a fresh letter of appointment saying that i have been offered the temp job for another year.

My questions are:

1) Can i go to the Canadian border now to renew the TN visa? Or is there some minimum time - like you should be there within a week or two before the expiry of TN visa?

<Yes you can renew your TN visa at the border. However the TN visa fee is higher at the border than at the airport by $7 >

2) Instead of going to the border - can i apply by mail? does it affect the chances of getting the renewal? When can one apply by mail? the time-frame i mean.
<Cannot apply by mail. You will have to be present.>

This forum has been really a great help to me. All replies with suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

mpkv
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Vault for the info.

Could you inform me if i can go to the border say 1 or 1 1/2 months BEFORE the expiry of my present TN visa (expires in Jan 2003)? Since i will be going with my family, it may not be a nice idea to hear US officials tell me that i am too early since my earlier TN is still in force upto Jan 2003.

And thanks about the info on mailing the application for the TN visa.

mpkv
 
I spoke with a co-worker of mine who is on a TN. He said there shouldn't be any problem if you go a month in advance. If I were you, I will go 2 weeks before. But thats just me :).
Also technically it is not a renewal of TN. Once your 1 year is completed you will be submitting a new application, and you will be given a new TN.

Call this number 716 846-4375. This is the number to US Customs at Buffalo. You should be able to clarify your doubts.
 
vault said:
I spoke with a co-worker of mine who is on a TN. He said there shouldn't be any problem if you go a month in advance. If I were you, I will go 2 weeks before. But thats just me :).
Also technically it is not a renewal of TN. Once your 1 year is completed you will be submitting a new application, and you will be given a new TN.

Call this number 716 846-4375. This is the number to US Customs at Buffalo. You should be able to clarify your doubts.
Click to expand...

The issue with TN visa is every time you go for renewal your time for the visa gets shorter.
In my case we started in June and we did apply for renewal within USA but that has to be done at least 90 days before expiry of current status. You new TN will start from the date your sponsor sent the petition for renewal and not your original expiry date. So after 2 renewals the expiry date is in Dec. The cost was around $320 & your sponsor usually pays for it.
If you go to the border try going as close to the visa expiry because they will renew it on basis of petition application date. The cost is around $50-60.
Your sponsor can ask for 3 yrs of visa and still renew the contract every year.
The Visa officer has final say ... he may give you 3 yrs or he may renew it for 1 year.
In my case the contract is renewed every year but they asked for 3 years of visa & was approved.
 
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