From Spain to USA

Hi everyone,

I am a canadian currently living in Spain and I have been offered a job in Miami FL, I have dowloaded the TNvisaexpert kit from the tnvisaexpert page but I still have some doubts about the visa:

1. To avoid travelling to the US and getting denied the visa, is there a way to get the TN visa in advance? I have talked to the US embassy and it's a mess to do it here (Spain), I have also found an online service in the page visapro.com, but it seems a bit odd.

2. I am planning to fly to NYC(JFK) and get the visa there (instead of going through Canada), once i have it, what so i do? do I need to ask for a social security number in the US?

I think I have all the documentation ready but i have to say I am very scared, i don't want to get denied for subjective reasons (being spanish/canadian and coming from Spain where my permanent address is).

Thanks a lot.

1. TN visa is kind of a misnomer since it's not really a "visa" in the strict sense. Most Canadians, according to US law, do not need a "visa" to enter the US. As such, it would be more appropriate to call it a TN "status" since its purpose is to permit certain Canadian and Mexican nationals to work in the US legally under the auspices of NAFTA. This is all to say that getting a visa from the US embassy in Spain is not going to change anything. The TN "status" is still conferred when you enter the US at a port of entry.

2. When you land at JFK, you'll wait in line at immigration like everyone else. When you get to the agent you tell them that you would like to apply for a TN. They'll send you to secondary inspection with your documents where you'll wait to talk to an officer there who will process your application. Assuming it's approved, they'll staple an I-94 card to your passport which will show the date upon which your TN status expires (usually one or three years from the date of entry).

You'll need your passport/I-94 to apply for a social security number in the US, which you'll need to work. You'll need to visit an SSA office to apply for the number. It takes about a week or so for your status to show up in SSA's database (they check to make sure that you are legally allowed to work in the US before processing your application), so if you go to the SSA office right away they may not be able to process your application. They send you the card in the mail (which arrives in a few weeks) but they provide a receipt to show to your employer that you applied for the number. Once you receive the card in the mail, you need to provide your employer with the number.

Thank you very much Axolotl for your explanation, it's been very helpful, specially about what to do in JKF and after.

Another question? Do I need any forms filled in prior to meet the CBP officer? I have found a TN NAFTA package for 49,95$ at the "US inmmigration support" website which says includes the application forms, but I think the only form I need is the I-94 which is given for free by the airline, am i right? or should I buy the documentation in the US inmmigration support website?

Thanks again

It's just supporting documentation pretty much, i.e. job offer letter and proof of the relevant qualifications (in English).

There is no form you need to fill out. You basically need the job offer letter, your diploma/transcripts/academic credentials and $50 USD.

OK, understood.

Another thing, I know my case is somehow not standard, I lived most of my life in Spain, with foreign degree (US evaluated) and home ties in Madrid, so I don't know which port of entry wouldl be better, my options are:

1. JFK: Because is close to Canada in case i have a problem.
2. Montreal Pre-clearance: In the TNvisaexpert kit they recommend always to go through Canada.
3. Miami FL: It looks the most sensible option because my job offer is located there, but it is not in the list of the TNvisaexpert kit as it does not process a lot of TNs.

Which POE would you recommend?

Thanks

Well the problem is of course if you get denied entry because of some problem it's potentially going to be very expensive. So it probably is a good idea to enter via Canada. Or Mexico even, because they're more likely to be fluent in Spanish.

The Bahamas and Aruba both have pre-clearance so if there's a direct flight to Nassau from Spain that would be close to Miami, and if you get turned down you can fly from Nassau to Toronto easily enough.

I can pretty much guarantee CBP in Nassau rarely deal with TN-1, might be worth a phone call first to give them a heads up so they can study the manual!

These are the contact details: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/cont ... ations.xml

Thank you Steven.

I guess finally I will fly to Montreal airport and ask for the TN at preclearance, it looks like the safest option, I have friends there too and maybe for the officer there my case is not that strange.

Just FYI - you won't be able to go through US pre-clearance in Montreal unless you are actually catching a flight to the US from Montreal on that day.

If you can, I would recommend flying into Canada and then driving down to the US border. That way, if you're denied for some reason, you can just drive back into Canada and you've only wasted a couple hours and maybe a half-tank of gas (rather than wasting the money on a non-refundable plane ticket). Or, buy a refundable plane ticket.

This is why I suggested Nassau, because flights from Nassau to Miami on Jet Blue cost peanuts. Although I suppose you have to get to Nassau first which isn't cheap, but then again do you want to visit Canada either?