Is it possible to apply early for a TN-1?

I’m hoping to arrange a TN-1 visa for some work I’ll be doing for a few months in the US starting in June. During that time, I’ll be living in Canda, and visiting the US periodically to work.

I understand the normal procedure is to apply for the TN when you are entering the country to do the work. This seems a little stressful to me: The work I’m doing is time-sensitive – if I got turned away at the last minute, it would be Very Bad News. I’d rather apply earlier, so that if there are any problems, we can sort them out before the work starts.

Is there a way to apply earlier for the TN-1? I know it has to be done at the border, but does it have to be done when you’re actually entering to do the work?

I live in Toronto, which is pretty close to the US border. The work I’m doing in in San Francisco (which is, of course, not very close at all). Could I, say, drive down to buffalo a few weeks before my work is scheduled to start, and apply for my TN-1 at the border there? Or is that not cool (because, eg, I’m clearly coming to Buffalo, and not to SF where the work is…)

-- Sat Mar 06, 2010 2:48 pm --

(oh and- I should have made clearer in the post: Since the work I'm doing will be intermittent work, there's not a clear start date as there would be with a full-time job. My employers' letter could be written so that the period in which I'm employed is extended a bit earlier, to include my trip to Buffalo. The question, I suppose, is less about the dates, as about the locations: Is it okay if I'm basically just crossing the border to get the visa, and planning to go to the further-away location a little later?)

The letter should not have a start date. You should arrange with sponosr to a telephone meeting as asoon as you cross the border, thus you are "going to work".

The fact that you are staying in canada, makes the 'part-time' aspect of your application no problem.