Renew TN Visa at Border or by mail?

My one year TN visa expires in March 2009. I am working as a Management Consultant and applying for a 3 year extension (renewal). I applied for my inital TN visa at the boarder (Pearson) as I felt I could back up my paperwork well verbally and answer any of their questions as my paperwork was good, but not super strong. It needed some explaining. For my extension, my paperwork is solid. Basically, due to the economy my company's industry has gone through drastic changes and requires me to start a new project/plan with them. Does anyone have an opinion on which process would be more successful? Border or mail to the Service Centre? I'm torn!

It's pretty subjective, but given that "management consultant" is usually the category they're the most iffy about granting it may be a good idea to actually show up so you can clarify any questions they have.

It can also be actually cheaper because when you apply at the POE it's $50 and I-129 costs $320, depends on how close to the border you are and whether your employer will pay.

Certainly it's a lot faster to go to a POE.

My personal opinion is that mail renewals only make sense if everything stays pretty much the same, your employer is paying the fee and you live a long way from the border.

Thank you, I am still torn, but I'm following the advice of my lawyer and doing it by mail. Since the economy has been poor she says there seems to be a bit more resistance at the border for renewals lately.

Since the economy has been poor she says there seems to be a bit more resistance at the border for renewals lately.

I think this is a paranoid fantasy, lots of people have said this on here but no-one has provided an actual example of it yet. The law is the law, CBP simply follow the law. If your paperwork is in order they issue the TN-1, they have no legal ability to be awkward about it because of the US economy. To do so would violate the NAFTA treaty.

It would only be an issue for a category that requires labour certification like H-1B. TN-1 doesn't require labour certification.

Any lawyer saying this is imv a total idiot.

I wanted to chime in because I just renewed my TN (for a 3 year) at the Peace Bridge POE yesterday without any problems whatsoever. I, too, was concerned about getting a renewal because of the economy and such. Although I had to wait a long time for an officer, once I was called up, the process was quick and painless. She was actually the nicest USCIS officer I'd ever spoken to. She was extremely polite and personable. As long as your application is airtight, you should not have any problems renewing your TN at the border.

-- Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:12 pm --

I forgot to add that they did do something new this time around. I was fingerprinted (left and right index finger) and photographed, which I have never had to do for a TN before. Has anyone else had to do this? Is this a new thing?

I think that was a mistake, US-VISIT is only required for Canadians with visas, which means immigrant visas or E, K and V as Canadians usually don't need visas to enter the US.

I wanted to chime in because I just renewed my TN (for a 3 year) at the Peace Bridge POE yesterday without any problems whatsoever. I, too, was concerned about getting a renewal because of the economy and such. Although I had to wait a long time for an officer, once I was called up, the process was quick and painless. She was actually the nicest USCIS officer I'd ever spoken to. She was extremely polite and personable. As long as your application is airtight, you should not have any problems renewing your TN at the border.

-- Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:12 pm --

I forgot to add that they did do something new this time around. I was fingerprinted (left and right index finger) and photographed, which I have never had to do for a TN before. Has anyone else had to do this? Is this a new thing?

I wanted to respond since the perils of U.S Immigration inspection tend to oscillate between one extreme to the other depending on the inspector involved.

I was formally inspected on a Greyhound bus at Buffalo in January 2008. There were a lot of questions asked at the port of entry as to why I was entering the U.S. I entered to open a U.S. bank account and I thought all hell was going to break loose. Even the Free Trade Officer, Sam Tirrano questioned me about my intentions. The DHS Inspector even checked to see if I had a return ticket back to Canada.

When I was honest about everything, they let me in no problem. But coming back into Fort Erie, the questioning was just as intense and I even had a Canadian passport at the time.

My advice is to assume the worst case scenario when crossing the border even if the inspecting officer is a really nice gal/guy. Nice inspectors do exist but just don't count on getting one.

True, I have toned down my activity on this board but I thought this just maybe deserved an alternative perspective.

I have a tricky TN situation which is not exactly like yours but wondered if anyone had any ideas...I was on my 3rd TN (guess I was gettingsloppy with the requirements) and changed jobs in the middle of the year for which my visa was valid. The new company`s HR did not do anthing ie ask me to obtain a new visa at the POE, file by mail etc instead I asked them in Sep 08`one month before the visa expired - whether they could file an I129. The long and short of it is that I have been screwed by the HR because not only did they send a sloppy renewal which was not even the right thing to do- when USCIS wrote back (in February) asking for proof that I had been eligible to work for them for the 3 months prior to the renewal application; the company lawyer wsas finally consulted by their HR and he explained the mess to them and me. The route decided on was that I resign- they withdraw the `renewal`application since it was in error. I exit and re-apply with another offer letter etc. In themeantime, right after I exited, I went to re enter as a visitor just to get my stuff (I hadn`t thought that would be an issue) but was refused entry as a visitor because the CBPO though I was intending to enter and work illegally (go figure- as if I had to go through all that if that was my intent).
Question: Does the refusal of entry as a visitor and the past TN mess serioulsy wreck my chances of getting back to my job. I just don`t know how much information is processed at the POE and whether past visas are resurrected at the time of application. My passport has the stamp for the expiration of my last visa¸in Oct 08. Would the americans ask where I was and what I did from then to now or will it all be in their system.....

thinking desperately,
mubeta

-- Sat Feb 28, 2009 1:12 pm --

I forgot to add that they did do something new this time around. I was fingerprinted (left and right index finger) and photographed, which I have never had to do for a TN before. Has anyone else had to do this? Is this a new thing?[/quote]



As of January 18, 2009, all TN non-immigrants are required to provide biometrics when entering or re-entering the U.S.

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/programs/gc ... 92442.shtm

Question: Does the refusal of entry as a visitor and the past TN mess serioulsy wreck my chances of getting back to my job.

Not necessarily, if you've got all the valid paperwork and a valid explanation there's no reason for them not to issue TN-1. Your past denial will be in their records so they probably will be more thorough though.

-- Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:56 pm --

As of January 18, 2009, all TN non-immigrants are required to provide biometrics when entering or re-entering the U.S.

As well as in nearly every other category, useful to know. Just be sure they do it correctly.