TN Visa Approval - Economist; Expedited Visa Appointment

BACKGROUND:    

  • The applicant, a citizen of Mexico, was working in the U.S. under J-1 visa status.

  • The applicant was then offered a new opportunity as an Economist for a different employer.

  • The applicant could not obtain another J-1 visa for this new job, and also could not file an I-129 petition to secure a TN by mail under the change of status provisions because the applicant was subject to the J-1 visa 2-year home residence requirement.

  • The applicant’s only option was to apply for a TN visa stamp at the U.S. embassy/consulate. However, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the U.S. embassies were not processing TN visas unless the applicant requested and obtained an emergency appointment.


TN VISA SERVICE USED:    


SOLUTION:    

  • We first assisted the applicant in securing an emergency visa appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. This involved helping draft a statement to the Embassy explaining the applicant had an urgent need for the visa appointment because her research was critical to her prospective employer’s Covid 19 response programs. The Embassy agreed, and granted the expedite appointment.

  • To establish that the applicant’s position qualified for TN status, we helped craft an employer support letter that fully described the Economist tasks involved in the position. The applicant possessed a degree in Economics, and as such, was a perfect match for the Economist TN occupational classification.

  • We provided the applicant with a cover letter to the Embassy, and supporting evidence to show that her job involved the performance of Economist duties, and that her work was in response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

  • We also briefed the applicant for her visa interview so that she was prepared to fully respond to any questions the consular officer may ask.


FILING PROCESS:    

  • TN visa application filed at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.


PROCESSING TIME:    

  • Embassy expedite appointment review completed in 1 day, and visa appointment scheduled for 2 weeks afterwards.


Statements regarding prior application approvals our office has obtained are provided for informational purposes only. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.