Practical Travel Safety Issues - What do I need for Business Meeting in US?

Hi there,

Just learned that I will need to flying out to US for a business meeting to visit our US Customer. I am working for a Canadian based company but before that I was an independent consultant and having some client in US. I was once denied on my Nexus application and in last 10 months I always got sent to the second inspection for further questions.

I am so nervous now as I am so worry CBP may refused my entry to US for business purpose.

The purpose of this trip is to share my experience on how I implement our ERP system in Canada so our US Customer can get some ideas. I will not be get involve on any coding, or server configuration.

The whole trip was funded and supported by my Canadian employer and I haven't done any consultant work since I join my Canadian employer back to 2004.

May I ask anyone who had experience on what documents do I need from my employer or what documents should I bring with me when I crossing the border?

Many thanks,

BTW, I am Canadian Citizen.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9650; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.719 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

Given that we share the same continent and tge same time zones, I would seriously consider a videoteleconferencing arrangement unless the meeting really needs to be face-to-face.

Being that you are a) travelling on business, b) and going to a customer, you "should" be travelling on TN-1A status (often wrongly referred to as a visa).

Although you could say @ Point of Entry a) I'm going to receive training, b) I'm going to business meetings and not performing "paid for" work for the US Customer, this may get you in to the US infreaquently. Repeated back-to-back attempts this way will get noticed very quickly.

Details of TN-1A qualification requirements (in addition to a $55 USD charge), can be found on the web. Note that qualifications for an Engineer are a lot tougher than for a Computer Systems Analyst.

Your company should be providing your legal assistance/consultation if they want you in the US legally.

I did a quick flip through previous posts from the OP. Based on this read I think its HIGHLY likely the OP will be denied entry into the US without a TN status.

My suggestion would be to talk with your employer about your previous issues crossing the border (details such as your Nexus refusal, subsequent issues crossing the border, did work in US previously that might be considered offside). If the meeting is highly urgent and short turnaround time (e.g. the type where being denied entry would be a significant business impediment), I would offer to have the meeting conducted over video conference or for another employee to conduct the face to face meeting instead of you.

While this might seem harsh and tough to take, but the facts are in your case the Nexus refusal will haunt your US border crossings for years to come. Further in the case of Trusted Traveller status, the Nexus interview and denial will haunt you for the rest of your life (not withstanding future changes to the program).

I did a quick flip through previous posts from the OP. Based on this read I think its HIGHLY likely the OP will be denied entry into the US without a TN status.

My suggestion would be to talk with your employer about your previous issues crossing the border (details such as your Nexus refusal, subsequent issues crossing the border, did work in US previously that might be considered offside). If the meeting is highly urgent and short turnaround time (e.g. the type where being denied entry would be a significant business impediment), I would offer to have the meeting conducted over video conference or for another employee to conduct the face to face meeting instead of you.

While this might seem harsh and tough to take, but the facts are in your case the Nexus refusal will haunt your US border crossings for years to come. Further in the case of Trusted Traveller status, the Nexus interview and denial will haunt you for the rest of your life (not withstanding future changes to the program).

How long will it take to me to get TN Visa?

How long will it take to me to get TN Visa?

Interview is about 15 minutes to 1 hour. However, you will require the services of Immigration Lawyer and that cost is about $1000-$1500. THe lawyer will be able to answer all your questions, walk you through the inteview process and provide some coaching as to how to answer the process.

Finally, your education and profession must fit the TN program. For me, I am an Accountant by education and auditor by trade, I have a very easy process for obtaining a TN "visa" (done this about 4 times in last 10 years). However my colleagues on the Computing Sciences side of education did report back a tougher time getting their TN status.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_2664.html

and more specifically

Visas for Mexican and Canadian NAFTA Professional Workers at
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1274.html

which says

Requirements for Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens usually do not need a visa as a NAFTA Professional, although a visa can be issued to qualified TN visa applicants upon request. A Canadian citizen without a TN visa can apply at a U.S. port of entry. Learn about requirements and more on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. Canadian citizens can also review information regarding TN visas through U.S. Embassy Ottawa's website.

When Does a Canadian NAFTA Professional Need a Visa? A Canadian residing in another country with a non-Canadian spouse and child would need a visa to enable the spouse and child to be able to apply for a visa to accompany or join the NAFTA Professional, as a TD visa holder. Canadians applying for a visa will follow the same documentation requirements as shown in the sections Mexican Citizens, Applying for a TN Visa, and Required Documentation.


USCIS also says you don't need a visa, but defines the documentation you will need:

Eligibility Criteria for Canadian Citizens

If you are a Canadian citizen, then you are not required to apply for a visa with a U.S. consulate or file a petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You can request admission as a TN nonimmigrant at a U.S. port of entry, and you must provide the following documentation:

Proof of Canadian citizenship
Letter from your prospective employer detailing items such as the professional capacity in which you will work in the United States, the purpose of your employment, your length of stay, your educational qualifications
Credentials evaluation (if applicable)


If you are eligible following inspection by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, then you will be admitted as a TN nonimmigrant. Form I-94, Arrival/ Departure Record, will be evidence of your admission.