New Graduate..Info about TN Visas

Published May 13, 2010

10 Posts

Hello :)

I just had my graduation ceremony from Nursing school yesterday :) Yay! I currently live in Texas and have for the last 9 years. Born and lived in Canada for 27 years! Moved to Texas 2001. I did all my schooling here and getting ready to take NCLEX soon :) I have OPT work authorization which is good for a year. Have a job offer and I am scheduled to start in July.

I was wondering if anyone else here did their schooling in the US and became licensed here and how they went about the Visa situation? I have work authorization for a year but then will have to switch to a TN visa. Has anybody had that experience of already living in the US and applying for a TN. I know I will have to leave and reenter the US. What is the process like? Do I wait for my authorization to expire and then leave to obtain my TN? I know another Canadian nurse where I did my clinicals and she said she crosses over to Mexico to apply for TN and comes right back over. She said she just shows a letter from her employer, passport and nursing license and pays $50 and that's about it. She has done this every year for about 15-16 years. The way she described it seems rather easy. I wonder if is has become more complicated? I would love to hear from other Canadians that work in the US on TN visas. If I have already been in the US and did my schooling here, will I still need a Visa Screening certificate? I remember when I was on F-1 status, my school had to submit some type of certificate, I wonder if it is the same thing?

Thanks :)