Four specialist visas
Work, train, compete or serve in the US on the right visa
TN work status for Canadians and Mexicans. The J-1 two-year home rule and how waivers work. P-1 for athletes and entertainment groups. R-1 for religious workers. See who qualifies, what it costs and how long it lasts.
- TN stay
- Up to 3 years, renewable
- R-1 maximum
- 5 years in total
- Premium processing
- 15 business days (I-129)
- Legal fee
- Quoted on request
TN
TN: work in the US as a Canadian or Mexican professional
TN lets citizens of Canada and Mexico work for a US employer in a listed profession. You need all of these:
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You are a citizen of Canada or Mexico
Citizenship is required. Permanent residents of Canada or Mexico cannot use TN.
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Your job is on the USMCA list
The work must be at a professional level in one of the professions listed in the agreement. You also need the minimum degree, license or experience set for that profession.
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You have a prearranged job
The job can be full-time or part-time, for a US employer or entity. You cannot be self-employed. If you are the only or controlling owner of the company you work for, that counts as self-employment.
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Your stay is temporary
TN is for temporary entry, without the intent to live here permanently. Your work should have a predictable end. If you are thinking about a green card, talk to the attorney before you file anything.
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Foreign degrees need an evaluation
If your degree is from a school outside Canada, Mexico or the US, bring an evaluation from a credentials evaluation service.
A partner-firm attorney confirms your profession and paperwork fit the rules before anything is filed.
TN professions
Some of the professions on the TN list
There are more than 60 professions on the list. Here are common ones with their minimum requirement.
| Profession | Minimum to qualify |
|---|---|
| Engineer | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree, or a state or provincial license |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree, or a 2-year post-secondary diploma or certificate plus 3 years of experience |
| Accountant | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree, or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A. or C.M.A. |
| Management Consultant | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree, or 5 years of experience as a consultant or in a related field |
| Mathematician (includes Statistician and Actuary) | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree |
| Scientific Technician or Technologist | Knowledge of a listed science and the ability to solve practical problems in it. The work must directly support professionals in that science. |
| Registered Nurse | State or provincial license, or Licenciatura degree |
| Physician | Teaching or research only. M.D. or Doctor en Medicina, or a state or provincial license |
| Scientists (for example Biologist, Chemist, Physicist, Epidemiologist) | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree |
| College, Seminary or University Teacher | Bachelor’s or Licenciatura degree |
The full list and the exact requirements are in 8 CFR 214.6(c).
TN process
How you get TN status, and how you keep it
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Canadians: apply at the border or preclearance
Bring proof of Canadian citizenship, a letter from your employer and your degree or license. The letter should describe your profession, your duties, how long you will stay, your qualifications and your pay. CBP encourages using one of its designated ports of entry or airport preclearance sites.
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Canadians: or have your employer file with USCIS
15 business days with premiumYour employer can file Form I-129 instead. Premium processing is available.
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Mexicans: get a TN visa first
You apply for a TN visa at a US embassy or consulate in Mexico. Then you ask for admission at the border or an airport.
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You are admitted for up to 3 years
Your employer can file for an extension of up to 3 years at a time. There is no set limit on the total time, as long as you keep doing TN work and keep your status.
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Changing or adding an employer
The new employer must file Form I-129, or you apply again at the border with a new letter. Do not start the new job before it is approved.
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Your family comes in TD status
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can come with you. They can study. They cannot work in TD status.
J-1
J-1: the two-year home rule and how waivers work
Some J-1 exchange visitors must live in their home country for a total of two years before they can get an H or L visa, an immigrant visa or a green card. You are subject to this rule if any of these apply:
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Government funding
Your exchange program was paid for, in whole or in part, by the US government or your home government.
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Your skill is on your country’s list
Your field was on the Exchange Visitor Skills List for your country when you got J-1 status, and your country is still on the current list. The list was revised on December 9, 2024. If your country is no longer on it, the skills-list reason no longer applies to you. Other reasons still can.
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Graduate medical training
You came as a J-1 to receive graduate medical education or training.
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J-2 family members
A J-2 spouse or child of a J-1 who is subject to the rule is also subject to it.
Five ways to ask for a waiver: a no-objection statement from your home government; a request from an interested US government agency; a request from a state public health department (for doctors); exceptional hardship to your US citizen or permanent resident spouse or child; or that you would face persecution in your home country because of race, religion or political opinion. For a no-objection statement, your home government sends it to the State Department through diplomatic channels. Doctors who came for graduate medical training cannot use a no-objection waiver alone. The State Department makes a recommendation and USCIS makes the final decision.
P-1
P-1: athletes and entertainment groups
P-1 is for athletes and groups coming to compete or perform. A US employer, agent or sponsor files Form I-129 for you. A written opinion from a labor organization is required.
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P-1A individual athletes and teams
Your performance is internationally recognized: well known in more than one country. The event must have a distinguished reputation.
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A contract, plus at least two kinds of proof
You need a contract offer from a major US sports league or team, or from an event in an individual sport that matches your international standing, if contracts are normal in your sport. You also need at least two kinds of proof, for example: a big part of a prior season with a major US sports league or a US college team, international competition with a national team, a statement from a league or governing body official, a statement from sports media or an expert, an international ranking, or a significant honor or award.
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P-1B entertainment groups
The group has been internationally recognized as outstanding for a sustained and substantial period. At least 75% of members have been with the group for at least one year. You must perform as part of the group, not solo.
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How long you can stay
Individual athletes can be approved for up to 5 years, with an extension of up to 5 more (10 years total). Teams and entertainment groups are approved for up to 1 year at a time.
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Support staff and family
Essential support staff, like coaches or technicians, need their own P-1S petition. Your spouse and children under 21 can come in P-4 status. They cannot work in P-4 status.
R-1
R-1: religious workers
R-1 lets you work in the US as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation. Your US employer must file Form I-129 for you. You need all of these:
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Two years in the denomination
You have been a member of the same religious denomination for at least two years right before the petition is filed.
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A qualifying nonprofit employer
A nonprofit religious organization in the US, one covered by a group tax exemption, or a nonprofit affiliated with a religious denomination.
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At least 20 hours a week
The job must average at least 20 hours per week.
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Proof of pay or support
The employer shows how you will be paid or supported, for example with budgets, W-2s or housing. Some unpaid missionary programs qualify.
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Site visits can happen
USCIS may inspect the workplace before or after it decides the petition.
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How long you can stay
Up to 30 months at first, then up to 30 more. The total cannot go over 5 years. Your spouse and children under 21 can come in R-2 status but cannot work in R-2 status.
Costs
Government fees, as of September 2026
These are USCIS and State Department fees. They are paid to the government, separately from our legal fee. Licensed attorneys at our independent partner firm handle these visas. Green Card Guide is not a law firm. A senior attorney leads your case and a second attorney reviews it before filing.
| Item | Government fee | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| TN petition, Form I-129 (if filed with USCIS) | $1,015 paper, $965 online. $510 for small employers and nonprofits. | Employer |
| P-1 petition, Form I-129 | $1,015. $510 for small employers and nonprofits. | Employer, agent or sponsor |
| R-1 petition, Form I-129 | $510 | Employer |
| Asylum Program Fee (added to each I-129 above) | $600. $300 for small employers. $0 for nonprofits. | Petitioner |
| Premium processing, Form I-907 (optional) | $2,965 for TN and P. $1,780 for R. | Petitioner |
| J-1 waiver: hardship or persecution, Form I-612 | $1,100 | You |
| J-1 waiver: State Department waiver fee | $120 | You |
| TN visa at a US consulate (Mexican citizens) | $185 (State Department) | You |
| P-1 or R-1 visa at a US consulate | $205 (State Department) | You |
| Our legal fee (TN, J-1 waiver, P-1 or R-1) | Quoted on request, flat, before you sign | You or your employer |
Fees are from the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 09/09/26) and the State Department fee schedule (22 CFR 22.1). Canadians applying at the border also pay a CBP fee there. A separate visa integrity fee set by law may also be charged when a visa is issued. The attorney confirms the current amount. Our flat legal fee includes a strategy memo, petition preparation and filing, letter coaching, an RFE or NOID response on a case we filed, unlimited messages with your case team, a case portal and visa stamping support. Premium processing, translations and outside expert letters are paid separately.
FAQ
Common worries
No. TN is only for citizens of Canada or Mexico.
No. TN does not allow self-employment. If you are the only or controlling owner of the company, that counts as self-employment.
No. It ends when you have lived in your home country for two years in total, or when you get a waiver. Until then, you cannot get an H or L visa, an immigrant visa or a green card.
Not in TD, P-4 or R-2 status. Your spouse may study. Ask the attorney whether another option fits your family.
With premium processing, USCIS acts on Form I-129 within 15 business days. Premium processing is available for TN, P and R petitions. Without it, times vary. You can check current USCIS processing times.
No one can promise that. What we can do is have a partner-firm attorney check your eligibility first, build the strongest honest case, and have a second attorney review it before filing.
Sources · checked September 2026
- USCIS: TN USMCA Professionals
- 8 CFR 214.6: USMCA professionals (TN), including the profession list
- CBP: For Canadian and Mexican Citizens
- CBP: Traveling on a TN or L1 visa from Canada
- 22 CFR 41.63: Two-year home-country physical presence requirement
- 8 CFR 212.7(c): Section 212(e) foreign residence requirement
- USCIS: Form I-612
- USCIS: P-1A Athlete
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part N, Chapter 2 (P-1 eligibility)
- 8 CFR 214.2(p): P visa consultation and validity periods
- USCIS: R-1 Nonimmigrant Religious Workers
- USCIS: Form G-1055 Fee Schedule (edition 09/09/26)
- USCIS: How do I request premium processing
- 22 CFR 22.1: State Department schedule of fees
- Federal Register: Public Notice of Revised Exchange Visitor Skills List (Dec 9, 2024)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; a partner-firm attorney confirms what applies to you before anything is filed.
