The TD visa is a nonimmigrant US visa (i.e. not a Green Card) that allows immediate family of TN visa holders to stay in the United States.
TN visas are available for citizens of either Canada or Mexico (only) under terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Refer to our TN visa page for the full list of approved professions.
Immediate family means:
- Legal spouse
- Unmarried children under the age of 21
Dependents are permitted to study while in the U.S. but they are not permitted to work under a TD visa. However, they may apply for a different visa that may permit them to work.
How to Qualify for a TD Visa
You will be required to present evidence of relationship. Normally a marriage certificate or birth certificate will be fine.
Note that, while the TN visa holder must be a Mexican or Canadian citizen, dependents may be citizens of other countries.
TN and TD visas are granted for an initial period of up to three years. Dependents under TD visas will normally be granted the same length stay as the TN visa holder but no longer.
As with the TN, TD visa holders may apply for unlimited one-year extensions, provided the TN visa is still current.
Limit on Re-entry
If the TD holder is a Mexican citizen, has had one extension or more to their visa, and leaves the United States, they must apply for a new TD visa. This limit does not apply to Canadian citizens.
How to Apply
Mexican citizens must apply for their TD visa in Mexico at a U.S. embassy or consulate prior to traveling to the United States.
Canadian citizens may apply for the TD visa at the border or port of entry. They are required to prove their Canadian citizenship and their relationship to the TN holder (birth or marriage certificate). It may also be necessary to prove that the TD holder still meets all the requirements required for their visa.
Because this is a dependent visa, its validity depends on the relevant TN visa remaining valid. So the TN-holding family member may be required to prove they still meet the requirements of their visa.
Speak with an attorney at Online Visas to find out if a TD visa is right for you.