United States of America
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico): government fee breakdown
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
Source auto-reconfirmed 23 July 2026 by the daily automated check (figures unchanged since last review).
TN remains one of the lowest-cost US work routes: about USD 80 for a Canadian citizen using the CBP land-border baseline, or the USD 185 MRV consular fee for Mexican citizens, with no employer petition required for most first-time outside-US applications.
These are the fees paid to the United States of America government. For sponsored routes, the payer varies by country and component; use the item notes and primary source to confirm whether the sponsor, applicant, or both pay. Fees for dependants, priority services, or higher salary bands may change the total.
How much does the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) cost in United States?
TN remains one of the lowest-cost US work routes: about USD 80 for a Canadian citizen using the CBP land-border baseline, or the USD 185 MRV consular fee for Mexican citizens, with no employer petition required for most first-time outside-US applications.
Verified against USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources on 1 July 2026.
US petition cost controls
US H-1B, O-1 and TN petition cost, payer and stage evidence
The fee page lists government charges. This layer adds the stage and payer context needed before turning those charges into an all-in cost answer.
Employer-side versus applicant-side costs
USCIS petition filing, employer wage attestations and applicant consular fees do not have the same payer. Keep the payer visible before quoting any H-1B, O-1 or TN total.
Optional premium processing is not baseline
Premium processing can speed eligible I-129 adjudication, but it is optional and excluded from the baseline unless the filing strategy actually uses Form I-907.
Wage, evidence and intent gates are not fees
H-1B prevailing wage, O-1 evidence and petitioner requirements, and TN USMCA profession or temporary-intent gates are approval conditions, not money paid away to the government.
Stale USCIS fee trap
Re-check USCIS G-1055, H/L fee guidance, I-907 premium processing, State MRV, CBP and DOL sources before reuse. H-1B proclamation exposure and wage-weighted selection are conditional policy lines, not baseline fees.
| Route | Baseline and fee example | Payer and filing stage | Eligibility or evidence gate | Optional or conditional lines | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B - H-1B Specialty OccupationCost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$3,595Fee worked example: US$3,595 (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium). | Registration, DOL LCA, employer Form I-129 petition, then change of status or consular stamping.Core petition filing is employer-side in the model; the DS-160/MRV line is beneficiary-side only when a visa stamp is needed abroad. | Prevailing-wage salary evidence (DOL LCA): US$62,000-US$150,000 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: DS-160 / consular MRV visa fee: US$205.Conditional: Foreign degree evaluation: US$0-US$250; Certified translations: US$0-US$200; Public Law 114-113 fee (large H-1B-dependent employer): US$4,000. | 1 July 2026USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) |
| O-1 - O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or AchievementCost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$1,655-US$2,155Fee worked example: US$1,655 (Single initial O-1, standard employer, no premium). | US employer or agent Form I-129 petition with evidence, consultation where required, then consular stamping if abroad.The USCIS petition is filed by the employer or agent; consular MRV and some evidence-service costs can sit with the beneficiary depending on the engagement. | O-1 evidence-threshold gate: US$0; US employer or agent petitioner gate: US$0; Peer-group or labor consultation/advisory opinion: US$0-US$500 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: DS-160 / consular MRV visa fee: US$205; Visa appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300; O-3 dependant consular MRV visa fee: US$205.Conditional: Attorney or petition-preparation fees: US$2,500-US$8,000; Evidence package: letters, press, archive and translations: US$0-US$1,000; Credential evaluation where useful: US$0-US$250. | 1 July 2026USCIS - Form G-1055 fee schedule |
| TN - TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)Cost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$80Fee worked example: US$80 (Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing). | Canadian CBP admission, Mexican consular visa, or employer Form I-129 change/extension path.Canadian border and Mexican consular paths are applicant-facing; employer I-129 filing is a separate optional path for changes, extensions or pre-approval. | USMCA profession eligibility gate: US$0; Prearranged U.S. employer support-letter gate: US$0; Temporary-entry / nonimmigrant-intent gate: US$0 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: Temporary-entry / nonimmigrant-intent gate: US$0; Mexican TN/TD consular MRV visa fee: US$185; Consular appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300.Conditional: Foreign credential evaluation where required: US$0-US$250; Consular appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300; Form I-129 E/TN filing fee (paper, standard employer): US$1,015. | 1 July 2026USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources |
Publisher-ready citation snippet
Visa Atlas separates US employment-petition cost answers by payer and stage: H-1B combines registration, LCA wage evidence and employer I-129 fees; O-1 combines petitioner, evidence and advisory-opinion gates; TN splits Canadian CBP, Mexican consular and employer I-129 alternatives.
- Tech worker route comparison
- H-1B visa guide
- H-1B cost-to-complete model
- H-1B government fee page
- O-1 visa guide
- O-1 cost-to-complete model
- O-1 government fee page
- TN visa guide
- TN cost-to-complete model
- Cost-to-complete JSON
- Fees JSON
- Visa JSON
- How our US petition cost figures compare
Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.
Headline total
US$80
Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing
No changes recorded for this figure since 1 July 2026.
Currency
USD (United States dollar)
Last checked
1 July 2026
Itemised fees
| Fee component | Amount | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|
TN processing / inspection fee (Canadian citizens at CBP)# Canadian citizens apply directly with CBP at a Class A port of entry or pre-clearance/pre-flight station. 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) lists the TN professional request fee at USD 50. | US$50 | Yes |
CBP Form I-94 land-border fee# HR-1 added USD 24 to the existing USD 6 I-94 land-border fee, making the FY2025/FY2026 land-border I-94 total USD 30. Air/pre-clearance payment handling can differ, so verify with CBP before travel. | US$30 | Yes |
DS-160 / consular MRV fee (Mexican TN/TD applicants)# TN is non-petition-based, so the $185 MRV fee applies (not the $205 petition-based worker rate). Mexican citizens apply at a US consulate; Canadian citizens apply at a port of entry. | US$185 | Optional |
Form I-129 E/TN filing fee (paper, standard employer)# Conditional: used when the employer files Form I-129 for TN change of status, extension, or pre-approval instead of direct CBP/consular processing. | US$1,015 | Optional |
Form I-129 E/TN filing fee (online, standard employer)# Conditional online filing rate where the Form I-129 TN filing is available online for the case. | US$965 | Optional |
Form I-129 E/TN filing fee (small employer or nonprofit)# Conditional lower Form I-129 E/TN rate for eligible small employers and nonprofits. | US$510 | Optional |
Asylum Program Fee (standard employer, if I-129 filed)# Conditional: standard employer Asylum Program Fee added to Form I-129 filings. Small employers pay USD 300 and nonprofits pay USD 0. | US$600 | Optional |
Premium Processing (Form I-907)# Optional faster USCIS adjudicative action for eligible I-129 TN petitions. | US$2,965 | Optional |
Form I-539 TD dependant filing fee (paper)# Conditional per TD dependant filing inside the United States by paper Form I-539. | US$470 | Optional |
Form I-539 TD dependant filing fee (online)# Conditional per TD dependant filing inside the United States online where USCIS permits online filing for the case. | US$420 | Optional |
Worked example
Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing — US$80
- $50 TN processing / inspection fee
- $30 CBP Form I-94 land-border fee
- Canadian citizens are exempt from the DS-160 consular fee.
How to read these fees
The US$80 headline covers canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing. Of the 10 components listed above, 2 are mandatory and 8 are optional add-ons (such as priority processing) you can choose to skip. The single biggest mandatory line is TN processing / inspection fee (Canadian citizens at CBP) at US$50.
Bringing family changes the total — see the dependant section below. Treat the figure as a planning estimate rather than a quote: confirm each line on the official source linked below on the day you pay, because these fees are revised regularly.
Dependant fees
TD dependants who need consular visas pay the USD 185 MRV fee where required. A TD change or extension inside the United States uses Form I-539: USD 470 by paper or USD 420 online where available. 8 CFR 214.6 says there is no TN admission fee for spouse and minor-child admission, but verify any I-94, appointment, courier or local charges before travel.
Why fees change
The Canadian baseline now combines the USD 50 TN professional request fee in 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) with the HR-1 USD 30 I-94 land-border fee. Mexican TN/TD applicants pay the USD 185 non-petition MRV fee, while Form I-129 filings use the USCIS E/TN fee table and optional premium processing. Verify CBP, State and USCIS tables immediately before filing or travel.
Primary source
USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources
https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/tn-usmca-professionals
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) fee schedule", https://visaatlas.org/fees/us/tn. Last verified 1 July 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/fees
Primary sources (6)
Frequently asked questions
How much does the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) cost in government fees?
TN remains one of the lowest-cost US work routes: about USD 80 for a Canadian citizen using the CBP land-border baseline, or the USD 185 MRV consular fee for Mexican citizens, with no employer petition required for most first-time outside-US applications. The worked example assumes canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing, totalling US$80. Fees for dependants, priority service, or higher-tier salary bands change the total — see the itemised table above.
Are these fees refundable if my application is refused?
Most application fees are non-refundable once the government begins processing. Some jurisdictions refund specific components (e.g. Canada's Right of Permanent Residence Fee refunds if refused; UK IHS refunds if the visa is refused). Check the linked primary source for the route you are applying to.
How often do these fees change?
The Canadian baseline now combines the USD 50 TN professional request fee in 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) with the HR-1 USD 30 I-94 land-border fee. Mexican TN/TD applicants pay the USD 185 non-petition MRV fee, while Form I-129 filings use the USCIS E/TN fee table and optional premium processing. Verify CBP, State and USCIS tables immediately before filing or travel.
Do dependants pay the same fees as the primary applicant?
TD dependants who need consular visas pay the USD 185 MRV fee where required. A TD change or extension inside the United States uses Form I-539: USD 470 by paper or USD 420 online where available. 8 CFR 214.6 says there is no TN admission fee for spouse and minor-child admission, but verify any I-94, appointment, courier or local charges before travel.
Next steps
Full visa guide
Eligibility, application steps, and FAQs for the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico).
Processing time
How long the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) takes from application to decision.
Compare: H-1B Specialty Occupation fees
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Compare: O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement fees
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.