What a TN costs Canadians in 2026

2026 TN fees at a glance

Amounts are in U.S. dollars for a Canadian citizen applying in person, as of September 2026.

Fees change. The I-94 fee rose in 2025 and is adjusted by notice. Confirm current amounts with U.S. Customs and Border Protection shortly before you travel. This page is general information, not legal advice.

The $50 TN fee

The fee is set in the Department of Homeland Security’s fee regulation. 8 CFR 103.7(d)(11) lists the “Request for Classification of a citizen of Canada to engage in professional business activities under section 214(e) of the Act” at $50.00. The TN regulation says this fee “shall be remitted by Canadian Citizens upon admission” (8 CFR 214.6(e)).

In practice, you pay it at the port of entry or preclearance station once the officer approves your application. The fee is the same for every TN profession.

Renewals and new employers

A renewal at the border, or a TN for a new employer, is a new application for a new period of up to three years (8 CFR 214.6(h)(2) and (e)). Expect the same CBP fees as a first TN, and confirm with CBP before you travel. Renewals filed with USCIS on Form I-129 follow USCIS fees instead (see below).

The I-94 fee: $30 at land ports, none at airports

Form I-94 is the arrival record that shows your status and how long you can stay. At land ports, CBP charges a fee to issue it. That fee used to be $6. In 2025, Public Law 119-21 added a $24 fee on top, and CBP began charging the combined amount on September 30, 2025. CBP’s notice explains that “the total fee to apply for a CBP Form I-94 at a land border port of entry for FY 2025 is $30, consisting of the $6 land border fee and the HR-1 $24 fee.” A later notice confirmed that for fiscal year 2026 the land-border total “will continue to be $30.”

At airports it’s different. CBP’s notice says it “will not assess a fee for aliens arriving at an air or sea port of entry because such aliens are not required to submit an application for a CBP Form I-94.” Travellers who apply for TN at preclearance in a Canadian airport arrive by air, so there’s no I-94 fee.

The land-border fee is charged for each person who applies for an I-94, and the law creating the $24 portion says it “shall not be waived or reduced”.

No visa, and no visa fees, for Canadians

Canadians apply for TN status directly at the border or preclearance, without a visa. 8 CFR 212.1(a)(1) says “a visa is generally not required for Canadian citizens, except those Canadians that fall under nonimmigrant visa categories E, K, S, or V.” The State Department’s TN page confirms that “a visa is not required for a Canadian citizen entering the United States as a USMCA Professional”.

So a Canadian applying at the border doesn’t fill out a visa application or pay the visa application fee, and the new visa integrity fee created in 2025 doesn’t apply. That fee is owed by a person “issued a nonimmigrant visa at the time of such issuance” (8 U.S.C. 1806), and no visa is issued.

There’s one exception worth knowing. The State Department says a Canadian “who lives outside Canada with a non-Canadian spouse and/or child(ren), and who plans to enter the United States as a USMCA professional with their family member(s), will need a TN visa in order for the family member(s) to be eligible to apply for derivative TD nonimmigrant visa(s).” That’s a consular process with its own fees.

What your spouse and children pay

Family members who come with you use TD status. The regulation is explicit: “There shall be no fee required for admission of the spouse and unmarried minor children” (8 CFR 214.6(j)(3)). If you cross at a land port, the I-94 fee applies to each person issued an I-94, so budget $30 per family member there.

Canadian-citizen family members don’t need visas. The State Department notes that a spouse and children “who are not Canadian citizens must apply for TD nonimmigrant visas”, which involves a consular appointment and visa fees. See TD status for your family.

Other costs to budget for

Government fees are only part of the cost. Depending on your situation, you may also spend on:

• Credential documents. Transcripts, a copy of your degree, or a letter of good standing from your licensing body or professional association. Some charge a fee.
• Profession-specific requirements. For example, registered nurses need a health care worker certificate, and nurses and pharmacists who will practise need U.S. state licensure, each with its own fees.
• Travel. Getting to a port of entry or preclearance station, including CBP’s designated ports for first-time applicants. See applying at the border.
• Help preparing documents. Some people use a self-help tool, some use a lawyer, and some prepare everything themselves.

How it compares: Mexican citizens

Mexican citizens follow a different process. The State Department says “Mexican citizens require TN visas to request admission to the United States as USMCA professionals.” That means a visa application and a consular interview before travelling, with fees that Canadians don’t pay:

• the visa application fee, $185 for TN (the non-petition-based nonimmigrant visa fee);
• a reciprocity (issuance) fee on the State Department’s Mexico schedule, currently $79 for a 12-month TN visa or $357 for a 48-month visa;
• the visa integrity fee created by Public Law 119-21 for people issued a nonimmigrant visa ($250 for fiscal year 2025, subject to adjustment), where it’s being collected; and
• the I-94 fee when entering at a land port.

TNPath is built only for Canadian citizens, partly because the Mexican process is so different.

How it compares: the USCIS (Form I-129) route

A TN can also be requested from inside the U.S. by the employer filing Form I-129 with USCIS, for example to extend a stay or change employers without travelling. The fees are much higher:

USCIS also charges an Asylum Program Fee on employer petitions where it applies: $600, or $300 for small employers and nothing for nonprofits. Check USCIS’s current fee schedule for the total that applies to a TN petition before filing.

The I-129 route is prepared by the employer or its lawyer. TNPath packets are designed for Canadians applying in person at a port of entry or preclearance.

What TNPath costs

TNPath costs $99 USD, paid once, for the employer support letter (editable Word) and your personalized packet guide (PDF). You can build and preview your letter free and pay only when you want the full files. That price is separate from the government fees above, which you pay to CBP when you apply.

Common questions

Sources

• eCFR: 8 CFR 103.7, Fees (the $50 TN fee for Canadian citizens)
• eCFR: 8 CFR 214.6, Citizens of Canada or Mexico seeking temporary entry to engage in business activities at a professional level
• Federal Register: CBP Immigration Fees Required by HR-1 for Fiscal Year 2025 (August 28, 2025)
• Federal Register: Certain DHS Immigration Fees Required by HR-1, Fiscal Year 2026 Adjustments for Inflation (November 19, 2025)
• U.S. Code: 8 U.S.C. 1807, Form I-94 fee
• eCFR: 8 CFR 212.1, Documentary requirements for nonimmigrants
• U.S. Department of State: USMCA professional (TN) visas
• U.S. Code: 8 U.S.C. 1806, Visa integrity fee
• U.S. Department of State: Fees for visa services
• U.S. Department of State: Mexico reciprocity schedule
• eCFR: 8 CFR 106.2, USCIS fees (Form I-129 and the Asylum Program Fee)
• eCFR: 8 CFR 106.4, Premium processing service
• Federal Register: Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees (January 12, 2026)

Last reviewed September 29, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with official sources before you travel.