Read the general life across the border overview
Family relationships, ages and intended activities may differ from an earlier move. Review the actual household and each person’s current status instead of carrying forward assumptions from an old file.
Compare the old household plan with the present people
Retain the earlier relocation file as history, then update each person’s age, citizenship, relationship and intended activity. A child who previously attended school may now propose a paid role; the spouse’s new work may differ from the activity once assessed. Identify those changes expressly rather than renewing the old plan by changing its date. Neither the earlier school arrangement nor a prior family approval establishes present permission for a new activity.
Apply the relevant dependent rules now
TD does not authorize employment, including remote work performed while physically in the United States. Qualifying E and L spouses may be employment-authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation; an EAD is not universally required. Children do not gain work permission solely through dependent status. TD, E and L dependents may study while maintaining applicable status, but study does not extend it. For TD, E and L child-dependent status, the child must be unmarried and under 21; immigrant CSPA protection does not extend those temporary child-dependent age limits.
Rebuild the current chronology from current documents
Read the latest admission and status records and distinguish them from superseded notices in the old file. Mark any missing document for verification instead of assuming continuity from memory. In an immigrant proposal, assess derivative eligibility and any CSPA issue with the actual dates and visa availability; filing does not automatically freeze age. Explain why an earlier estimate no longer applies where appropriate. A historical outcome can inform the review without functioning as a new decision on the household.
Respect the order of immigrant entry
For an immigrant-visa family, the principal applicant must enter before or together with derivative family members. A preferred staggered move should be planned around that rule and each person’s actual documentation, not treated as an unrestricted choice of arrival order.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.