Read it.
Use it.
Focused guides for the questions that need more than a quick answer. Each includes a worksheet to prepare your next conversation.
Guides for your next decision.
Build a TN employer evidence brief before drafting the letter
Read & prepare Applicant planningKeep an L-1A new-office record from approval to extension
Read & prepare Applicant planningCompare the E-2 evidence for a startup and a business purchase
Read & prepare U.S. destination planningCanadian RN planning for New York State
Read & prepare U.S. destination planningCanadian RN planning for California
Read & prepareSeven decisions, answered before you prepare.
Document each actual stage of a proposed TN assignment
A Dunnottar applicant with a phased offer should explain the actual professional work at each stage. TN requires qualifying prearranged duties in a listed profession, eligible citizenship and the profession’s specific qualifications. A future role should not be used to disguise a different initial assignment.
Hypothetical example: the offer begins with analysis and anticipates operational leadership later. Identify the real duties, employer and conditions for each stage. Have the occupational fit assessed without assuming the same title establishes the same profession throughout.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Separate immediate duties from later possibilities
- Keep the supporting records consistent
- Review changes before relying on the original process
Keep future Canadian citizenship separate from current U.S. planning
A Dunnottar applicant may plan around a possible future Canadian citizenship decision. Record current citizenship and status accurately. Canadian permanent residence does not satisfy TN citizenship, and a future event should not be presented as already complete when assessing a present U.S. work or investment proposal.
Hypothetical example: an applicant expects a citizenship decision but has an earlier U.S. offer deadline. Review the actual current passport, Canadian status and proposed work. Do not treat an expected ceremony or application milestone as proof of citizenship already held.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Identify the current facts first
- Assess other routes on their own requirements
- Update the plan when a real status change occurs
Distinguish an E-2 launch investment from a later growth budget
A Dunnottar investor may plan several operating stages, but the evidence should identify actual funds, commitments and enterprise facts. E-2 requires qualifying treaty nationality, substantial at-risk investment and development and direction of a real non-marginal enterprise. Future growth alone does not prove present eligibility.
Hypothetical example: initial capital funds one operation while a second location remains an idea. Explain lawful source and path and actual obligations. A forecast can describe intentions without establishing that projected money is already invested or irrevocably committed.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Trace committed funds and future plans separately
- Read financing and escrow documents completely
- Assess each meaningful operating change
Plan the new-office year without treating later duties as current facts
A Dunnottar company transfer may involve setup followed by continuing operations. Identify the actual organization’s U.S. business history and the correct L framework. New-office provisions differ for L-1A and L-1B, and an initial period of no more than one year does not guarantee a later extension.
Hypothetical example: a company has secured premises but has not confirmed its operating team. Describe actual activity and genuine plans. A lease, incorporation or launch announcement alone does not answer every business or role requirement.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Establish the relevant stage of business
- Apply the role-specific requirements
- Record actual results during operations
Assess a transfer followed by a possible investment as separate stages
A Dunnottar applicant may hope to transfer first and purchase a business interest later. The actual initial L assignment and any later E-2 proposal require separate factual analyses. A future investment cannot establish missing L employment or company relationships, and an L approval does not automatically authorize every later business activity.
Hypothetical example: an employee transfers for specialized work and later considers buying an unrelated enterprise. Identify the actual employer, knowledge or management duties and qualifying foreign history. Do not describe the later purchase as part of the employer relationship if it is a separate venture.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Describe the first employer and duties
- Build the investment record only from genuine facts
- Review before changing work or ownership arrangements
Plan the household’s permissions at each stage of a move
A Dunnottar household may arrive in stages or change intended activities after the principal begins work. Record each person’s citizenship, relationship, age, current status and actual plans. A shared relocation timeline does not establish identical permissions or automatically cover later employment and study changes.
Hypothetical example: a spouse initially plans a short stay, then considers remote work from the United States. TD does not authorize employment. Qualifying E and L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation, but those rights require the actual qualifying status rather than a future intention.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Identify work plans at the time they become real
- Separate education from work and duration
- Review individual arrival and age-sensitive dates
- Respect the order of immigrant entry
Keep project milestones and gift-process milestones distinct
A Dunnottar applicant comparing EB-5 with Gold Card should identify what each financial and immigration stage actually establishes. EB-5 is commercial immigrant investment with capital-at-risk and job requirements. The official Gold Card framework is gift-based and connected to EB-1 or EB-2, subject to applicable eligibility, admissibility and visa availability.
Hypothetical example: one proposal requires an EB-5 subscription while another concerns an official processing payment and gift framework. A subscription, fee, gift and immigration approval are different events. Do not describe a gift as a recoverable enterprise asset or assume a project payment proves permanent residence.
WHAT THIS GUIDE COVERS
- Identify the actual financial event
- Review evidence appropriate to the route
- Plan around actual outcomes rather than projected dates
- Assign a document to each financial and residence milestone