Read the general life across the border overview
A family may travel together while each person has a different permission question. Use actual status, eligibility and immigration events to plan work, study and immigrant entry.
Check activities during temporary visits
A qualifying spouse or unmarried child under 21 may fit the applicable temporary dependent category. TD does not authorize work, including remote work performed in the United States for a foreign employer. A qualifying E or L spouse may work incident to valid status with appropriate evidence; an EAD is not universally required. Children do not receive the spousal work benefit. A short visit does not itself change these rules.
Read individual status periods before relying on return dates
Study may be permitted while maintaining the applicable TD, E or L status, but enrollment does not extend the stay or freeze a temporary dependent age limit. A return ticket likewise is not an extension or work permission. Identify each person’s actual record rather than assuming the principal’s calendar controls the entire household.
Coordinate immigrant entry and separate family charges
For immigrant-visa entry, the principal arrives before or together with derivative relatives. Eligible EB-5 derivatives need no additional principal investment merely to accompany; any CSPA protection depends on actual dates and visa availability. Gold Card states US$15,000 nonrefundable processing and a US$1 million gift per eligible joining spouse or unmarried child under 21, including corporate cases; initial inclusion is recommended. A shared booking does not merge those individual conditions.
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: 2026-09-08. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.