United States Citizenship and Immigration Service published a final rule on October 16, 2008 that renders Treaty NAFTA temporary workers (TNs) eligible to enter and remain in the United States for a period of three years rather than just one.

Under the old rule, TN status was approved for only one year at a time, and the worker had to obtain a new approval to extend for each additional year.

TN workers must still have the intention to return home rather than to remain in the United States indefinitely. However, under the new rule Mexican citizens are now eligible to apply for three-year TN visas. Canadian citizens, who are visa-exempt, can seek admission in TN status for a continuous period of three years. Individuals already in the United States in NAFTA treaty status can apply to extend for a three year extension of status.

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