Government charges and professional costs are distinct from the evidence required to qualify for TN. Income, savings or an employer’s budget do not replace the occupation’s credentials.
Budget without confusing proof categories
Hypothetical example: an architect receives a U.S. offer and asks whether an employer-paid filing cost proves that the employer relationship is genuine. It does not.
Cost records may explain who is paying for travel, a petition, credential evaluation, licensing, or professional registration, but the TN decision still rests on the profession, temporary employment facts, citizenship, and the prescribed qualifications. The architect should identify whether the proposed work requires a U.S. jurisdiction’s licence, whether supervised practice is possible, and what the occupation entry actually calls for.
Check current government fees through the USCIS fee schedule instead of repeating old figures from a blog or a colleague. Keep personal financial information proportionate to the issue; a large bank balance does not substitute for a degree or licence, and a modest salary does not automatically invalidate a genuine professional offer. Obtain written clarity about which party covers costs, but do not let that commercial detail obscure the legal analysis.
Keep a dated schedule separating government fees, professional charges, commercial costs and funds that must meet a substantive legal test. A number on an invoice answers a different question from a qualification, a company relationship or a capital commitment. Check amounts again before payment.