The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has announced plans that would require nearly all non-immigrant visa applicants (including Mexican citizens filing for a TN visa) to use form DS-160 instead of forms DS-156, DS-157, and DS-158 by April 30, 2010. A handful of high priority posts must implement usage of the DS-160 form no later than March 1, 2010.

Twenty-four posts already require the new form including the following in Mexico: Ciudad Juarez, Hermosillo, Matamoros, Monterrey, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, and Tijuana. As many consulates in Mexico have already implemented the new  DS-160 form within the past year, many Mexican TN visa applicants are familiar with the form. We recommend that all visa applicants review the appropriate U.S. consulate’s website to determine which visa application form is required. Individuals can review the new DS-160 form here.  Additional information on the new form and a current list of U.S. Embassy and Consulate locations requiring it are available here.

This new rule does not apply to citizens of Canada. Unlike citizens of Mexico, Canadian citizens are generally exempt from the visa stamp requirement, and may obtain their TN visa status at a U.S. port-of-entry and do not need to file for a TN visa stamp at a U.S. consulate.