Read the general life across the border overview
A child living with the household under an adoption that has not been finalized raises a question of legal relationship, not of intention. Dependent categories describe relationships that exist on the available evidence. Assemble the family-law documents now — judgments, custody or guardianship orders, birth records — and ask which of them the applicable category recognizes, and what remains outstanding.
Describe the current legal relationship, not the hoped-for one
Set out what the court has ordered so far, what remains to be decided, and who currently holds parental authority or custody. A hearing date is not an order. Avoid describing the child as adopted until the record supports it, because a description that runs ahead of the documents has to be corrected later. Ask counsel which family-law evidence the relevant dependent category requires, and have the Quebec proceeding explained to the person assessing U.S. eligibility, since the terms used differ between systems.
Keep each household member's activities separate
Hypothetical example: the household is considering a move based on TN status, one spouse hopes to work and the child would attend school. TD status does not authorize employment; TD permits study, and an unpaid activity calls for a specific review rather than a general rule in either direction. An unmarried partner does not become a spouse merely through cohabitation, and TD status concerns unmarried children under 21. Qualifying E and L dependent spouses are employment-authorized incident to their valid status, with the appropriate I-94 evidence; children are not covered by that same work rule.
Sequence the decisions and keep the open questions visible
Identify which steps can proceed while the adoption is pending, which cannot, and what would change if the order issued after the move. Note any deadlines tied to a child's age and have them assessed under the applicable rules. Ask what evidence each step would require and who is able to obtain it, including records held by a court or an agency in Quebec. Avoid commitments — enrolment, a lease, a resignation — that rest on an assumed order date, because a school placement or a booking confers no status.
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: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.