No separate earlier trip is necessarily required. Eligible TD dependents may accompany the TN principal or follow later, with the principal’s qualifying basis established as required by the procedure. Two independent TN applicants follow their own routes and authorizations. Check each person’s nationality and documents when planning a joint journey.
Let the chosen structure set the order
Coordinate the household’s dates after identifying each person’s route. Canadian citizens generally do not need TN visas; Mexican citizens generally do. A dependent’s nationality may produce different visa steps from the principal’s. Ask what evidence supports accompanying entry or following later, and keep travel adjustable until those steps are resolved.
Coordinate the employer’s proposed start with the actual readiness of the file rather than promising that an explanation will necessarily be accepted. Where a degree was earned outside Canada, Mexico or the United States, an evaluation from a recognised service is what bridges it, and that takes weeks to obtain. Timing is driven by document readiness, intended start date, and the chosen admission or petition route. The recurring mistake is performing orientation or productive remote work in the United States before lawful authorization because payroll calls it a relocation phase.