I sorted out a good deal on a Hyundai lease and then was sorting out the paperwork when it came out that I have a TN visa and the dealership said they couldn’t do the deal. I have a good income in a permanent job which will allow me to renew my visa indefinitely and good credit. Is there any way to make this work or am I SOL?
Thanks for your help!
What’s a TN visa?
Some companies will work with you such as BMW.
I don’t know about Hyundai.
BMW has a form called: International Executive Credit Checklist which is provided by BMW Financial Services.
@BMW_Dave might be able to go in more detail.
I had a good Canadian friend get deported shortly after the last election due to a general crackdown on NAFTA. Even though they had been employed in the country for years some CBP hero decided his job duties were incorrectly mapped and he got thrown out.
My sense would say maybe this is still less common but I can see why it introduces risk even if your job is “permanent”.
Wonder if your options would be greater if you are able to do a one pay lease?
I did offer to do a one-pay lease. I have the feeling they won’t bite on it.
What is the expiration date of your current visa?
Since you’re technically “renting” their car, the bigger risk for them is whether you would leave the country without turning in the the car they own at the end of the lease. If you can work out a lease term that stays within the expiration date of your visa, usually that should suffice. I know you mentioned that you can renew it indefinitely, but lenders don’t counsel immigration attorneys to confirm any of this for inidividual cases. Much easier for them to work with what’s printed on your visa. Ofcourse, every lender has their own rules so call Hyundai and see if they will be okay with a shorter term and see if the deal still makes sense for you then.
I understand and agree that it is more or less rational. Unfortunately I have only 18 months left on my current visa and will not be renewing it until it is closer to expiry at which point it will be for 36 months.
You can think about taking over a lease that has 18ish months or so until grounding. I’m not sure if you’ll find a Hyundai but as I said, might be worth a look.
That’s not a bad idea. I had a really good deal on an Ioniq lined up but really I just want to lease an affordable car for the next roughly 18 months until I free up some cashflow (totally unrelated to visa).
I don’t want to sound mean, but you should have disclosed this info to the dealership/salesperson before negotiating a lease.
You’re not being mean, but it simply didn’t cross my mind. I am not experienced with buying/leasing and had established great credit and figured I was in the clear. Live and learn.
Nobody wants to waste anyone’s time, but I don’t know if I agree. I would probably inquire about the car and confirm the pre-incentive sales price and discount first, then introduce this. A couple emails, not hours of anyone’s time that could be spent with tire kickers.
If I were here on a Visa, I would probably target a volume dealer who I suspect had that experience. But I wouldn’t lead with the Visa, that seems like you’re asking to get your head ripped off. “Oh welcome! Yes we have a $599/mo with $5k down special on Ioniqs just for TNs - when can you come sign?”
Curious what others think?
We can agree on this.
I did not imply that the first thing OP should have said to the salesperson (after walking into the dealership) was that they were on a visa.
I am sure a simple phone call to Hyundai Financial services, as some have suggested, would have cleared all of this.
@Talexander - Good luck
Side note - Navigating immigration rules/laws is no joke.
As someone who often says, “what did they say when you called and asked?” I didn’t think of this because they don’t have an account yet. Great suggestion.
No. Joke.
Think It would be worth a shot to give them a shout tomorrow and see if we can work something out?
Immigration navigation has really not been fun 
Why not? 
We have leases with both bmw and Mercedes while on a tn
Did you go through a special program?