Do not alter an authentic academic record to hide the difference.
Use an explanatory identity trail
Ask the issuing institution about legitimate updated records if appropriate, while preserving accurate history. A translation should reproduce the record faithfully rather than silently substitute the new name.
Preserve the transcript as issued and create a separate identity trail using the current passport, the legal-name-change document and a concise explanation. If the school offers an updated transcript through its process, obtain it without concealing the older record; any translation must reproduce both names faithfully. The employer letter should use the legal name and identify the prearranged professional work. TN remains limited to Canadian or Mexican citizens who fit a listed USMCA profession and its particular qualification; it cannot support self-employment. Canadian permanent residence does not satisfy the citizenship condition.
Hypothetical example: A registered nurse living in Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley finds that her nursing transcript uses a former surname. She keeps the sealed transcript intact, adds her divorce judgment and present passport, and asks the translator to retain the former name with an explanatory note rather than substitute the new one. She also checks profession-specific credential and licensing evidence before the U.S. hospital finalizes its offer. A polished academic packet would still be deficient if it omitted the genuine name-link record or treated the nursing qualification as automatic. Once the evidence is coherent, a Canadian citizen may present a TN request at a port of entry or the hospital may use Form I-129.