H1 Visa stamping experience- Canada

sid,
i am planning to go next week to montreal for stamping for my h1
this is my 9th year extension and present visa is valid until 31 march 2009.
now i changed my employer and have a valid petition until jan 2010.
if my stamping is rejected with my new employer still i can come back to US

please advise me
raj kumar
s2264322@yahoo.com
 
H1B Stamping in Canada

Hi,

My first 3 years on my H1B have expired and my extension for the next three years is filed and approved. I would like to get my visa stamped in Canada and I have some questions related to that:

1. Can I get my passport stamped with the new visa while my existing visa is still valid?

2. Where do I make the visa renewal appointments for the Toronto Consulate? (please provide links to websites)

3. How long does it take to get back the passport after stamping?

4. Is it safe to get this stamped in Toronto?

Thank you in advance for your responses.
 
If you currently have H-1B work visa on your passport, you may need to get the re-stamping upon the extension of your expired visa. The procedures for re-stamping are same as that of stamping H-1B visa, except that some additional documents are required.

In order to get your H-1B visa and your dependents' visa stamped, a list of documents must be submits which includes completed and signed non-immigration visa application form (Form DS-156). (also aee http://www.greencardapply.com/h1b.htm)
 
H1B transfer- Stamping in Canada

Hi there,
I transferred by H1 to a different company and would like to get my visa stamped in Canada. Recently i have been hearing rumours that US consulate has become very critical due to bad economy. Is it advisable to get my stamping done or do you think I should give it some more time. All my documents, pay stubs are very genuine and I have a project in had until this year end. Any advise/suggestions are highly appreciated.

Thanks much!!

Hello Folks;
I successfully got my H1 (& H4 stamp) in Ottawa on March 8.
This was my third H1 stamp (second for the same employer)
It went very smooth...hardly 5 min interview...
Please note that bar coded DS156 is a must...i had filed my online but for my wife I had to fill in the consulate...for they did not accepted hand-filled form...there were 4 people ahead of me waiting for the computer...so it took 1 hour before I was able to pay the fees...after paying the fess in about 10 min I was called to submit the documents...the lady was very couteous and documents asked were:
H1/H4 approvals
passports
DS156 & DS157 forms
finger printing (both for myself & my wife)
status in Canada ( I had landed 2 days before)
submitted all my papers...after that in about 8 min I was called for the interview....the officer was very cool and had god sense of humour.....following questions....

1. where do you work?
2. what does the company do?
3. how long you have been working?
4. employer letter
5. pay stub

got the passport back at 3 pm. there were about 3 other Indians who also got their visa issued.
There were about 5 other people (I am not sure for what visa) but were from Pakistan and were submitted for security clearance and asked to come back in 3 weeks...

Thank you very much to all who helped me out...this is very useful forum...I will be more than haapy to answer any questions....
 
Hi there,
I transferred by H1 to a different company and would like to get my visa stamped in Canada. Recently i have been hearing rumours that US consulate has become very critical due to bad economy. Is it advisable to get my stamping done or do you think I should give it some more time. All my documents, pay stubs are very genuine and I have a project in had until this year end. Any advise/suggestions are highly appreciated.

Thanks much!!

With all honesty my friend ... there is no rhyme and reason what will happen if you goto canada. Rest assured, you will get the visa, but when? no body can predict.

I would suggest, you look at your family circumstances. If you can put off from going to canada for a few years; by all means dont go. If you cannot, then i will tell you, life needs to move on and u should visit canada and apply for visa.

I know, this was not the answer u wanted but it is the best i can tell u.
 
I went to Ottawa on July 15 for first H1-B. I was on J1-visa.

The visa was approved? but i received 221g. Three weeks later I received emails asking me to submit passport between 8 am to 11 am.

Overall, the embassy is very small and less chaotic. There are only three counters for interview.
 
221g said 'administrative processing'.

I think this was basically for security clearance, which was issued after 20 days.
 
As a follow up, I want to share following with forum readers.
I posted a question about what happens after 221g; didnt really get answer here. Therefore, want to put my experience here for future applicants.
For people who get 221g ( administrative processing- which is most likely security clearance) and who take the passport back, are asked to return after administrative processing is completed. General impression is that one has to go there and submit the passport and collect visa stamp. However, you please be prepared for a follow-up interview with visa consular officer and bring all documents.
 
We are going to the US Consulate in Toronto for our H1B visa renewal stamping in October. Does anyone know, for visa renewal stamping, do they send you the passport back or you can pick it up? What will be the time frame assuming everything goes well? Thank you in advance.
 
We are planning to go to our country to get our H1 and H4 stamps at the US consulate. I am a winner of DV2010. For getting the H stamps we need to fill ds 156 form. And in the form there is a question as " Has anyone ever filed an immigration petition on your behalf? " As I send the documents to Kentucky , how should I answer to this question for me and my husband? For me it sounds like an employer's green card application on your behalf or an US citizen relatives green card application on your behalf? And I thought I should answer as ' no" . But I couldn't be sure. Do you think my husband should answer as Yes as I am the petitioner. What do you think? Do you have any opinions?Has anyone ever been in the same situation before?
 
Stuck in 221G

Hello Every one.

I need your advice and hope that you will not just read the post but also reply with your answers.

I am currently working for a fortune 500 companies in USA. Came to Canada for H1B Stamping and I gave my Interview in Canada Ottawa consulate on Sept 14th 2009. Visa officer did take time for the interview and did not ask many questions. He just verify my job letter and pay slips. He knew about my company very well and told me that it’s a good company to work for. He then took my DS157 and DS156 forms and told me that it will take some time for issue of the visa. He also asked me about my siblings and note my height and weight and Eye color. After the interview he handed me 221G blue color form. I asked him how much time it will take and he said he will not be able tell me any time line. He said these thing takes time.

The thing I notice is that 'No PIMS RECORD' was stamped on one of the DS156 form. But now I am very worried. Its been 15 days from the time of the interview and still no news. Please suggest should I wait or send them some email to enquire.

Now I have one more issue. I have renewed my passport after the interview. I still have my old passport but I also got a renewed passport attached with the old one. It was written on 221G that any change in the passport should be informed to the consulate. I will be sending them the new passport number. My old passport was valid for just 2 days less for 6 months when I gave my interview. There fore I had to renew my passport due to the requirement that passport should be valid for at least 6 months . Now my other question is will it be any negative impact on my case. Does this happen to any one else who renewed there passport during the waiting time. I need some advice. Please do not ignore this post.

Please please please reply to this as I am very worried and very feeling low.

Thanks

May god bless you all.
 
I am considering getting my first H-1 stamping done in Canada. I was on H-1 for 2 years with one company but didn't have the need to get the stamping done during that time. Recently transferred to another company a month ago and now nned to go to Canada to completed my permanent residence process (landing). Please let me know if any one has had recent experience for 1st time stamping in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, or Ottowwa.

My lawyer is suggesting that I should not go to Canada and go to home country instead. My status in U.S has been B-1 to F-1 t o H-1.

Also do permanent residents in Canada get an edge over people just visiting Canada when it comes to getting 1st H-1 stamping?

Very confused at this point. Any and all inputs would be greatly appreciated.

HSN.
 
My first H1B from Vancouver, Canada is expiring in late Jan, 2010. I have changed my Employer since than.

My question is : If i travel in early Jan to US Consulate in Canada, will i be able to comeback to US with my existing old valid H1-B visa and new I-797?

If they denied me the H1 visa this time or said I might have to go back home for visa stamping or if they put me in administrative processing, would it be possible for me to come back on my old valid visa from previous employer?

Please reply to this posting. Any and all inputs would be greatly appreciated.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If they cancel the old visa when entertaining your new application, then you cannot do either. Also bear in mind that AVR is not available once you apply for a fresh US visa.

My question is : If i travel in early Jan to US Consulate in Canada, will i be able to comeback to US with my existing old valid H1-B visa and new I-797?

If they denied me the H1 visa this time or said I might have to go back home for visa stamping or if they put me in administrative processing, would it be possible for me to come back on my old valid visa from previous employer?
 
My first H1B visa is from India , it is due for renewal in May2010. I would like to understand the procedure involved in going to Canada for stamping.

Thanks for all your help..
 
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