Background: F1 to H1B, MS degree from US University, interview in Ottawa Embassy on 04Feb2005, 1st visa stamp, Philippine citizenship.
Result: Successfully obtained visa the same day as interview date
Details:
I arrive in Ottawa, Canada on Feb 2, 2005. My interview date is Feb 4, 2005. I stayed in Quality Hotel, which is approximately 1 mile from the embassy. Since I consider this as walking distance from the hotel, I did not rent a car in airport.
I arrived in the embassy at 8:40am eventhough my interview is not until 9:30am. The guard let me into the embassy at 8:40am. The guard told me to proceed to Window 7 to pay $100 and submit my application. Lady in window 7 asked for my application (DS156 w/ photo attached & 158), $100, and I797. Of course, I gave them to her. She told me to wait for my name to be called.
My name was called at about 9am. I proceeded to Window 3. The following is an excerpt of my interview (as best as I can remember).
Consular: Hi. Goodmorning.
Me: Hi. Goodmorning.
Consular: Why are you here?
Me: I'm applying for a working visa stamp. I already have the working permit.
Consular: What's the name of your company?
Me: "ABC"
Consular: What do you do for them?
Me: I'm a civil engineer working for their offshore group. I'm the primary technical interface between CommOps and New Product Introduction for their foundation and mechanical systems of wind turbines.
Consular: Is that comparable to solar energy, gas turbine, etc.
Me: Solar energy is expensive. Wind energy is very competitive with gas tubines since the passage of PTC (tax credit for renewable sources of energy).
Consular: Do you have employment letter?
Me: gave employment letter
Consular: Before this, what was your status?
Me: I was a student in "US university"
Consular: What other qualifications do you have besides your degree from "US University"
Me: I have a BS in civil engineering also.
Consular: I should remind you that your passport expires before the visa stamp.
Me: No, that's the old passport. The new one which you already have expires 2 years from Oct. 1 2007.
Consular: Oh, you're right. I'll give this back to you and only keep the new passport to avoid mistakes. You can get your passport at 3pm in from the security guard outside the embassy.
Me: Thanks.
Opinion: In my opinion, as long as you have US degree for 1st time stamping, you will be fine. I met two Indians both applying for a revalidation stamp. Both did not have a US degrees. They also got their visa stamp. In their case, it is a revalidation with their 1st stamp coming from India. That's why, I think, he was given a visa stamp even though he did not have education from the US.
Result: Successfully obtained visa the same day as interview date
Details:
I arrive in Ottawa, Canada on Feb 2, 2005. My interview date is Feb 4, 2005. I stayed in Quality Hotel, which is approximately 1 mile from the embassy. Since I consider this as walking distance from the hotel, I did not rent a car in airport.
I arrived in the embassy at 8:40am eventhough my interview is not until 9:30am. The guard let me into the embassy at 8:40am. The guard told me to proceed to Window 7 to pay $100 and submit my application. Lady in window 7 asked for my application (DS156 w/ photo attached & 158), $100, and I797. Of course, I gave them to her. She told me to wait for my name to be called.
My name was called at about 9am. I proceeded to Window 3. The following is an excerpt of my interview (as best as I can remember).
Consular: Hi. Goodmorning.
Me: Hi. Goodmorning.
Consular: Why are you here?
Me: I'm applying for a working visa stamp. I already have the working permit.
Consular: What's the name of your company?
Me: "ABC"
Consular: What do you do for them?
Me: I'm a civil engineer working for their offshore group. I'm the primary technical interface between CommOps and New Product Introduction for their foundation and mechanical systems of wind turbines.
Consular: Is that comparable to solar energy, gas turbine, etc.
Me: Solar energy is expensive. Wind energy is very competitive with gas tubines since the passage of PTC (tax credit for renewable sources of energy).
Consular: Do you have employment letter?
Me: gave employment letter
Consular: Before this, what was your status?
Me: I was a student in "US university"
Consular: What other qualifications do you have besides your degree from "US University"
Me: I have a BS in civil engineering also.
Consular: I should remind you that your passport expires before the visa stamp.
Me: No, that's the old passport. The new one which you already have expires 2 years from Oct. 1 2007.
Consular: Oh, you're right. I'll give this back to you and only keep the new passport to avoid mistakes. You can get your passport at 3pm in from the security guard outside the embassy.
Me: Thanks.
Opinion: In my opinion, as long as you have US degree for 1st time stamping, you will be fine. I met two Indians both applying for a revalidation stamp. Both did not have a US degrees. They also got their visa stamp. In their case, it is a revalidation with their 1st stamp coming from India. That's why, I think, he was given a visa stamp even though he did not have education from the US.