Booking an appointment - Canada - Questions (time's running out!)

S

sntrao

Registered Users (C)
Hi,

i am planning to go to canada (toronto) to get my h1b stamped in december last week (Dec 27 or 28 or 29). i tried to book an appointment for 27 or 28 or 29 dec in nvars.com but it shows me a hyphen for all the dates. does that mean that they haven't opened the slots for those days yet?

which one is easier - booking the appointment online or booking it by phone?

booking at nvars.com:
---------------------

1. assume that i found a slot on one of the days. after i click on the slot time, what details will they ask me to enter in the remaining pages?

2. what is the best time to book an appointment online? or, at what time will they open up the slots in the morning?

booking by phone:
-----------------

1. what details do they ask?

2. will they accept the reference number that i got at nvars.com to pull out my personal details record?

3. what is the best time to call them?

4. usually how long does it take to book the appointment by phone?

5. should I call 1-900-443-3131 or 1-888-840-0032?

is it true that they first fill out all available slots thru phone and if any slots are remaining they put them in the nvars.com website?

waiting eagerly for ur answers
thanks!
 
Given below are the answers to your questions in BOLD. Hope I was helpful.

Nmolleti

sntrao said:
Hi,

i am planning to go to canada (toronto) to get my h1b stamped in december last week (Dec 27 or 28 or 29). i tried to book an appointment for 27 or 28 or 29 dec in nvars.com but it shows me a hyphen for all the dates. does that mean that they haven't opened the slots for those days yet?

which one is easier - booking the appointment online or booking it by phone?

booking at nvars.com:
---------------------

1. assume that i found a slot on one of the days. after i click on the slot time, what details will they ask me to enter in the remaining pages?

They ask you the normal stuff, Passport details. They don't ask you to enter the I-797 Case number, so even if your H1-B is pending approval you can still go ahead and make an appointment.

2. what is the best time to book an appointment online? or, at what time will they open up the slots in the morning?

The best (only) time to book an appointment is 7:00 am EST. The slots open at this time and are gone withing 15-20 minutes.

booking by phone:
-----------------

1. what details do they ask?

Even though you call then by phone, they still tell you about the same status as on the website and they will tell you to book online at 7:00 am the following day.

2. will they accept the reference number that i got at nvars.com to pull out my personal details record?

Yes, they will accept the same reference number you have received at nvars.com, always use the same reference number, do not generate any new reference number as it might create confusion.

3. what is the best time to call them?

As far as I know, the published times are OK. Since it is a paid call (1-900), there is always someone to help you.

4. usually how long does it take to book the appointment by phone?

May be about 10 minutes, you are probably talking about $15.00.

5. should I call 1-900-443-3131 or 1-888-840-0032?

If you have access from your phone to call the 1-900 directly, you can do that. Most phones are normally programmed to block 1-900 numbers. In that case you can call 1-888 number and the instructions ask you to enter you credit card details and then direct you to the paid call.

is it true that they first fill out all available slots thru phone and if any slots are remaining they put them in the nvars.com website?

I don't think this is true, if you logon to nvars.com website at 7:00 am in the morning you will see a bunch of appointments but they go out very fast. But be careful, if you computer/network is very slow, the slots may exhaust before you click thru the screen.

waiting eagerly for ur answers
thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Thanks a lot buddy! ur answers were indeed helpful. I think you missed these questions:

i am planning to go to canada (toronto) to get my h1b stamped in december last week (Dec 27 or 28 or 29). i tried to book an appointment for 27 or 28 or 29 dec in nvars.com but it shows me a hyphen for all the dates. does that mean that they haven't opened the slots for those days yet? Will they open it sometime later - say weekend or next week?

which one is easier - booking the appointment online or booking it by phone? - from ur answers i can gather that booking online is an easier option.

Thanks again!

nmolleti said:
Originally Posted by sntrao
Hi,

i am planning to go to canada (toronto) to get my h1b stamped in december last week (Dec 27 or 28 or 29). i tried to book an appointment for 27 or 28 or 29 dec in nvars.com but it shows me a hyphen for all the dates. does that mean that they haven't opened the slots for those days yet?

which one is easier - booking the appointment online or booking it by phone?

booking at nvars.com:
---------------------

1. assume that i found a slot on one of the days. after i click on the slot time, what details will they ask me to enter in the remaining pages?

They ask you the normal stuff, Passport details. They don't ask you to enter the I-797 Case number, so even if your H1-B is pending approval you can still go ahead and make an appointment.

2. what is the best time to book an appointment online? or, at what time will they open up the slots in the morning?

The best (only) time to book an appointment is 7:00 am EST. The slots open at this time and are gone withing 15-20 minutes.

booking by phone:
-----------------

1. what details do they ask?

Even though you call then by phone, they still tell you about the same status as on the website and they will tell you to book online at 7:00 am the following day.

2. will they accept the reference number that i got at nvars.com to pull out my personal details record?

Yes, they will accept the same reference number you have received at nvars.com, always use the same reference number, do not generate any new reference number as it might create confusion.

3. what is the best time to call them?

As far as I know, the published times are OK. Since it is a paid call (1-900), there is always someone to help you.

4. usually how long does it take to book the appointment by phone?

May be about 10 minutes, you are probably talking about $15.00.

5. should I call 1-900-443-3131 or 1-888-840-0032?

If you have access from your phone to call the 1-900 directly, you can do that. Most phones are normally programmed to block 1-900 numbers. In that case you can call 1-888 number and the instructions ask you to enter you credit card details and then direct you to the paid call.

is it true that they first fill out all available slots thru phone and if any slots are remaining they put them in the nvars.com website?

I don't think this is true, if you logon to nvars.com website at 7:00 am in the morning you will see a bunch of appointments but they go out very fast. But be careful, if you computer/network is very slow, the slots may exhaust before you click thru the screen.

waiting eagerly for ur answers
thanks!
Click to expand...
 
sntrao said:
Thanks a lot buddy! ur answers were indeed helpful. I think you missed these questions:

i am planning to go to canada (toronto) to get my h1b stamped in december last week (Dec 27 or 28 or 29). i tried to book an appointment for 27 or 28 or 29 dec in nvars.com but it shows me a hyphen for all the dates. does that mean that they haven't opened the slots for those days yet? Will they open it sometime later - say weekend or next week?

which one is easier - booking the appointment online or booking it by phone? - from ur answers i can gather that booking online is an easier option.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Yes, hyphen means that dates haven't been opened for appoinments for those days yet. "0" indicates no appntments available. I exactly don't know until what dates they usually open. You might want to give them a call on the 1-900 and ask them.

Booking the appnt online saves you some money and you can always call them if you have any questions.

Nmolleti
 
US Consulate in Canada

Hi,

I have an approved L1-A and need to book an appointment onlne to do my interview/visa stamping at US consulate in Vancouver BC. When I go on line: usually around 9 am (PST) or even later in the day; there are no available dates. I tried several other consultates in Canada and is the same. Can you or anyone confirm that I have to log on early in the morning before 8 am (EST) to reall see dates available? I find it hard to believe there are no dates across all US consulate in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal and even Mexico. And not just for October but well into months in 2006.

Please help coz I need to have my new L1-A stamped.

Thanks.
 
As I have previously posted in answer to someone elses query, the slots open exactly at 7:00 am EST (4:00 am PST) and are usually gone within 15-20 minutes. Its not that there are no dates available its just that the dates for appointments are not open to infinity. For example on today Oct 20, they might open the dates for appointments only until Dec 20 and all dates after Dec 20 may show a re "hyphen" that dates are not open yet. I am just giving an example to better explain and not that they open dates until exactly 2 months after today's date. I believe they open all available appointments at 7:00 am EST and they are usually gone in 15-20 minutes, so even if you login later in the day, they always show either a "0" or a "-".

Try at 7:00 am EST and I am sure you will see appointments as thats what I have done. The only other thing I have done is that I called the 1-900 number a day before and confirmed that they open the appnmts the following day morning.

Nmolleti

kclee60 said:
Hi,

I have an approved L1-A and need to book an appointment onlne to do my interview/visa stamping at US consulate in Vancouver BC. When I go on line: usually around 9 am (PST) or even later in the day; there are no available dates. I tried several other consultates in Canada and is the same. Can you or anyone confirm that I have to log on early in the morning before 8 am (EST) to reall see dates available? I find it hard to believe there are no dates across all US consulate in Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Montreal and even Mexico. And not just for October but well into months in 2006.

Please help coz I need to have my new L1-A stamped.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Faithfully,

I got my appointment booked on line. I logged in at around 4 am PST.

Now my delimma is how long it will take for them to stamp. I heard it could take a day, but online information says it could take 3 days or worst you will be rejected and have to return to home country to do so. No one has replied my query so I have book my flight now and intend to stay in Vancouver for up to 4 days; just to be safe.
 
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