H1-B Visa Revalidation experience
Guys,
Here is my visa revalidation experience at Toronto Consulate. I was little-bit worried as I became Canadian permanent resident in Dec 2004 and I decided to go to revalidate visa at Toronto Consulate.
I had an appointment with US consulate, Toronto on Sept 1, 2005 at 9:30 AM.
I started from NJ a day before the date of appointment by rental car. At Niagra border, I had little bit tough experience, since I was Canadian Permanent Resident and still working in US. The officer asked when I am going to permanently move into Canada. The officer was trying to check whether I have clear intentions to fulfill the canadian permanent residency obligations. I replied that I am planning to move into Canada in June 2006. On finding my answer satisfactory, he filled up one yellow slip and asked me to go to Immigration office in the nearby building. The immigraition officer over there looked at my H1 documents and within a few seconds he rubber stamped the yellow slip and asked me to goto Customs office in the same building. The Customs office browsed the yellow slip and he kept the slip and he said, "OK, Goodbye!"
Next day, I reached the consulate at about 8:30 AM and waited in line - Nonimmigrant visa applicants are admitted in from the back side of the consulate building - i.e. Simcoe st entrance. After Security screening, I waited in line with my wife and son. Once, we reached at the counter, the lady at counter looked at all our documents and asked some basic questions like when I first came into US. I had not filled up my high school information on DS-157. She asked me to write in that information. She asked me to show the proof that my company had filed for greencard. I showed a letter from State Work Force Agency certifying that an applicaiton for permenent labor certification is pending with them filed by my employer. She told me to keep the same letter ready as officer will ask me to show that letter at the time of interview. She asked us to wait for the interview.
Waiting for about 15 minutes, my name was called on window #6. We went to the lady officer. She asked me to show my employment letter, recent pay stubs and the letter described above. After checking all these, she took our finger prints and gave three slips and asked us to come and collect the passports next day between 3.00 and 4.00 PM.
My son collected the passports next day. Our old I-94 forms were taken by the consulate. Tha passports with visa and I-797 approval notices were returned.
At the US port of entry - we showed our passports and I-797 approval notices - these were already stapled to the passports by the Consulate office. The immigration officer looked at these documents and asked us to proceed. We didn't even have to get out of our car.
I hope this will be helpful to others. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask.
