Successful 8th year Extension H1 & H4 Stamping @Toronto
Successful 8th year Extension H1 & H4 Stamping @Toronto
My time now to payback by posting my stamping experience at Toronto Consulate on March 20, 2006.
I drove with my wife and two children on March 18 from Chicago to Toronto.
At the Canadian Border crossing:
I was asked to park my car outside and leave my wife and children inside the car and go into the Immigration building alone.
Canadian Immigration Officer (CIO): What is the purpose of your visit to Canada?
Me: Told her the reason
CIO: Can I take a look at the Appointment Letter? Your passports? And your H1 status notice? Sorry I am asking you so many things at the sametime.
Me: Not a problem Ma’m you are only doing your job and gave her what all she asked
CIO: Where will you be staying?
Me: Friend’s Place
CIO: Have you been to Canada Before
Me: Yes, in 2001
CIO: Can you please bring your wife and children in? I really need to see them too.
Me: Did so
CIO: OK, everything is perfect and in order. Has anyone explained to you how the Canadian “Single-Entry” visa works?
Me: I have read about it online, but I shall be glad to hear about it from you
CIO: You can visit Canada from USA as many times as you want during the validity period of your Canadian visa i.e. 6 months minus 1 day. But if you travel to a 3rd country, your visa becomes invalid.
Me: OK, great, thanks Ma’m, have a nice day
At the US Consulate in Toronto on March 20th:
I had a 11:30 am appointment but I reached the consulate at about 11:10 am. The security guard was rude and inconsiderate and did not let me in despite seeing my two little babies and me with my wife and asked us to check back in about 20-30 mins. It was very cold and as a result my daughter caught cold. We were finally let in at 11:30 am. I had completely forgotten about the process in the mix of taking our photos as I did not have the photos with me. I was just standing in the waiting area to be called, without having submitted the documents first, and as a result ended up waiting for about an hour more.
At about 1:45 pm, I submitted the documents. At the documents submission window, there was a lady who asked me following questions:
Me: Hello M’am how are you doing today?
Officer: I am doing fine, thank you!
Officer: When did you first come to the USA?
Me: told her the date
Officer: Can you also submit your I-797 and your wife’s I-539?
Me: did so
Officer: How long have you been working for your current employer?
Me: 4 years and 8 months
Officer: So, your employer has already filed an Immigrant Petition on your behalf?
Me: Yes
Officer: Do you have any proof for that?
Me: Yes, and I gave her the screenshot of the Dallas Backlog Center which I had fortunately carried with me.
Officer: Looking at my DS 157 form, what were you doing in the USA prior to starting to work for your current employer?
Me: I was employed with company xxx from so and so date until June 25, 2001.
Officer: Please write down your name in native language on the DS 157 Form.
Me: Wrote my name in Hindi
Officer: After entering USA for the first time, which other countries have you visited?
Me: India in so and so years and Canada in the year 2001.
Officer: OK, please be seated and you will be called for finger printing in a few mins
Me: Thank you Ma’m and you have a nice day.
Officer: You too.
Me and my wife were called for finger printing about 2:15 pm. The officer at the finger printing window did not ask any questions and just took our finger prints
At 2:20 pm my name was called at window # 4. The Consular Officer (CO) was a gentleman in his mid 40s probably and was very soft spoken and had been issuing visas while I was just watching other interviews while waiting for my turn.
Me: Hello Sir, how are you doing?
CO: Fine, thank you!
CO: So, Mr.x you are a Physician MD?
Me: No Sir I am a Software Engineer for company xxx
CO: Oh, sorry! Not sure why I mixed up your name with another applicant who’s a Physician
Me: No problem sir
CO: So your employer has filed an Immigrant petition for you?
Me: Yes (he did not ask for proof)
CO: Can I see your employer letter?
Me: Handed it over to him
CO: Indian charges a fee for American Citizens and so you need to pay $50 each towards reciprocity fee for yourself and your wife, please pay the fees on the 3rd floor and come back to me with the receipt
Me: Paid the fees and went back to the CO
CO: Your passports will be available for Pick up between 3 pm and 4 pm tomorrow.
Me: OK, thank you Sir and have a nice day
CO: You too
That’s all folks, after all, it was a cake walk for me.
At the US border post while re-entering the USA:
Officer: What do you do in US
Me: Working for company xxx as Software Engineer
Officer: How long did you stay in Canada?
Me: 4 days
Officer: How often do you cross the border?
Me: Very rarely, this is the second time in the last 5 years
Officer: We have implemented new process for admitting non-immigrant visa holders, but our system is down currently, so I can’t take your pics and finger prints, you are all set now, and you don’t need fresh I-94s as your approval notices already have them. Please keep them stapled to your passports.
Me: Left with surprise and I am now in the process of checking with my lawyer if our departure and re-entry were recorded appropriate since the US Consulate in Toronto took my old I-94 but did not take my wife’s.
That’s about it. Please let me know if you have any questions.