H1 Visa stamping experience- Canada

congratulations on bhabi's visa. Its still like the old days for the women folk mostly as its rare for a name check on them...

OK, so you never got a visa stamped since 2001. Understood.
Now, I guess you are going to Pakistan on the 5 week vacation. So, you are ready to leave Canada and go to Pakistan while the background checks are being done on your application? How are you going to handle this situation? I sincerely hope that you get your visa stamped the same day and relax during your stay in Pakistan, but in case it doesn't happen and they put you up for additional checks. Then I think you plan to go to Pakistan and wait there. Right? My question is what if you land in Pakistan and 2 days later, the embassy tells you that your visa has come and they are ready to stamp?

How much time will they give you to come back and get the passport stamp? I had sent an email to a consulate in Canada and they did not confirm any such time limit. The email said that its case to case basis and can not be told before hand. So, I wonder how can one do that? Will appreciate more details about your plan for Canada.
 
A101,

Nothing can be said with certainity so I am hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. There is a field on DS-156 "22. When Do You Intend To Arrive In The U.S.?", I hope that do come into play. I am sure they dont say "hey if you cant come tomorrow, just dont come then...no visa for you" and for some reason if they say that I'll just buy the damn ticket and visit Canada again for 2 days :)




a101 said:
congratulations on bhabi's visa. Its still like the old days for the women folk mostly as its rare for a name check on them...

OK, so you never got a visa stamped since 2001. Understood.
Now, I guess you are going to Pakistan on the 5 week vacation. So, you are ready to leave Canada and go to Pakistan while the background checks are being done on your application? How are you going to handle this situation? I sincerely hope that you get your visa stamped the same day and relax during your stay in Pakistan, but in case it doesn't happen and they put you up for additional checks. Then I think you plan to go to Pakistan and wait there. Right? My question is what if you land in Pakistan and 2 days later, the embassy tells you that your visa has come and they are ready to stamp?

How much time will they give you to come back and get the passport stamp? I had sent an email to a consulate in Canada and they did not confirm any such time limit. The email said that its case to case basis and can not be told before hand. So, I wonder how can one do that? Will appreciate more details about your plan for Canada.
Click to expand...
 
Question for gurus.

My company has filed LABOR CERTIFICATE application some 2 years ago. Now
refer to item 36 of form DS-156 i.e.

(36) HAS ANYONE EVER FILED IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION ON YOUR BEHALF?

What should i put, YES or NO? Is labor certificate a "IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION" ? or not? FYI, I am on my 8th year extension becaseu of this Labor Certificate applicaiton.

Someone please help !!!!
 
web_guru2003 said:
Question for gurus.

My company has filed LABOR CERTIFICATE application some 2 years ago. Now
refer to item 36 of form DS-156 i.e.

(36) HAS ANYONE EVER FILED IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION ON YOUR BEHALF?

What should i put, YES or NO? Is labor certificate a "IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION" ? or not? FYI, I am on my 8th year extension becaseu of this Labor Certificate applicaiton.

Someone please help !!!!
Click to expand...

I replied 'No' to this question on my application in Calgary two weeks ago, but wrote in 'Work LC Applied'. I don't believe that this question is a big deal, since you are on your 8th year, because of the LCA. The CO looked at that and asked me when I filed for my Labor, what the status was and when I expect to get my GC.
 
neo_ny said:
You were able to collect your passport the same day correct? Could you please suggest a place to stay based on your experience that is close/walking distance to the consulate?

Thanks very much!

Neo
Click to expand...

Yes - Calgary returns passports same day at 3PM. One doesn't have to go upstairs to the Consulate. Just meet in the lobby of the building and they hand them out there. People start queing up earlier. I got there at 2.45PM and was at the back of the line. The line moves very fast and I was done by 3.15PM.
 
My company has filed LABOR CERTIFICATE application some 2 years ago. Now
refer to item 36 of form DS-156 i.e.

(36) HAS ANYONE EVER FILED IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION ON YOUR BEHALF?

What should i put, YES or NO? Is labor certificate a "IMMIGRANT VISA PETITION" ? or not? FYI, I am on my 8th year extension becaseu of this Labor Certificate applicaiton.

Labor Certification is NOT an immigrant petition. Therefore, the answer should be "NO" in your case.

FYI: I-140 is the immigrant visa petition.
 
Please Help

My Current h1b for seventh years expire on june 11, 2006 . I can apply for extension after December 11, 2005 for another one year since my LC is still pending at PBEC . My questions are as follows

1- Can I apply premium processing for 8 years extension or primum processing is only available for first time H1B filer

2-Does any body know how long it takes to receive I-797 Approval notice if we file premium processing of h1b1

3- Is it safe for me to make an appointment for the first week of janurary to my h1b1 visa stamped in canada . will I get I-797 approval notice by that time

4-I am from Pakistan . how much is the excat visa fee for pakistani
nationals

5-I went to canada for landing on July 2006 . since I am permenant landed immigrant of canada since july 2006 can they still ask me that you still dont have any strong ties with canada so go back to your home country pakistan and get visa stamped from pakistan.

Guys please help if you know the answar
 
Successful H-1B stamping in Vancouver on Nov. 9th.

Hi Guys,
well, here is my experience at the US consulate at vancouver.
My appointment was at 9am on Thursday. I got there around 8am. Got some coffee and waited in line for almost an hour.
Went through security with no problems. The wait once inside wasnt too bad either.
First, they did finger printing and then my number was called at window 4. The VO was an indian guy. He was super nice and friendly.
So this is how it went.
VO: hi
Me: hi there, how u doing??
VO: not too bad.
VO: so what is your title and what does it mean?
Me: explained
VO: so are your clients mostly XYZ (he seem to know a little bit about my field)
Me: yes and i mentioned a couple other.
VO: where did you get your degree?
Me: at the university of XYZ
VO: can i see you trancripts
Me: gave them and he just glanced through them in a matter of a second.
VO: do you have your EAD card from your OPT.
Me: yes (and looking for it from the stacks of papers i had)
VO: can i see it?
Me: handed it.
VO: ok good, well come and pick up your passoport and at 3pm today and you're all good to go!
Me: OK
VO: its weird you spell your last name with a E cuz i've always seen in spelled with an A.
Me: well, its because from gujarat they spell it with an E and from UP they spell it with an A.
VO: ohhhh, wow, i never knew that..... good to know!
Me: well, thank you and have a good day.
VO: you do the same.

(the interview took less than 2 minutes, litterly)

I was so excited and left with a biggest smile on my face... BUT in the mean time i forgot to pay my reciprocity fee. Well, i didnt forget to pay BUT i wasnt told to pay it. So once i got out the consulate i started freaking out and went back to see if they would let me in so i can go pay the fee.
The security didnt let me in but told me that I probably didnt have to pay it if they didnt ask for it.
SO apparently, they have CANCELLED the reciprocity fee for Indian Citizens (dont know about other countries) from a couple days ago. SO GUYS THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE DONT HAVE TO PAY THE $50 ANYMORE. No Indian Citizen on the day of my appointment paid the fee. YES, no one!!!
AND, i got my passport the SAME DAY AT 3PM because its a long weekend in canada.
At first i was so worried they would give it to me on tuesday the 14th but I with everyone else got it the same day. WOOOHOOO.....
I drove back to US the same day and no problems at the POE. They gave me my new I-94 and i was in the country with NO problems.

I really want to thank this forum for all the help and information.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I would be happy to answer them.
Nikki
 
Successful Toronto Stamping - Nov 7th

Payback time! Here's my experience that hopefully will help people going in the future. My passport was stamped succesffuly with the H1 visa stamp after an interview in Toronto on Nov 7th, 2006. A little background on my case - F1-OPT-H1-H1_transfer. This was my first H1 visa stamp.

EASY AS PIE!

A few things (specific to the Toronto office) that I wish I knew before the interview:

1. The US consulate in Toronto DOES ALLOW bags etc. inside the consulate. All you're disallowed to take are food, beverages and electronic devices of any type. Before my interview I was running around trying to find a transparent file folder that I was hopeful they would allow inside to carry the gazillion documents I was taking with me and I was worried if they would disallow my wallet and a myriad of other such small issues. I shouldn't have worried and simply taken my handbag.

2. Take a book or magazine if you like reading to pass the 2-3 hours you'll be waiting.

3. DON'T WORRY - the officers at the Toronto office are REALLY nice and ever-smiling and try not to make you nervous!

4. Even if you're the first in line at 8.00am and your interview is at 10.00am you'll still only be called after the prior interview slot interviewees are called even if they got much later after you. Might as well just go 15-20 mins before the interview.

5. For the D-156 form, for the question about all the countries you've visited, don't forget to put Canada on there too.

6. When you go to pick up your passport the next day go between 3.00 and 4.00 - not earlier. They hand out passports quickly so while I went and stood in line 2.15 onwards, a guy who came at 3.00 got his passport less than 10 minutes after me. No sense getting there early.


Now for how the entire process works:

- Get there, they put your bag etc. through a rolling belt similar to what's used at airports
- There are 8 windows in the interview hall. 3 are for document checkers, 1 for fingerprinting, 4 for Visa officers.
- Wait in line for about 45 minutes with your documents ready - D-156 (with photo), D-157, Passport (with Canadian TRV visa affixed, if applicable), Nova Scotia receipt, first page of Appointment Letter, Latest I-797A form.
- First you'll go to a document checker window who'll check that you have everything and, if everything is in order, will tell you to take a seat.
- After about 1 hour, the person at the fingerprinting window will call you and take a fingerprint of your left & right hand index fingers and ask you to re-take your seat.
- After another 1 hour you'll be called by the visa officer for the interview.
- If you have the documents the VO asks for and seem beleivable, the VO will give you a green receipt and asked to pay the fee on the 3rd floor and to come back to her/him
- Take the green receipt and ask the Guard to open the door that'll take you to an elevator to go to the 3rd floor
- The cashier will take your payment (cash, Visa or MC) and give you a receipt
- Take the receipt and come back and give it to the same VO who will give you a receipt for collecting your passport the next day.


How the Interview went for me:
The VO was a really nice girl and she did not ask me for a SINGLE document!! She asked me two questions: (1) What does your company do (2) What do you do for the company? That was it - interview done in less than 30 seconds.

Here is a list of all the documents I took with me:
Original I-797A
Copy of Labor Condition Attestation (part of H1 petition)
Copy of I-129 ( preferably certified by your lawyer or company)
Current employment letter from your company , stating your position with the company, date of employment and salary information.
Company Brochure, Pictures ……etc
Original Bachelors degree and transcripts
Original Masters degree and transcripts
Passport with I-94. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
Updated Resume
Recent pay stubs (6 Months)
DS156, 157, 158 application forms.
Appointment letter for visa
Federal, State Tax Return
W2s
Company Badge(your ID).
I-20s from previous schools attended
EAD card
Proof of residence - Utility bills
Proof of residence - House deed
Social Security Card
Driver’s License
Business Cards
Marriage certificate
Two Passport Photos
Bank Statements (Last 6 months)
Novia Scotia receipt



At the Airport, when coming back, give yourself at least an hour for security check-in etc. and much more time if you're coming back on a Friday. About the oft-asked question about the I-94s: I was not asked for my departure I-94 when I came into Canada. However, on my way back when I filled a new I-94 the Immig. officer told me that I should've given it (white I-94) up when I came because my status changed from F1 to H1 due to the new H1 stamp. On the I-94 form where they ask you for "Country Where you Live" put your home country not U.S. eventhough it may be where you live because per the officer, I only "work" there and not "live" there.

STAYING IN TORONTO:

I booked my ticket through Orbitz so got a good combo deal for staying at the Sheraton Town Center ($350 for two nights)
The Sheraton was a short 7-8 minute walk from the consulate. I didn't see any other hotels that were closer.
Getting to and fro from the airport was a breeze - I took the Airport Express which drops you off at several downtown hotels - I got dropped off directly outside the Sheraton. They also picked me back up right on time. All for $28 CDN. They operate big, comfortable and safe buses and run early in the morning to late in the night - I was very happy with their service. Highly recommend it instead of taking a taxi - especially for women - much safer.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have as well. I know how it feels!
 
I was looking at my confirmation email at it says the following:

PROOF OF INCOME/TIES

DOCUMENTS THAT DEMONSTRATE FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PERMANENT TIES TO A COUNTRY OUTSIDE OF THE US. IF YOU ARE A VISITOR TO CANADA, IT NORMALLY MEANS TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY.

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE GENERALLY USEFUL TO ESTABLISH TIES:

1. YOUR CURRENT LETTER OF EMPLOYMENT SHOWING DATE HIRED, SALARY AND POSITION.

2.PAY SLIPS, TAX DOCUMENTS.

3. WORK AUTHORIZATION OR STUDY AUTHORIZATION

4. BANK STATEMENTS.

please advice me on the above. i am a bit confused. My appointment is on 16th in calgary, canada and i am getting worried.

Also those who have future appoints, would u mind telling me if u see this on page2 of confirmation letter.

thanks in advance
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jabroni - I see the exact same literature in my confirmation letter as well (appointment in Calgary as well on 11/24). It looks like a standard section that is included in all confirmation letters so that you/we don't allege the authorities in Canada if that is one of the reasons they give when they deny stamping in Canada. That is my opinion. Can anyone else check one of their earlier confirmation letters to check if it says the same?

Do post your experience on here once you get your stamp successfully in Calgary. Good Luck!

Neo
 
An H1 visa is a dual intent visa, so not showing income ties to your home country is okay - I took my US bank statements, previous I-20s etc. to show proof of financial stability in the U.S.
 
dc_newbie - Thanks for the response! Though the website says the same I wanted to know hear from someone who got it the same day since I have an appointment on a Friday!

Thanks again!
Neo
 
Thanks for the valuable information. I hope now i can carry my documents bag into the consulate. I just started to look around for transparent folder that has a capacity to hold bulk of papers I need to carry (specially I-129).

One question i do have is

I have around 6 H1 approvals, do i need to carry I-129 for all of H1-B approvals or just the latest one? (4 from current cocmpany, 2 from previous company). Any takes???

Thanks

username! said:
1. The US consulate in Toronto DOES ALLOW bags etc. inside the consulate. All you're disallowed to take are food, beverages and electronic devices of any type. Before my interview I was running around trying to find a transparent file folder that I was hopeful they would allow inside to carry the gazillion documents I was taking with me and I was worried if they would disallow my wallet and a myriad of other such small issues. I shouldn't have worried and simply taken my handbag.

2. Take a book or magazine if you like reading to pass the 2-3 hours you'll be waiting.

3. DON'T WORRY - the officers at the Toronto office are REALLY nice and ever-smiling and try not to make you nervous!

4. Even if you're the first in line at 8.00am and your interview is at 10.00am you'll still only be called after the prior interview slot interviewees are called even if they got much later after you. Might as well just go 15-20 mins before the interview.

5. For the D-156 form, for the question about all the countries you've visited, don't forget to put Canada on there too.

6. When you go to pick up your passport the next day go between 3.00 and 4.00 - not earlier. They hand out passports quickly so while I went and stood in line 2.15 onwards, a guy who came at 3.00 got his passport less than 10 minutes after me. No sense getting there early.


Now for how the entire process works:

- Get there, they put your bag etc. through a rolling belt similar to what's used at airports
- There are 8 windows in the interview hall. 3 are for document checkers, 1 for fingerprinting, 4 for Visa officers.
- Wait in line for about 45 minutes with your documents ready - D-156 (with photo), D-157, Passport (with Canadian TRV visa affixed, if applicable), Nova Scotia receipt, first page of Appointment Letter, Latest I-797A form.
- First you'll go to a document checker window who'll check that you have everything and, if everything is in order, will tell you to take a seat.
- After about 1 hour, the person at the fingerprinting window will call you and take a fingerprint of your left & right hand index fingers and ask you to re-take your seat.
- After another 1 hour you'll be called by the visa officer for the interview.
- If you have the documents the VO asks for and seem beleivable, the VO will give you a green receipt and asked to pay the fee on the 3rd floor and to come back to her/him
- Take the green receipt and ask the Guard to open the door that'll take you to an elevator to go to the 3rd floor
- The cashier will take your payment (cash, Visa or MC) and give you a receipt
- Take the receipt and come back and give it to the same VO who will give you a receipt for collecting your passport the next day.
Click to expand...
 
I have plans to visit Pakistan for 5 weeks after getting stamp from Toronto no matter If I am subject to admin check/background processing or not. God forbid if one is subject to admin processing, I believe VO email the applicant about the result of processing. Do they give SPECIFIC date to applicant to appear in Consulate or its a "Walk-in"?

Lets say if someone one is subject to background processing and left for his country and after one week he gets the mail from VO about the approval, can he still spend vacation in his home country or VO assign a particular date on which he should be at consulate? What does VO email look like?

And secondly, with so many spam filters around, can we give multiple email addresses to VO so that VO’s email is not blocked by one filter by mistake?
 
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web Guru

What I heard from my friend they give you max 3 months to get your passport stamp. As far as email concern I will recommend you to get their phone number and call them twice a week to check the status. Also, if you add consulate email address in your email address book there will be less chance to lose that email.
Which city you gonna visit? I will be in Pak during Dec.
Good Luck
 
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VISA Stamping at Vancouver

Hi Friends

Is any one had VISA revalidation (VISA stamping) at Vancouver. Please share your experience. How long will it take to to get the passport after the visa is approved.

Please please share your information.
I need to book air tickets according your input.
Thank You
 
CAUSA said:
What I heard from my friend they give you max 3 months to get your passport stamp. As far as email concern I will recommend you to get their phone number and call them twice a week to check the status. Also, if you add consulate email address in your email address book there will be less chance to lose that email.
Which city you gonna visit? I will be in Pak during Dec.
Good Luck
Click to expand...
I had emailed the vancouver embassy about the question regarding the time, that will be given for getting the visa stamp after the approval has arrived. The email said that it was on case to case basis and they could not give a specific time before hand. You could send them an email and ask the same question. They are usually quick to respond. Let us know what they say.. I'll be interested to get another opinion.

It certainly is much better and easier to wait out in Pakistan.
 
Neo - Thanks. Happy to answer q's to anyone in this forum, specially since this forum helped me a lot. I forgot to answer your earlier q about Hotels. There are a bunch of hotels within walking distance, but are usually expensive during the week, but cheap on Sunday nights. If you have hotel points it should be easy. I stayed at the Westin which was 120 Canadian for a Sunday night.

neo_ny said:
dc_newbie - Thanks for the response! Though the website says the same I wanted to know hear from someone who got it the same day since I have an appointment on a Friday!

Thanks again!
Neo
Click to expand...
 
Neo - Thanks. Happy to answer q's to anyone in this forum, specially since this forum helped me a lot. I forgot to answer your earlier q about Hotels. There are a bunch of hotels within walking distance, but are usually expensive during the week, but cheap on Sunday nights. If you have hotel points it should be easy. I stayed at the Westin which was 120 Canadian for a Sunday night. It was about 6 blocks from the Consulate and an easy walk.

neo_ny said:
dc_newbie - Thanks for the response! Though the website says the same I wanted to know hear from someone who got it the same day since I have an appointment on a Friday!

Thanks again!
Neo
Click to expand...
 
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