H1 Visa stamping experience- Canada

PR and H1 stamp

Hey guys

I will be going for my landing and H stamping soon. I was wondering if anyone has had any issues with getting both done at same time.

Recently I have heard that if you are going as PR and go for stamping there some questions that are raised and sometimes they ask for additional paperwork.

I am just a little tensed as I am going with my family.

Please any advise will be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Gurus Please Help: Reentry 2weeks before H1B VISA expires

My H1B expires in July 2006. I am planning a vacation to Europe in June 2006. I plan to be back in US about 2 weeks before my VISA expires. At that time I will have the H1 renewal document for the next 3 years 2006-2009. But will not have a VISA for the corresponding dates.

My question, is there any risk in trying to re-enter US when the VISA on passport expires in 2 weeks? I will cancel my vacation if there is even a 10% chance that I will not be allowed to re-enter US.

Any help is appreciated.

If you have been in a similar situation, please post your experience.

Regards,

RP.
 
your case is very similar to mine....i too have 3 h1b visas and 1 f1 visa.

let me know how your appointment goes...coz mine is not going to be any different than yours.

i think the 221(g) is only being issued to folks who either do not have a degree from the US or work for small companies or bodyshoppers.

good luck

jraghavan said:
All,
I have visa appointment at Ottawa at 9.30 AM on 31st Jan 2006. Still debating whether i should make a trip to canada and tension builds up during the last few days. 4 successful stamping , 2 in chennai and 2 in st.louis , same company same position revalidation
1) Indian Degree Holder in B.E . ( Not sure will this be problem ) ( have a old copy of Education evaluation done from university of Pittsburg for LC filings.)
2) on the LCA form , where you will see which place the H1B will be employed? ( It is mentioned as Reston , VA ). I work at client place in
New Jersey and home address is New Jersey for past 5 yrs.
3) Strong reason for Coming to Canada for Stamping.
4) Errorneous Case Closure at Dallas BEC ( Not sure Consulate with Sink with DBEC database). ( Have a SWA , illinois Receipt Notice )
5) Arranged for Client letter but client refuse to give it on Company letter head. ( Not sure whether i get 221 (g) for this or avove case ).

Item 2 worries me a lot and anybody think this could be a problem.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
i just saw on the website that the visas are issued the same day at 3pm but this is different from what some of the posts here have said.
http://www.amcits.com/ottawa.asp

DeepSeaDiver said:
One more quick q. Once the interview is over (in Ottawa ca) do any of you know if th evisa is given on the same oday or the following day. Please let us know.

Thanks
DSD
Click to expand...
 
first time H1b stamping (L2 to H1b) in canada having canada PR

I came here in USA with L2 visa, had my L2 stamped from (Mumbai,Chennai,New Delhi) successfully, worked on EAD. Later transfered my L2 to H1B and working for past 1+ yr after that never went outside USA. I have W2,paystubs, all my education in India [ MCA ] and have all relevent docs. My company size is 20+ .

I am going for canadian PR in March 2006, After my PR status in canada I am planning to do one of the options :-

1. AVR [30 days Auto Revalidation ] - I want to check if anyone out there tried this option entered successfully Using expired L2 visa or any non immigrant valid visa not H1B ,original H1B-I797,Valid I94 .I don't want to lose my current project, as I heard that some times people may get stuck with 221g or other security check while H1B stamping.

2. H1B Stamping at Calgary(L2 to H1b) - Anybody successfully got there first H1B [earlier had Valid L2 or any non immigrant visa not H1b,having all education in India and having Canada PR] stamped easily. Any experiences to share.


Kindly share real experiences and guide.
 
My experience at Toronto Consulate on Jan 23rd

Date & Time: Jan 23rd, 2006 at 8:30 AM

My Details:
Citizen of India
2nd H1-B stamp, the first one was from New Delhi.
Work for a big Non IT company with more than 150,000 employees worldwide in a non IT role.
Time left on H1-B is around 2 years.
F1 – OPT- H1 – H1


Location of US Consulate:
US consulate is just between Canada Life and Zurich building. The entrance is through Simcoe st which runs one block west of the University Ave.

Canada life building is light brown colored building which is very traditional looking. It has a dome LIKE structure on top of it but it is not a round dome. Zurich is a tall (about 30 floor) dark brown building. You will only see the names of the building only if you going from South to North on University ave.

I stayed in reasonably priced downtown hotel with free wireless high speed internet. I took a cab to the Consulate and paid $8 Canadian. It is good to have some Canadian currency with you so that you pay for these things. I even paid USD to a cab driver he accepted it. Other than that I used my credit card wherever I could.

Visa day:
I DIDN’T SEE ANYONE BEING REJECTED OR BEING HELD BACK FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE. There were about 15-20 Indians, 2-3 Pakistanis. 3-4 Philipinos, 7-8 Chineese etc

1. I reached at 8:45 (15 mins late) but no issues.
2. Submitted my paperwork (took about 10 mins)
3. The system were down so they didn’t start interviews until 9:30 AM
4. Waited in line and chairs for about 2 hours (11:30) and then my name was called at window 4. The person an middle eastern accent guy asked me for fingerprints of both index fingers and then asked me go back and wait more. No questions were asked at that time.
5. After about 45 mins (12:15) my name was called at window 3 for interview and the lady asked me two questions:
a) Which University did you attend in the US?
b) When did I first convert to H1B status?

Then she said that I have reviewed your file everything looks good and your visa has been approved. Please pay the $50 reciprocity fee and come and see me again.

When I went back after paying the fee she gave me a receipt and asked me to collect the passport next day betwn 3-4 PM


General stuff:

1. I know two other Indians who were getting first US visa stamp from F1-OPT-H1 also got approved. I think having a US degree helps especially if you are going to Canada and Mexico to get a stamp because its lot easier for them to verify educational credentials.
2. Carry something to read (Newspaper, magazine, Toronto tour guide etc.) if you are the kind of person who can’t strike a conversation with anybody (like me). Keep yourself busy that will help lower your level of anxiety.
3. Parking in downtown is not that expensive as it is in other big downtowns. Except for the consulate visit, I drove my car around with a map and it was just fine.
4. Do drink coffee at Tim Hortons. (A big Canadian coffee chain can easily be found with a Wendy’s restaurant). There coffee was better and lot cheaper than Starbucks.
5. Some general questions that I over heard from other interviews (Disclaimer: eavesdropping is bad)
a.What does your company do?
b.What do you do for them (Job description)?
c.What status were you on before H1-B?
d.Were you ever out of status?
 
can I go to canada(Landed immigrant status) for First time H1b stamping

can I go to canada for first time H1b stamping (L2 To H1 ,All education from India),I will be landing to canada in march and also planning to get my first H1b stamp in canada.I am thinking about getting settle in canada after H1b 6 yrs expiry june 2007
1.will it help me in H1b stamping having PR status in Canada
2.What are the chances that they will send me to India for visa stamping.


Please help.
 
Can Some One Go By Air And Come Back By Air

Can Some One Go By Air And Come Back By Air



Hello Guys

I Am From Pakistan And Wants To Go To Canada By Air So That I Can Be On My Exit Registeration . But I Want To Come Back By Road . I Want To Go To Canada For My Pr Card . I Have No Plan To Apply H1b1 From Canada .

Can I Do So ........................

Also Please Can Any Body Tell Me If I Am Going By Road In Which Boader The Exit Registeration Facilities Are Available So That I Can Go Through That Boader .

Is There Any Pakistani Here Who Has Recently Gone To Canada For Pr And Has Come Back Using Automatic Visa Validation Rule


Guys Please Help Since I Am Very Worried
 
Last edited by a moderator:
sharma rita

sharma rita

There are no guarantees of visa issuance anywhere. But not having a US degree and stamping in a country other than the home country increases the chances of denial.

The logic behind this is that that US consulate visa officers are trained primarily to people who live in that country, but if you are from a different country they may have tough time in evaluating your degree and that increases your chance of being sent to home country. This doesn't mean that you will be sent to home country but it increases the probability.

Having a US degree helps in getting visa stamp in Canada or Mexico

Please try to read some post of people who were in the same situation and you be the judge.

Disclaimer: This is just my optinion and by no means is a law or a rule.
 
Sharma Rita:

Hey!
I will be landing sometime in may.
So I am doing my reserch past 6 months now...
There are 2 reasons for denial
1) This is not your home country
2) your Edu. is from a country which VO cannot evaluate.

Since you will be landed Immigrant. you are completely eliminating 1)
2) is kinda dicy but in a worst case they will ask you to get your credentials evaluated. THEY CANNOT ASK YOU TO GO TO YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY NOW.

I have seen over 20 cases & not a single rejection contradicts this 2 point theory.
I saw you posting on Murthy Forum & few other forums so just wanted to throw my thoughts.
don't worry and please let me know of the outcome.
regards,
 
please correct me...Rita?

Since you will be landed Immigrant. you are completely eliminating 1)
2) is kinda dicy but in a worst case they will ask you to get your credentials evaluated. THEY CANNOT ASK YOU TO GO TO YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY NOW.

Need some clarification...on above question....so do you mean to say Immigrant means NonImmigrant who had stamping from home country?; I have Education Evaluation done here in USA, so should I think..VO won't tell me goto your home country just becasuse my all Education from India?

Please let me know your views.

Thanks
Raj

EB2_091505 said:
Hey!
I will be landing sometime in may.
So I am doing my reserch past 6 months now...
There are 2 reasons for denial
1) This is not your home country
2) your Edu. is from a country which VO cannot evaluate.

Since you will be landed Immigrant. you are completely eliminating 1)
2) is kinda dicy but in a worst case they will ask you to get your credentials evaluated. THEY CANNOT ASK YOU TO GO TO YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY NOW.

I have seen over 20 cases & not a single rejection contradicts this 2 point theory.
I saw you posting on Murthy Forum & few other forums so just wanted to throw my thoughts.
don't worry and please let me know of the outcome.
regards,
Click to expand...
 
Thanks sonudada for info

I am Master of Computer application from India which is relavent to my current job in software.Also i have my education evaluation done at the time of filing H1 which states that US equivalent of my degree is masters in Computer science.
1.Is degree evaluation is enough for VO to verify degree.
2. Those who get denied giving reasion "not able to evaluate foreigh degree"
do they also have dergee evaluation from USA or they simply go in front of VO with their foreign degree and certificates??

sonudada said:
sharma rita

There are no guarantees of visa issuance anywhere. But not having a US degree and stamping in a country other than the home country increases the chances of denial.

The logic behind this is that that US consulate visa officers are trained primarily to people who live in that country, but if you are from a different country they may have tough time in evaluating your degree and that increases your chance of being sent to home country. This doesn't mean that you will be sent to home country but it increases the probability.

Having a US degree helps in getting visa stamp in Canada or Mexico

Please try to read some post of people who were in the same situation and you be the judge.

Disclaimer: This is just my optinion and by no means is a law or a rule.
Click to expand...
 
With proper Dergree evaluation is it possible to get first time H1b in canada

have any one saw cases when person is having credentials evaluation from USA and still H1b getting rejected by VO bcos "not able to verify foreign degree" Or those who gets rejected bcos of "Foreign Degree" don't have credentials evaluation.
Bcos as far as know one can't file for H1b with foreign degree ,He needs to provide credentials equivalent of USA,on the basis of that his H1b(797) petetion will get approved.

RajWaitingonLCA said:
Since you will be landed Immigrant. you are completely eliminating 1)
2) is kinda dicy but in a worst case they will ask you to get your credentials evaluated. THEY CANNOT ASK YOU TO GO TO YOUR COUNTRY BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY NOW.

Need some clarification...on above question....so do you mean to say Immigrant means NonImmigrant who had stamping from home country?; I have Education Evaluation done here in USA, so should I think..VO won't tell me goto your home country just becasuse my all Education from India?

Please let me know your views.

Thanks
Raj
Click to expand...
 
to Rita and Sonudada

I agree we need to have an Education evaluation done to file H1B....but I am asking that if I show my degree certificate along with "Education Evaluation" copy does VISA Officer will get convince; or still he can reject me say I cannot verify your education; please go to your home country?

Any inputs from anyone I greatly appreciate.

Thanks
Raj
 
It's likely to get rejected

sharma_rita said:
have any one saw cases when person is having credentials evaluation from USA and still H1b getting rejected by VO bcos "not able to verify foreign degree" Or those who gets rejected bcos of "Foreign Degree" don't have credentials evaluation.
Bcos as far as know one can't file for H1b with foreign degree ,He needs to provide credentials equivalent of USA,on the basis of that his H1b(797) petetion will get approved.
Click to expand...
Since these evaluators does not follow some type of standard...
 
First time H1-B stamping in canda?

Hi all ,

This my first time stamping of H1-B .(F1-OPT-H1B). I naver had finger printed any where till now. Is this a risk to get stamping in canda instead of home country???.

Thanks to all the replys
 
evaluation may not be reqd for filing H1b. any good lawyer is going to get this done and submit it for their client's application. it is easy to get this done and people should get this done for both these pruposes (petition filing and visa interview).
now on the issue of visa officer asking one to go back to their home country. I am not sure if there exists a common thread between applicants who were asked to do this; but my understanding is that VO can not give someone 221(g) simply because they applied in a third country. they have to find some other reason. from the postings I read on this forum, I see this being confirmed.
please note that VO can always find a reason even if someone has a spotless immigration history, has all the documents, etc. etc. if they want to. Thus, the VO will have to notice something wrong with an applicant's case. They know that >90% non-PR applicants may not have a strong reason to apply for the visa in a third country. Thus, to catch them off the guard, they are going to ask this question; and then they are going to find a reason to issue the applicant 221(g).
RajWaitingonLCA said:
I agree we need to have an Education evaluation done to file H1B....but I am asking that if I show my degree certificate along with "Education Evaluation" copy does VISA Officer will get convince; or still he can reject me say I cannot verify your education; please go to your home country?

Any inputs from anyone I greatly appreciate.

Thanks
Raj
Click to expand...
 
successful visa stamping in Toronto

I got my visa stamping done in Toronto last week. My exp was very similar to other successful visitors to that consulate this year.
My background: undergrad from India, F1 (chennai), MS from US, H1b stamp in Toronto (2005) and now second H1b stamping in Toronto.

Appt time was 10:30 am. but arrived and was let in around 9:30 am itself. it was very cold and windy that day and so no queues were outside the consulate.
once inside gave passport, appt letter (1st page), scotia bank rec, I797A at the first counter. was asked my first entry date into the US and date of change of status from F1->H1b. as I was handing over the documents, I did see the lady at the window stamping "cancelled without prejudice" on my prior visas.
after some wait was fingerprinted at another window (no questions asked) and after a further wait was called for actual interview. questions asked were how long I had worked with my company and what I was working on for them. after that the visa officer said that everything looked good and asked me to go to the 3rd floor to pay rec fee and bring the receipt to him.
when I brought the receipt, he gave me the usual instructions regarding collecting the passport.
the place was packed with indians, chinese, etc. could not tell how many were canadian-PRs though. during my waiting time inside the consulate, did see >50% applicants going to the 3rd floor and heard only a couple of canadian PP holders being called at the various counters. so most applicants were TCNs.
hard to listen to any questions being asked by the visa officers; so could not tell if there were any rejects.
any questions, please let me know; will be glad to help out if I can.
 
tusharvk said:
I got my visa stamping done in Toronto last week. My exp was very similar to other successful visitors to that consulate this year.
My background: undergrad from India, F1 (chennai), MS from US, H1b stamp in Toronto (2005) and now second H1b stamping in Toronto.

Appt time was 10:30 am. but arrived and was let in around 9:30 am itself. it was very cold and windy that day and so no queues were outside the consulate.
once inside gave passport, appt letter (1st page), scotia bank rec, I797A at the first counter. was asked my first entry date into the US and date of change of status from F1->H1b. as I was handing over the documents, I did see the lady at the window stamping "cancelled without prejudice" on my prior visas.
after some wait was fingerprinted at another window (no questions asked) and after a further wait was called for actual interview. questions asked were how long I had worked with my company and what I was working on for them. after that the visa officer said that everything looked good and asked me to go to the 3rd floor to pay rec fee and bring the receipt to him.
when I brought the receipt, he gave me the usual instructions regarding collecting the passport.
the place was packed with indians, chinese, etc. could not tell how many were canadian-PRs though. during my waiting time inside the consulate, did see >50% applicants going to the 3rd floor and heard only a couple of canadian PP holders being called at the various counters. so most applicants were TCNs.
hard to listen to any questions being asked by the visa officers; so could not tell if there were any rejects.
any questions, please let me know; will be glad to help out if I can.
Click to expand...
Hi Tushar,
Congratulations! So the total fees you paid as follows:

1. Soctia Bank Receipt for $100
2. Reciprocity fees for $50

Thats all is the total fees or is there a separate $50 fee for visa issuance? Appreciate your clarification. Thanks!
 
no separate issuance fees in toronto.
GCOnly said:
Hi Tushar,
Congratulations! So the total fees you paid as follows:

1. Soctia Bank Receipt for $100
2. Reciprocity fees for $50

Thats all is the total fees or is there a separate $50 fee for visa issuance? Appreciate your clarification. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
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