tech_edison
New Member
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H1 Visa stamping experience- Canada
- Thread starter arsraj87
- Start date
tech_edison
New Member
Congrats for successful visa stamping. How long did it take to get Canadian visit visa? Did you apply by mail or in person?
I live in NJ so i went to New york for canada visitor visa.
Wait4LaborNJ
Registered Users (C)
Canadian Visa
I applied through mail, USPS overnight. Sent it on Tuesday, got back on Friday.
Congrats for successful visa stamping. How long did it take to get Canadian visit visa? Did you apply by mail or in person?
I applied through mail, USPS overnight. Sent it on Tuesday, got back on Friday.
Experience in ottawa, canada
I had my appointment on 26 Feb. at the Ottawa consulate. There are plenty of hotels around the area...within walking distance from the consulate. I stayed at Best Western Cartier in Hull. It was 10 mins walk to the consulate. The weather is good...not too cold too.
At the Consulate....
1. The appointment letter is all that is reqd. at the gate... they take it check it and send u in ...two at a time.
2. Inside after security check ..the I-797 , passport ,the forms and $100 need to be submitted at window No 7.... They return the I 797.
3. After a wait of 1 hr (average) ...they call u at the counters...(1-4)
4. It is not a problem if u have previous stamping on your passport...they ask general questions ...very very basic ones... then after finger printing they give u a token to pick up the passport the next day at 3.
5. The next day round 2.30 people started gathering up in front of the consulate. They gave out our passports round 3. It is pretty smooth.
I had my appointment on 26 Feb. at the Ottawa consulate. There are plenty of hotels around the area...within walking distance from the consulate. I stayed at Best Western Cartier in Hull. It was 10 mins walk to the consulate. The weather is good...not too cold too.
At the Consulate....
1. The appointment letter is all that is reqd. at the gate... they take it check it and send u in ...two at a time.
2. Inside after security check ..the I-797 , passport ,the forms and $100 need to be submitted at window No 7.... They return the I 797.
3. After a wait of 1 hr (average) ...they call u at the counters...(1-4)
4. It is not a problem if u have previous stamping on your passport...they ask general questions ...very very basic ones... then after finger printing they give u a token to pick up the passport the next day at 3.
5. The next day round 2.30 people started gathering up in front of the consulate. They gave out our passports round 3. It is pretty smooth.
Hi Tech_edison,Successful Visa stamping (H1 and H4) at Ottawa Consulate on 26th Feb.
9 to 11 yrs extension based on 140 approval.
Drove from NJ to Ottawa without any problem.
Canada border: Asked for purpose of the visit Visiting and US Embassy
Told us to go inside and showed our Appointment letter, I-797s and Passports
We stayed near by hotel Quality Inn (15 min walk to consulate)
We have a infant, we took baby formula in zip lock (you can take Stroller also)
After security checkup, paid the fee at counter. They took 156, 157 and 797s and Fee
Called for an interview and asked the VO
Show me your daughter’s passport (US citizen)
What do you do?
How long you are with this company?
How long you are in USA?
What project you are working
Where do you work at client and office?
Who is your client?
How long you are on this project?
Show me Attorney paper work filed to INS for H1 extension
Did your company file Permanent Residence?
show me your employment letter?
Next day we picked our passports and found out that they took out old I-94.
At US border they issued new I-94s after routine questions.
This is just my experience. Thanks for all information we get from this forum.
What about the fees paid? Did you pay in cash or money order or Scotia bank deposit? Also do they have any machine that takes photograph?
Quick and urgent question:
I am going to Canada this Wednesday. I was checking all papers that i have collected. I have my 8-10th year I-797 approval notice. I am in my 7th year of H1-B (not stamped on my passport though) ...
While checking my papers, i just found ... i have ... I-129 petition which is old ..i.e this is my 7th year petition. I am confused ...just to clarify:
is every H1-B filing has a new I-129 submitted ....i,e what is I-129 form ?
please advise.
I am going to Canada this Wednesday. I was checking all papers that i have collected. I have my 8-10th year I-797 approval notice. I am in my 7th year of H1-B (not stamped on my passport though) ...
While checking my papers, i just found ... i have ... I-129 petition which is old ..i.e this is my 7th year petition. I am confused ...just to clarify:
is every H1-B filing has a new I-129 submitted ....i,e what is I-129 form ?
please advise.
another_fella
Registered Users (C)
I-129 is the Application used to file H1 extension
I-129 is the USCIS officially approved application that needs to be used by company/employer to file a H1 extension of stay for each extension, or a new H1. I-129 is specific to each H1 extension. The 7th year & 8-10th year extensions each must have their own I-129's, in other words your 7th Year I-129 is not the same as your 8-10th year I-129 documents. If you look up your 7th Year specific I-129, the requested dates of extension is up to the end of 7th year.
Bottom line is if you are going for 8-10th year extension Visa validation, then you should carry documents that are specific to that, so get that piece of document from your HR before you leave to Canada. If you are not able to get those documents in time I would even say postpone your H1 visa revalidation appointment in Canada to a later date. This way you won't be stuck in Canada waiting for your employer to send you the documents for visa revalidation. When I went for my visa revalidation to Ottawa, Canada, they asked for the I-129 and they do ask for it from most of the applicants.
On the other hand if you are risk taker then it is up to you. However you did ask for opinion and there goes mine.
Good luck!
I-129 is the USCIS officially approved application that needs to be used by company/employer to file a H1 extension of stay for each extension, or a new H1. I-129 is specific to each H1 extension. The 7th year & 8-10th year extensions each must have their own I-129's, in other words your 7th Year I-129 is not the same as your 8-10th year I-129 documents. If you look up your 7th Year specific I-129, the requested dates of extension is up to the end of 7th year.
Bottom line is if you are going for 8-10th year extension Visa validation, then you should carry documents that are specific to that, so get that piece of document from your HR before you leave to Canada. If you are not able to get those documents in time I would even say postpone your H1 visa revalidation appointment in Canada to a later date. This way you won't be stuck in Canada waiting for your employer to send you the documents for visa revalidation. When I went for my visa revalidation to Ottawa, Canada, they asked for the I-129 and they do ask for it from most of the applicants.
On the other hand if you are risk taker then it is up to you. However you did ask for opinion and there goes mine.
Good luck!
Quick and urgent question:
I am going to Canada this Wednesday. I was checking all papers that i have collected. I have my 8-10th year I-797 approval notice. I am in my 7th year of H1-B (not stamped on my passport though) ...
While checking my papers, i just found ... i have ... I-129 petition which is old ..i.e this is my 7th year petition. I am confused ...just to clarify:
is every H1-B filing has a new I-129 submitted ....i,e what is I-129 form ?
please advise.
Successful stamping in Vancouver
I got a 3-year extension based on I140 approval and my wife had a H4 to H1 transfer.
Mine went really well without many questions, it just took 2 minutes and was a casual conversation with the visa officer.
Since my wife had a H4 to H1 transfer she had a long visa interview. Here are some of the questions.
1) Why did you come to Canada for stamping?
2) What is your job role?
3) How big is your company?
4) What does your company do?
5) How did you find this job?
6) Who is the current client? (She works as a consultant)
7) What is your role at the client place?
8) What tools do you use?
9) What is your salary?
10) Why is amount in most recent pay stub not matching with annual salary?
11) Asked for Pay stubs, W2, experience letters, company letter, education evaluation, degree certificates.
12) Proof that you work at client place (Client ID Card)
I got a 3-year extension based on I140 approval and my wife had a H4 to H1 transfer.
Mine went really well without many questions, it just took 2 minutes and was a casual conversation with the visa officer.
Since my wife had a H4 to H1 transfer she had a long visa interview. Here are some of the questions.
1) Why did you come to Canada for stamping?
2) What is your job role?
3) How big is your company?
4) What does your company do?
5) How did you find this job?
6) Who is the current client? (She works as a consultant)
7) What is your role at the client place?
8) What tools do you use?
9) What is your salary?
10) Why is amount in most recent pay stub not matching with annual salary?
11) Asked for Pay stubs, W2, experience letters, company letter, education evaluation, degree certificates.
12) Proof that you work at client place (Client ID Card)
chillpill2007
New Member
Successful H1B/H4 stamping in Calgary Canada on Mar5, 07
I got a 3 yr extension based on my pending I-485. (This is my 3rd H1B). I scheduled my interview for March 5, 2007. Also I was going to enter Canada as Landed Immigrant. Here is the flow of events.
Scheduled the interview at US Embassy for my H1B and H4 for my spouse. My daughter is a US citizen.
I flew from to Calgary and the visa officer was really nice and it took about 25 mins to get all the formalities completed to register me as Canadian PR.
My interview was scheduled at 10:00 am Monday. I reached embassy at 9:45 and stood in the line where the security person checked our interview docs only. (Baby diaper bag, stroller etc was allowed). I had taken all the possible documents I could in case the VO needed anything.
I had the following list of docs along with our passports
1. DS-156 (me and my wife)
2. DS-157 (me)
3. I-797 H1B and H4 approval notices
4. I-129 and LCA
5. Company Bank statements
Original Documents
1. Degree Certificates
2. Previous H1B approvals
3. Pay Stubs
4. Tax Returns
5. Experience Letters
6. Copies of all the original documents.
7. Copy of my I-140 approval
So after checking that I do have interview scheduled, the security officer took people in baches of 4 to the embassy.(The embassy is located on the 10th floor and is a very small embassy). Once we were up there, we passed through metal detector and were told to have a seat.
After about 10 mins., my number was called on Window No.2 and this person collected passports, DS-156 and 157, I-797 and my old passport (I just got a new passport issued and my old passport had the previous H1B). He verified all the information on the form with the one on the passport and joked me "You are immigrant of Canada and GC petition filed on your behalf, you sure don't want to go back to India". I replied "I have been doing good work form my company, they sure don't want me to leave". He laughed and told me to have a seat. Also he wrote on the application that I became a Canada resident on xx-xxx-xxxx
After 10 mins I was called on Window1 and the lady asked me for the fee of $100 each and issued me a receipt. (They accept any bill from $5 to $100, but they don't accept coins in any case). After that I was asked to wait and it was already 10:30.
Then I waited and waited. Windows 3 and 4 were where the interviews were being conducted. Windows 4 person seemed to be very cool. Window3 person was OK sorts.
Everybody was getting visas, except for one lady and it appeared she did not have enough paperwork.
Ok at 12:05 I was called at Window3 and was a little nervous. So here is what happened:
ME: Good afternoon.
VO: Good afternoon.
VO: Can you show me I-129?
ME: Here it is
He looked at it and returned it back.
VO: What credentials qualify you for H1B?
ME: I have degree in Information Systems and have written that on DS-157
VO: OK
VO: I see only 2 passports. What about your daughter?
ME: She is a US Citizen
VO; Show me her passport
I showed him the passport and he returned it back to me
VO: Where do you have your degree from?
ME: India
VO: Ok come back at 3:00 and pick your passport. You can aome alone and need not to bring your spouse and daughter.
ME: Thanks a lot. Appreciate your help.
He gave me a red slip.
I reached back at the embassy at 3:05 and there was a line on the 1st floor only. They took the tag and gave me the passports.
Next day i took my flight back.
People have faith in your self and god along with positive attitude. everything would be fine.
I got a 3 yr extension based on my pending I-485. (This is my 3rd H1B). I scheduled my interview for March 5, 2007. Also I was going to enter Canada as Landed Immigrant. Here is the flow of events.
Scheduled the interview at US Embassy for my H1B and H4 for my spouse. My daughter is a US citizen.
I flew from to Calgary and the visa officer was really nice and it took about 25 mins to get all the formalities completed to register me as Canadian PR.
My interview was scheduled at 10:00 am Monday. I reached embassy at 9:45 and stood in the line where the security person checked our interview docs only. (Baby diaper bag, stroller etc was allowed). I had taken all the possible documents I could in case the VO needed anything.
I had the following list of docs along with our passports
1. DS-156 (me and my wife)
2. DS-157 (me)
3. I-797 H1B and H4 approval notices
4. I-129 and LCA
5. Company Bank statements
Original Documents
1. Degree Certificates
2. Previous H1B approvals
3. Pay Stubs
4. Tax Returns
5. Experience Letters
6. Copies of all the original documents.
7. Copy of my I-140 approval
So after checking that I do have interview scheduled, the security officer took people in baches of 4 to the embassy.(The embassy is located on the 10th floor and is a very small embassy). Once we were up there, we passed through metal detector and were told to have a seat.
After about 10 mins., my number was called on Window No.2 and this person collected passports, DS-156 and 157, I-797 and my old passport (I just got a new passport issued and my old passport had the previous H1B). He verified all the information on the form with the one on the passport and joked me "You are immigrant of Canada and GC petition filed on your behalf, you sure don't want to go back to India". I replied "I have been doing good work form my company, they sure don't want me to leave". He laughed and told me to have a seat. Also he wrote on the application that I became a Canada resident on xx-xxx-xxxx
After 10 mins I was called on Window1 and the lady asked me for the fee of $100 each and issued me a receipt. (They accept any bill from $5 to $100, but they don't accept coins in any case). After that I was asked to wait and it was already 10:30.
Then I waited and waited. Windows 3 and 4 were where the interviews were being conducted. Windows 4 person seemed to be very cool. Window3 person was OK sorts.
Everybody was getting visas, except for one lady and it appeared she did not have enough paperwork.
Ok at 12:05 I was called at Window3 and was a little nervous. So here is what happened:
ME: Good afternoon.
VO: Good afternoon.
VO: Can you show me I-129?
ME: Here it is
He looked at it and returned it back.
VO: What credentials qualify you for H1B?
ME: I have degree in Information Systems and have written that on DS-157
VO: OK
VO: I see only 2 passports. What about your daughter?
ME: She is a US Citizen
VO; Show me her passport
I showed him the passport and he returned it back to me
VO: Where do you have your degree from?
ME: India
VO: Ok come back at 3:00 and pick your passport. You can aome alone and need not to bring your spouse and daughter.
ME: Thanks a lot. Appreciate your help.
He gave me a red slip.
I reached back at the embassy at 3:05 and there was a line on the 1st floor only. They took the tag and gave me the passports.
Next day i took my flight back.
People have faith in your self and god along with positive attitude. everything would be fine.
Going to ottawa on Mar 29 for H1 H4 revalidation
Hi,
I am in the same scenario as you described.
H1 is 6-9 years extension and my 1-140 is approved 2 years ago. My original h1 visa is expired on Jan 2006. My current h1 is valid thru Jan 2009.
This is my 4th h1 revalidation (first and second at chennai and 3rd at St.louis), and this is my 2nd revalidation with same company.
Could you please provide your thoughts on the following questions.
1. Is it acceptable to have no US degree (I have did my MCA (Master of computer science) in india.
2. DO we need to visit US consultate in Canada within a year of irginal visa expiry date.
I appreciate your help.
Regards
Sri
Hi,
I am in the same scenario as you described.
H1 is 6-9 years extension and my 1-140 is approved 2 years ago. My original h1 visa is expired on Jan 2006. My current h1 is valid thru Jan 2009.
This is my 4th h1 revalidation (first and second at chennai and 3rd at St.louis), and this is my 2nd revalidation with same company.
Could you please provide your thoughts on the following questions.
1. Is it acceptable to have no US degree (I have did my MCA (Master of computer science) in india.
2. DO we need to visit US consultate in Canada within a year of irginal visa expiry date.
I appreciate your help.
Regards
Sri
chillpill2007
New Member
1. It is ok. It is not a requirement to have US Degree to apply for visa at US Consulate in Canada. I don't have US Degree.
2.No it is not necessary. When you got your new I-797, it has a new I-94 card. You are eligible to stay in the US till the validity on that new I-94 card. Once you travel aboard, then you need to have visa on passport to enter back in the US
2.No it is not necessary. When you got your new I-797, it has a new I-94 card. You are eligible to stay in the US till the validity on that new I-94 card. Once you travel aboard, then you need to have visa on passport to enter back in the US
Hi,
I am in the same scenario as you described.
H1 is 6-9 years extension and my 1-140 is approved 2 years ago. My original h1 visa is expired on Jan 2006. My current h1 is valid thru Jan 2009.
This is my 4th h1 revalidation (first and second at chennai and 3rd at St.louis), and this is my 2nd revalidation with same company.
Could you please provide your thoughts on the following questions.
1. Is it acceptable to have no US degree (I have did my MCA (Master of computer science) in india.
2. DO we need to visit US consultate in Canada within a year of irginal visa expiry date.
I appreciate your help.
Regards
Sri
hello...here is my situation:
- Indian Citizen and 6 years of H1b expired in Nov 2006. I have a 3 year extension up to Nov 2009 but it is not stamped in my passport.
- I work for a large firm and have had continued employment.
- I have my visa appointment in Ottawa on April 17th.
So far, it seems straightforward as I have read several success stories here.
I was born in India but grew up in Oman. My parents still live and work there. My previous two visa stamps were in US consulate in Oman. I came to the US in 1996 and have both my undergrad and grad degrees from Universities in the US. Has anyone who spent some time in the middle-east faced any issues at the consulate? I am hindu - the only reason I mention it is because some Indian Muslims seemed to have had additional security checks in Canada.
Has anyone with a similar background faced any difficulties getting visa stamped? Any recommendations from the gurus here would be appreciated. Thanks.
- Indian Citizen and 6 years of H1b expired in Nov 2006. I have a 3 year extension up to Nov 2009 but it is not stamped in my passport.
- I work for a large firm and have had continued employment.
- I have my visa appointment in Ottawa on April 17th.
So far, it seems straightforward as I have read several success stories here.
I was born in India but grew up in Oman. My parents still live and work there. My previous two visa stamps were in US consulate in Oman. I came to the US in 1996 and have both my undergrad and grad degrees from Universities in the US. Has anyone who spent some time in the middle-east faced any issues at the consulate? I am hindu - the only reason I mention it is because some Indian Muslims seemed to have had additional security checks in Canada.
Has anyone with a similar background faced any difficulties getting visa stamped? Any recommendations from the gurus here would be appreciated. Thanks.
Successful visa stamping H4-H1B and H1-B 8th yr
Successful visa stamping for my wife’s H4-H1B(first time stamping) and my H1-B 8th year extension in Vancouver Canada. My wife had her education and work experience only from India. H1-B was applied when she was in India and she entered US on H4 visa after applying H1-B. H1-B was approved without I-94.
We booked our appointments thru www.nvars.com for both myself and for my wife in the same time slot on the same day. We entered Canada by driving from Seattle to Vancouver. We went to the consulate on Monday morn 8:00AM for the 8:30AM appt. We stood in the 8:30AM queue.
The security guy gave instructions just before entering for security check. He insisted
This time we cleared the ground floor security check and were asked to go 1 floor up. In the first floor they provide a list of docs that need to be submitted at the first level.
U are given a few mins to arrange the above listed docs. We submitted these docs (both mine and my wife’s) as a family and so were given a single token. We waited in the waiting room along with others. Few mins later a security guard called set a token nos and we were taken in an elevator to the 20th floor. There again we had to go thru a security check (emptying pockets & removing belts). This time there is another short wait till ur token number is called for finger prints at a window1. Again we waited 15 mins before a VO officer called our number for the interview. We both proceeded to the window together.
VO: Good Morning
Me and Mywife: Good Morning sir
VO: How is XYZ Company treating u?
ME: blah blah blah…..
VO: which project are u working on?
ME: XXX project…. blah blah…
VO: which university did u do ur degree
ME: blah for my bachelors from India and blah for my masters from US
Then VO officer and myself started talking which then became chit chatting, about my company and as we talked the VO officer pasted a sticker on both our passports and asked us to collect our passports next day at 2:45PM. We collected our passports the next day.
All the best for everyone....
Thanks.
Successful visa stamping for my wife’s H4-H1B(first time stamping) and my H1-B 8th year extension in Vancouver Canada. My wife had her education and work experience only from India. H1-B was applied when she was in India and she entered US on H4 visa after applying H1-B. H1-B was approved without I-94.
We booked our appointments thru www.nvars.com for both myself and for my wife in the same time slot on the same day. We entered Canada by driving from Seattle to Vancouver. We went to the consulate on Monday morn 8:00AM for the 8:30AM appt. We stood in the 8:30AM queue.
The security guy gave instructions just before entering for security check. He insisted
- - No cell phones or any electronic device.
- - No bags for carrying docs (folders can be used).
- - No sealed envelopes.
- - No knives scissors or any other sharp instruments.
- - No coins. Only US currency for the $100 accepted for visa fee.
- - Keep ur appt letter first page inside passport and keep it in hand separate from ur docs.
- - No food or drinks when in line.
This time we cleared the ground floor security check and were asked to go 1 floor up. In the first floor they provide a list of docs that need to be submitted at the first level.
- - Passport
- - D-156 with pasted photo and signed
- - D-157 (collected only for male candidates. But better to have filled forms for female candidates as well)
- - $100 in US currency no coins
- - Job letter (from company to consular office)
- - I-797 original notice
U are given a few mins to arrange the above listed docs. We submitted these docs (both mine and my wife’s) as a family and so were given a single token. We waited in the waiting room along with others. Few mins later a security guard called set a token nos and we were taken in an elevator to the 20th floor. There again we had to go thru a security check (emptying pockets & removing belts). This time there is another short wait till ur token number is called for finger prints at a window1. Again we waited 15 mins before a VO officer called our number for the interview. We both proceeded to the window together.
VO: Good Morning
Me and Mywife: Good Morning sir
VO: How is XYZ Company treating u?
ME: blah blah blah…..
VO: which project are u working on?
ME: XXX project…. blah blah…
VO: which university did u do ur degree
ME: blah for my bachelors from India and blah for my masters from US
Then VO officer and myself started talking which then became chit chatting, about my company and as we talked the VO officer pasted a sticker on both our passports and asked us to collect our passports next day at 2:45PM. We collected our passports the next day.
All the best for everyone....
Thanks.