H1B Stamp at Toronto

[hyd2004]

My wife and I are planning to go to the Toronto consulate later this month for getting H1B stamps on our passports. I providing below the details of my case - I would highly appreciate if people with recent experiences at Toronto could respond.

Both my wife and I have been on H1B since 2000. I came to the US directly on H1B and my wife came changed from F1 to H1B. She got her previous H1B stamp in Mexico (back in Dec 2000). She is currently working as a physician in New Hampshire. I am working with a financial company in Massachusetts. Last year I sent my passport for revalidation to the St.Louis center but it was returned without the stamp saying that the photo was not OK. When I got my passport back I saw that the old H1B visa(which expired back in April 2003) was marked "Cancelled without Prejudice". I resent the passport again but it was returned again saying that the photo was not clear. After that I did not bother to send it again and we need to go to India urgently for a short duration next month. I do not have a degree from the US. Both of our employers have applied for our LC's

My questions:
1. Do we need to take any other documents besides the ones mentioned in the NVARS website?
2. What is 'hand-filled' vs 'bar-coded' DS-156 form?
3. Does the 'Cancelled without Prejudice' stamp have any implication?
4. Do you need to have a Canadian residence for H1B stamp in Toronto or can visitors also go?
4. What are the risks?

I would highly appreciate if people with experience/ knowledge could respond

Thanks in advance

 

[kalroche]

my experience at Toronto US consulate

was on F1 and OPT in Biotech field. I got H1 approval from a Research Non Profit Organization.

Mean while, I got my Canadian PR and landed recently in Toronto
and took an appointment for H1 B stamping.

Everything went well and they took index finger prints and
told me that 3-4 weeks for clearence from Washington DC.

Any body experienced the same situation @ Toronto US onsulate.
If so how many days they took to stamp H1?

It seems my profession is listed in TAL, TEchnology ALert list.

I have submitted all required documentation, Am I short of some thing which i overlooked?

When I took the apointment over phone they told me that its a matter of 2-3 days for clearance after taking finger prints.
But when I went to consulate in person its 3-4 weeks for stamping.
1
I am working now and took only a week off but Its tough for me to afford 3-4 weeks off i am little bit concerned about the time they take.

I appreciate if any body can share info with similar situation

My question is what they decided on my application? Some body here mentioned that they take finger prints only when they decided to give stamping Is that right?

thanks in advance