A big thanks for immigrationportal. I followed this web site for my visa validation.
Here is my situation:
H1 B is expiring in Jan 2007--->Quit Employer A -->Done H1 transfer to Employer B -->H1B approved for 3 years-->Started working for new employer -->got 3 payslips from the new employer-->Never out of status as I was working whole 3 years for the employer A which is a big indian company.
I MUST go to India in FEB last week so attorney and everybody told me to go to Canada.
I applied for Candaian visa through mail (post) with my original passport, original I-94 , xerox copy of I-797, Bank statments for the last 6 months, a letter from the bank stating I have an account and so and so is the balance.
I got the Canadian Visitor Visa from Bufallo withing 10 business days....
I booked tickets to Canada Ottawa for 7 th Feb 2007.
Documents I took:
2 Files :
1 st file should contain the following:
--------------------------------
A. I-797
B. DS-156 with Photo (Photo should be exactly with the same specification as mentioned, otherwise they eont accept)
C. DS-157
D. 100 US dollars (exact;y 100 US dollars, no coins)
E. the following set of documents which attorney gives you.This is also part of first file:
--------------------------------------------------------
E1. I-129
E2. LCA
E3. G-28
E4. Support letter for H1 Transfer(if it is H1B transfer)
E5. proof of status (these are the paystub which are given to our new employer when we apply for transfer or extension)
E6. education credential evaluation
F. Degree certificates , all mark sheets etc
G. Pay stubs of the recent 3-4 months
H. Last 3 years W2 forms and Tax returns if applicable
**I. Offerl Letter from current employer
**j. eMPLOYEMNET VERIFICATION FROM CURRENT EMPLOYER
K. Old I-797 from previous employer
L. passport
2Nd file contains the following:
-------------------------------------------------
A. xEROX copies of the each and every of the above document arranged in the same order as of the 1 st file.This should be exact replica of the first file.
B. Employer Tax Returns
c. All the the old paystubs , whetver you got until now
D. LAST 6 Months BANK STATMENTS
E. ANY certificate on any COMPUTER RELATED TRAINING you did
F. Lease document for the house in US
G. Utility bills for the last month
H. SSN Card
I. Customer reference letters
k. Previuos experience letters.
Guys , they do not allow any bag, back pocket, wallet, mobile phone, covers , anything. Just you and your file. I took my bag and mobile they just send me out,. I went back to hotel and came back with my 2 files.
Go in advance so that you have some time to react in case if you are missing something(like going back to hotel and come back)
Once they allow you inside, they do a very prefect secururity check like in airport.
Process:
--------------------
1. Security check
2. Send you inside asking you to go to counter number x
3. at Counter nuber X , stand in line -->Officer asks for passport, DS-156, DS-157, I-797 with photo and 100 USD -->Give all these and he will say, "Pls wait , and we will call you"
4. After some time these documents which you given to the officer at counter number X will be passed to one of the interview officer (VO) and he/she will call your name and decide your fate.
5. iF VISA is approved he/she will give you a red colour slip marking the day on which you need to collect the passport.It is 3.PM next day of your interview.You should not lose this slip.
6.The next day you go 30 minutes before the time to the counsulate -->stand in the line-->Give your slip to the person at the gate-->he/she will give your passport-->Check your passport number, name etc carefully.
My Interview:
My name was called and I went there. I was having no feelings. By that time I was dried out of all the feelings.
I went to the counter
VO: Ho How are you?
me: pretty good, how are you?
vo: DO YOU HAVE a letter from your employer?
me: yES (handed over both offer letter and employee verification letter)
VO: Pls give me all the petetion related documents
me: YOU MEAN ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT i GOT FROM ATTORNEY?
VO: Yes
ME: PLS give a minute(I opened my file, I know where exactly they are in the file, handed over)
ME: (while handing over) this place is too cold
vO: (taking the papers, little serious) yes
VO: (looking at my previous H1B visa on my passport) So you are changing xxxx TO xxxx?
me: YES
VO: LOOKED AT all the documents that I gave (which I got from attorney like I-129, g-28, LCA) and handed over one by one to me saying "this is for you"
VO: Finally she handed over I-797 saying this is also for you.....(Guys be very careful to somehow collect the I-797 from the VO , I saw one person struggling without I-797 after he received the stamped visa.VO did not give him back the I-797 at the time of interview). This I-797 is required at the immigration , immigration office asks for i-797
VO: Your visa will be ready by tommorow at 3:00 , SHE HANDED ME A RED SLIP CIRCLING THE DAY ON WHICH i should collect tHE PASSPORT
ME: Thanks very much, appreciate it...you have a nice day
VO. You too....
The VO was very cool , she did not rejected even a single visa while I was there....
The inetrview was real simple. I was confident becuase I have taken all the documents that I earned in my life.
I even tok my project plans, requirements documents printouts.
Thanks for all the people who suggested and gave ideas ....thanks to the web site...
I stayed in econo lodge ON 475 Rideau street, Ottawa which is 5 minutes away from the downtown, its good.... they offer free continental breakfast.
Have taxi phone number so that you will get it soon when you need it,. It is bitter cold out there and it is very very difficult to get the txi on the roads. So when you ride your first taxi(first time) in Ottawa, get his/her phone number and call him/her when you need.
Thanks
Here is my situation:
H1 B is expiring in Jan 2007--->Quit Employer A -->Done H1 transfer to Employer B -->H1B approved for 3 years-->Started working for new employer -->got 3 payslips from the new employer-->Never out of status as I was working whole 3 years for the employer A which is a big indian company.
I MUST go to India in FEB last week so attorney and everybody told me to go to Canada.
I applied for Candaian visa through mail (post) with my original passport, original I-94 , xerox copy of I-797, Bank statments for the last 6 months, a letter from the bank stating I have an account and so and so is the balance.
I got the Canadian Visitor Visa from Bufallo withing 10 business days....
I booked tickets to Canada Ottawa for 7 th Feb 2007.
Documents I took:
2 Files :
1 st file should contain the following:
--------------------------------
A. I-797
B. DS-156 with Photo (Photo should be exactly with the same specification as mentioned, otherwise they eont accept)
C. DS-157
D. 100 US dollars (exact;y 100 US dollars, no coins)
E. the following set of documents which attorney gives you.This is also part of first file:
--------------------------------------------------------
E1. I-129
E2. LCA
E3. G-28
E4. Support letter for H1 Transfer(if it is H1B transfer)
E5. proof of status (these are the paystub which are given to our new employer when we apply for transfer or extension)
E6. education credential evaluation
F. Degree certificates , all mark sheets etc
G. Pay stubs of the recent 3-4 months
H. Last 3 years W2 forms and Tax returns if applicable
**I. Offerl Letter from current employer
**j. eMPLOYEMNET VERIFICATION FROM CURRENT EMPLOYER
K. Old I-797 from previous employer
L. passport
2Nd file contains the following:
-------------------------------------------------
A. xEROX copies of the each and every of the above document arranged in the same order as of the 1 st file.This should be exact replica of the first file.
B. Employer Tax Returns
c. All the the old paystubs , whetver you got until now
D. LAST 6 Months BANK STATMENTS
E. ANY certificate on any COMPUTER RELATED TRAINING you did
F. Lease document for the house in US
G. Utility bills for the last month
H. SSN Card
I. Customer reference letters
k. Previuos experience letters.
Guys , they do not allow any bag, back pocket, wallet, mobile phone, covers , anything. Just you and your file. I took my bag and mobile they just send me out,. I went back to hotel and came back with my 2 files.
Go in advance so that you have some time to react in case if you are missing something(like going back to hotel and come back)
Once they allow you inside, they do a very prefect secururity check like in airport.
Process:
--------------------
1. Security check
2. Send you inside asking you to go to counter number x
3. at Counter nuber X , stand in line -->Officer asks for passport, DS-156, DS-157, I-797 with photo and 100 USD -->Give all these and he will say, "Pls wait , and we will call you"
4. After some time these documents which you given to the officer at counter number X will be passed to one of the interview officer (VO) and he/she will call your name and decide your fate.
5. iF VISA is approved he/she will give you a red colour slip marking the day on which you need to collect the passport.It is 3.PM next day of your interview.You should not lose this slip.
6.The next day you go 30 minutes before the time to the counsulate -->stand in the line-->Give your slip to the person at the gate-->he/she will give your passport-->Check your passport number, name etc carefully.
My Interview:
My name was called and I went there. I was having no feelings. By that time I was dried out of all the feelings.
I went to the counter
VO: Ho How are you?
me: pretty good, how are you?
vo: DO YOU HAVE a letter from your employer?
me: yES (handed over both offer letter and employee verification letter)
VO: Pls give me all the petetion related documents
me: YOU MEAN ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT i GOT FROM ATTORNEY?
VO: Yes
ME: PLS give a minute(I opened my file, I know where exactly they are in the file, handed over)
ME: (while handing over) this place is too cold
vO: (taking the papers, little serious) yes
VO: (looking at my previous H1B visa on my passport) So you are changing xxxx TO xxxx?
me: YES
VO: LOOKED AT all the documents that I gave (which I got from attorney like I-129, g-28, LCA) and handed over one by one to me saying "this is for you"
VO: Finally she handed over I-797 saying this is also for you.....(Guys be very careful to somehow collect the I-797 from the VO , I saw one person struggling without I-797 after he received the stamped visa.VO did not give him back the I-797 at the time of interview). This I-797 is required at the immigration , immigration office asks for i-797
VO: Your visa will be ready by tommorow at 3:00 , SHE HANDED ME A RED SLIP CIRCLING THE DAY ON WHICH i should collect tHE PASSPORT
ME: Thanks very much, appreciate it...you have a nice day
VO. You too....
The VO was very cool , she did not rejected even a single visa while I was there....
The inetrview was real simple. I was confident becuase I have taken all the documents that I earned in my life.
I even tok my project plans, requirements documents printouts.
Thanks for all the people who suggested and gave ideas ....thanks to the web site...
I stayed in econo lodge ON 475 Rideau street, Ottawa which is 5 minutes away from the downtown, its good.... they offer free continental breakfast.
Have taxi phone number so that you will get it soon when you need it,. It is bitter cold out there and it is very very difficult to get the txi on the roads. So when you ride your first taxi(first time) in Ottawa, get his/her phone number and call him/her when you need.
Thanks