mohabatkahn
New Member
My experience is summarized :
1. Flew from Dallas to Seattle on Dec 10.
2. Took rental from enterprise at the airport and drove north on i5.
3. On i5 north exit #275 Pacific Highway those who need to do exit registration must exit here. Right onto pacific highway and parked car near duty free on the right side and then walked across the road to get to US immigration. Exit registration took 15 minutes. Fastest ever. I would recommend this exit regardless since there is not a lot of traffic here compared to the main border entrance off i5. This exit is roughly 3-4 miles east of the main exit so not a major detour.
4. Had booked a place called Travel lodge, north of the Lions Gate bridge. It was cheaper as part of teh whole package deal so had taken that. Would recommend Days Inn since that is right next to the embassy. Days Inn is 125 a nite, Lions Gate Travel Lodge was $50.
5. Left 8 am for downtown, traffic was not bad at all. Parked car 5-6 blocks away in underground parking lot. Thats $10 for the whole day. Walked over to 1075 W Pender in the rain.
Suggestion : If driving, try to park closer since it might be raining. There is a parking lot right opposite the consulate which is $2.50 for every half an hour or $20 for the day.
6. Lined up at 850 am for my 930 appt. Not a lot of people in any of the lines. I had read in other forums that its good to arrive much earlier. My experience was different. People who came in at 928 for a 9 am appointment were still being let in without waiting in line.
Note : The guard outside has been doing this for the last 20 years and will probably be doing this for the next 20 years of his life. He has an attitude problem. Ignore him. Will keep telling people to get in line and not ask him questions while he's talking etc etc. I just found him rude. The consulate should change security guards outside because i guess being long term on this job makes u a rude ass.
7. We started entering one by one at 930 sharp. The first point in the building has a security checkpoint. No phones ; electronic gadgets etc. No coffee cups in hand. All envelopes unsealed in a small bag. I had two plastic shopping bags and would recommend those. Since a few people with normal hand carry bags had their bags pointed out as too big. I took my umbrella inside too.
8. Went up to cashier after security screening. Gave her us $100, h1 form from ins, and the two forms from the appointment packet. I forget the numbers now. Got a token from her and waited in the room. After 10 minutes we were asked to go up to the 20th floor where we waited again in a small room since the interview lines were all backed up. Then were asked to wait in the next room behind current interviewees.
9. Waited around 15 minutes while other people were being interviewed in front of us. Not very private, oh well. Most interviewees were having it easy. This one particular guy on window 4 was being asked very technical questions about active server pages etc and what he did at work. But not a very big deal. Found it strange though.
10. My number was announced and i walked up to first do my finger prints and then sat down again. 2-3 minutes later my number was announced from another window. Went there. It went as follows :
VO: Hello
Me: Hi
VO: So whcih uni did you go to.
Me : etc etc univ
VO : How long have you been working for company xx ?
Me : For a year and a half
VO : Can I see your degree?
Me : The airline lost my luggage and i lost my original degree but i have transcripts which show my BS EE.
VO : Thats fine, transcripts are okay.
(She only looked at one transcript... apparently did not see that the first two semesters I did not have full credit hours as i was concurrently enrolled in a comm college. She did not ask for the other transcript... maybe didnt see it. Found that strange, since a friend in Islamabad consulate was grilled over this and VO there thoroughly checked for even a day of out-of-status for her)
VO : Can i see your EAD (OPT) card ?
Me : Yes,here
VO : Do you have any other degrees from back home?
Me : No, i went to uni xx here in Texas right after high school back home.
VO : Can i see some recent pay stubs?
Me : I have the latest 4 printed off the website since my company shifted to online payroll. Before that I have them on paper.
VO : Thats fine. Please pick up your passport tomorrow after 3.
Here was my sitaution. I graduated in May 2005, opt expired June 15 2006. I joined a community college from the 59th day after my OPT expired in 2006 till October 6th till my H1b was approved and came in. Also my company stopped paychecks from June till October and put me on per diem only (since i am to survive somehow while waiting for h1 approval). I had proof of all this but was not asked...
I did not see anyone get a rough time or be declined.
That evening went to eat at Tandoori King south of King Edwards. There is a "Punjabi Market" on main street. but everything there closes 9-10 pm.
Lined up next day at 220 pm. Perfect timing. I was 15th in line. By 240pm there were like a 100 people behind me in line. This line does go fast once they start taking you in, but i would still advise being a bit earlier. This particular time the line starts from the sidewalk and you are basically standing out in the open in the cold. So the earlier you get in the better. Again security checking at the front entrance. Went up adn gave my receipt, got my passport and h1 approval notice. Came down via elevator. I was out by 2.55 pm.
Note: In the line downstairs on the passport pickup day... the guard was ruder than ever, making people throw away their starbucks 15 minutes of even being let in. He made a girl walk out of the line to throw away the stuff. Then he was pressurizing groups of people to give their receipts to one person to pickup. You only need to show the receipt to pickup the passport. So that wouldve meant lesser people goign through security to go up. A few did that and waited at starbucks while one person got their passport from upstairs. On this day, try not to even carry a bag! Nothing except maybe wallet and car keys and your passport slip.
Drove back to seattle the same day. Decided to do registration again at Pacific entrace since my experience was good coming into Canada. Stopped at Duty Free to get GST back.
Note : I was only reimbursed for receipts which had a total amount of more than $50. One place i had shopped for 48 and gone back to shop for another 4 bucks and had two receipts within 5 minuts of each other and was denied refund for that. So take care of this if you are wanting a refund on the way back.
Registration went fine. Was selected for customs inspection. That also went good. Had to pay $6 for new i94. Another desi family was in line and had neither US currency nor a credit card and were looking quite helpless. Took US cash from me and matter was resolved... but make sure you have that.
Over all the experience was good. I didnt like the security clearances and measures at the embassy. Somehow as soon as you go outside the US to a federal building they remind you of the nervous-breakdown-wrecked stage they are in.
Its been 5 days and havent found my luggage though.
Suggestion : Do not keep orignial degree in check in baggage! I did because it was in a cylindrical cover which was not fitting in my hand carry.
1. Flew from Dallas to Seattle on Dec 10.
2. Took rental from enterprise at the airport and drove north on i5.
3. On i5 north exit #275 Pacific Highway those who need to do exit registration must exit here. Right onto pacific highway and parked car near duty free on the right side and then walked across the road to get to US immigration. Exit registration took 15 minutes. Fastest ever. I would recommend this exit regardless since there is not a lot of traffic here compared to the main border entrance off i5. This exit is roughly 3-4 miles east of the main exit so not a major detour.
4. Had booked a place called Travel lodge, north of the Lions Gate bridge. It was cheaper as part of teh whole package deal so had taken that. Would recommend Days Inn since that is right next to the embassy. Days Inn is 125 a nite, Lions Gate Travel Lodge was $50.
5. Left 8 am for downtown, traffic was not bad at all. Parked car 5-6 blocks away in underground parking lot. Thats $10 for the whole day. Walked over to 1075 W Pender in the rain.
Suggestion : If driving, try to park closer since it might be raining. There is a parking lot right opposite the consulate which is $2.50 for every half an hour or $20 for the day.
6. Lined up at 850 am for my 930 appt. Not a lot of people in any of the lines. I had read in other forums that its good to arrive much earlier. My experience was different. People who came in at 928 for a 9 am appointment were still being let in without waiting in line.
Note : The guard outside has been doing this for the last 20 years and will probably be doing this for the next 20 years of his life. He has an attitude problem. Ignore him. Will keep telling people to get in line and not ask him questions while he's talking etc etc. I just found him rude. The consulate should change security guards outside because i guess being long term on this job makes u a rude ass.
7. We started entering one by one at 930 sharp. The first point in the building has a security checkpoint. No phones ; electronic gadgets etc. No coffee cups in hand. All envelopes unsealed in a small bag. I had two plastic shopping bags and would recommend those. Since a few people with normal hand carry bags had their bags pointed out as too big. I took my umbrella inside too.
8. Went up to cashier after security screening. Gave her us $100, h1 form from ins, and the two forms from the appointment packet. I forget the numbers now. Got a token from her and waited in the room. After 10 minutes we were asked to go up to the 20th floor where we waited again in a small room since the interview lines were all backed up. Then were asked to wait in the next room behind current interviewees.
9. Waited around 15 minutes while other people were being interviewed in front of us. Not very private, oh well. Most interviewees were having it easy. This one particular guy on window 4 was being asked very technical questions about active server pages etc and what he did at work. But not a very big deal. Found it strange though.
10. My number was announced and i walked up to first do my finger prints and then sat down again. 2-3 minutes later my number was announced from another window. Went there. It went as follows :
VO: Hello
Me: Hi
VO: So whcih uni did you go to.
Me : etc etc univ
VO : How long have you been working for company xx ?
Me : For a year and a half
VO : Can I see your degree?
Me : The airline lost my luggage and i lost my original degree but i have transcripts which show my BS EE.
VO : Thats fine, transcripts are okay.
(She only looked at one transcript... apparently did not see that the first two semesters I did not have full credit hours as i was concurrently enrolled in a comm college. She did not ask for the other transcript... maybe didnt see it. Found that strange, since a friend in Islamabad consulate was grilled over this and VO there thoroughly checked for even a day of out-of-status for her)
VO : Can i see your EAD (OPT) card ?
Me : Yes,here
VO : Do you have any other degrees from back home?
Me : No, i went to uni xx here in Texas right after high school back home.
VO : Can i see some recent pay stubs?
Me : I have the latest 4 printed off the website since my company shifted to online payroll. Before that I have them on paper.
VO : Thats fine. Please pick up your passport tomorrow after 3.
Here was my sitaution. I graduated in May 2005, opt expired June 15 2006. I joined a community college from the 59th day after my OPT expired in 2006 till October 6th till my H1b was approved and came in. Also my company stopped paychecks from June till October and put me on per diem only (since i am to survive somehow while waiting for h1 approval). I had proof of all this but was not asked...
I did not see anyone get a rough time or be declined.
That evening went to eat at Tandoori King south of King Edwards. There is a "Punjabi Market" on main street. but everything there closes 9-10 pm.
Lined up next day at 220 pm. Perfect timing. I was 15th in line. By 240pm there were like a 100 people behind me in line. This line does go fast once they start taking you in, but i would still advise being a bit earlier. This particular time the line starts from the sidewalk and you are basically standing out in the open in the cold. So the earlier you get in the better. Again security checking at the front entrance. Went up adn gave my receipt, got my passport and h1 approval notice. Came down via elevator. I was out by 2.55 pm.
Note: In the line downstairs on the passport pickup day... the guard was ruder than ever, making people throw away their starbucks 15 minutes of even being let in. He made a girl walk out of the line to throw away the stuff. Then he was pressurizing groups of people to give their receipts to one person to pickup. You only need to show the receipt to pickup the passport. So that wouldve meant lesser people goign through security to go up. A few did that and waited at starbucks while one person got their passport from upstairs. On this day, try not to even carry a bag! Nothing except maybe wallet and car keys and your passport slip.
Drove back to seattle the same day. Decided to do registration again at Pacific entrace since my experience was good coming into Canada. Stopped at Duty Free to get GST back.
Note : I was only reimbursed for receipts which had a total amount of more than $50. One place i had shopped for 48 and gone back to shop for another 4 bucks and had two receipts within 5 minuts of each other and was denied refund for that. So take care of this if you are wanting a refund on the way back.
Registration went fine. Was selected for customs inspection. That also went good. Had to pay $6 for new i94. Another desi family was in line and had neither US currency nor a credit card and were looking quite helpless. Took US cash from me and matter was resolved... but make sure you have that.
Over all the experience was good. I didnt like the security clearances and measures at the embassy. Somehow as soon as you go outside the US to a federal building they remind you of the nervous-breakdown-wrecked stage they are in.
Its been 5 days and havent found my luggage though.
Suggestion : Do not keep orignial degree in check in baggage! I did because it was in a cylindrical cover which was not fitting in my hand carry.