US Consulates in Canada H1b stamp wait time??

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ssg10

Registered Users (C)
hi. I found out all wait times for processing visa at US consulates in Canada (toronto, ottawa, vancouver, montreal) are all over 30 days! Is this correct?

So, in my case, I got a passport request from Canada visa post, then whenever they process my passport, I have to land in canada. Currently, I don't have H1B visa stamp on my passport, so I can't re-enter US.

My questions:

1. How much time limit do I have to land after Canadian visa post sends back my passport?

2. Anyone here have same situation like me (need h1b visa stamp), but the wait time is so long?

Here is the wait time in Ottawa now. (a few months ago , Ottawa was current!!!) from state dept:

Typical Wait Time (Calendar Days*) for a Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointment

Visitors Visas: 29 Days
Student/Exchange Visitors Visas: 29 Days
All Other Nonimmigrant Visas: 29 Days

Typical Wait Time (Workdays**) for a Nonimmigrant Visa To Be Processed***: 2 Days

*Calendar days refer to every day of the week, including
 
ssg10 said:
hi. I found out all wait times for processing visa at US consulates in Canada (toronto, ottawa, vancouver, montreal) are all over 30 days! Is this correct?

So, in my case, I got a passport request from Canada visa post, then whenever they process my passport, I have to land in canada. Currently, I don't have H1B visa stamp on my passport, so I can't re-enter US.

My questions:

1. How much time limit do I have to land after Canadian visa post sends back my passport?

2. Anyone here have same situation like me (need h1b visa stamp), but the wait time is so long?

Here is the wait time in Ottawa now. (a few months ago , Ottawa was current!!!) from state dept:

Typical Wait Time (Calendar Days*) for a Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Appointment

Visitors Visas: 29 Days
Student/Exchange Visitors Visas: 29 Days
All Other Nonimmigrant Visas: 29 Days

Typical Wait Time (Workdays**) for a Nonimmigrant Visa To Be Processed***: 2 Days

*Calendar days refer to every day of the week, including
Click to expand...

Hi,

I am sure you get at least 6-9 months of time to LAND in Canada after your immigrant visa is stamped by CIC and returned to you. "This period is usually, deteremined by CIC as 1 year from the date you completed your medicals "

that is a lot of time, you can easily schedule the H1-interview time in canada, Go there, complete your landing formalities, even stay there for a month if you wish and come back to us with new H1 visa. I do not see any issues.
usually you get your passprots back in 3 weeks maximum.
So do not worry about anything.

Good luck.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank

Thanks. But, if 1 year after medical, and my medical is november 2004, that means i only have 1 month left, since now is october 05? i hope not

Also, I don't know if i can afford to miss work for 1 month to wait for the h1b stamp. i thought it only takes less than a week. if less than a week, than i can take vacation time or something. for 1 month without any guarantee, then it's pretty tough.
 
You missed 2 more consulates in Canada that issue visas viz CALGARY & QUEBEC CITY. What are the waiting lines in those 2 consulates ?

Be careful if you have to go to Montreal or Quebec City for visas because they are both in Quebec province and you may have issues landing. If you get an appt there land in Ontario and then take a connecting flight.

Best of luck
 
ssg10 said:
Thanks. But, if 1 year after medical, and my medical is november 2004, that means i only have 1 month left, since now is october 05? i hope not

Also, I don't know if i can afford to miss work for 1 month to wait for the h1b stamp. i thought it only takes less than a week. if less than a week, than i can take vacation time or something. for 1 month without any guarantee, then it's pretty tough.
Click to expand...

The Canadian PR visa is valid for 1 year after the medical therefore your visa will be valid till Nov 2005(i.e. till the date you got your medical done last year). BUT in some cases they can extend the validity of the visa by a couple of months - but it is strictly on a case to case basis.

You do not have to take a month off. You can make the appointment on-line and then go to Canada a day before your appointment. I got my H1 B stamped from Toronto and got my passport back with the visa on the same day, but this was back in Jan 2004. I am not sure if the process has changed now.

Can you please share your timeline for Canadian immigration with us.
 
thanks

Thanks Kenny

Maybe I interpreted the wait time mistakenly:

In vancouver, right now:

Visitors Visas: 36 Days
Student/Exchange Visitors Visas: 3 Days
All Other Nonimmigrant Visas: 60 Days

Typical Wait Time (Workdays**) for a Nonimmigrant Visa To Be Processed***: 2 Days


Looks like we need to wait for 60 days time frame for interview date. Then processing time is 2 days. So, I will go there only during interview date and wait for 2 days for passport to be done. Is this correct? if yes, than it's not that bad.

Does anyone know which consulate is the best from your experience or from what you heard?

My timeline is: Application sent July 04, medical Nov 04, more document request Jan 05, sent it same month. Oct 05 passport request.

Almost 1.5 years of wait. But much better than freaking US labor cert + GC. Current US gov't (read: GOP) prefers unskilled workers more than highly educated and skilled workers. So sad. They're going to lose edge in technology sector sooner or later.
 
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