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Visa Stamping from Canada/ Mexico

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H1B In Quebec City CANADA - F1 to H1 COS
Hi All,
Thank you to this forum . This helped me a lot !
Now my turn to share the experience:
US Canada border :
BO: Which visa are you in USA?
Me : F1
BO: why are you going to Canada?
Me: I have a visa interview in Quebec
BO: where are you staying
Me : Montreal today and will leave for Quebec on Monday .
BO : which visa ? canada visa?
Me: no , i am changing from f1- h1.
BO: stamps my visa and says welcome to canada !

 Quebec City : Date of I/v : 26 Nov 2019 10 :00 AM

It is a very small consulate. There was a small line outside the consulate. I entered the consulate after security screening. Maximum people that could sit there were 12.
3 /v windows. They give you a token number and randomly can be called at any window. They first verify your DS 160 application confirmation page. Ask you reason for your type of visa. Confirm your previous visa if you have one for US and if you haven't uploaded your photo while submitting the ds 160. Thats where the trick part is. They will ask you for a photo with date stamp at the back of photo. This is not the process in US to get a photo. CVS, Walgreens , Walmart.... no body puts a date stamp in US even if you ask them to... as they dont have the date stamp. They can give you a receipt.

Also , the consulate doesnt have any photo booth. There is a photo booth at primaprix in downtown quebec . They do follow the norms date stamp at the back , however they click some of the most ugly pics of yourself ! So be prepared to give $ 20 CAD for that.

Although , I did upload my passport photograph while submitting , i still carried a photo with me (as there were no clear instructions on that). They didnt ask me for the photo , however they were grilling a few candidates as their submitted photo online was not valdated by the system and those people had to go out and get their photo clicked again by searching a new place which could get their clear photo as per the guidelines in US visa section.

Once my i 797 and reason, and previous visa, photograph all were verified they gave me a guidelines for non immigrant booklet and asked me to take a seat and would be called by someone for interview.
within 5 minutes, I was called to the 3rd window for i/v.
Simple, straight forward questions :
VO: Good morning ? how are you?
Me: Hi, I am good? thanks for asking ! how are you ?
VO: I am good ! Please press your right hand 4 fingers in the machine (finger print machine)
Me: ok Sure!
VO:Ok done ! so , Tell me about yourself, your backgroud? -
Me: i did my ms in boston , be in india...all comouter science...
VO:Did you study anything apart from computer science -?
Me: no, i didnt
VO: When do you want to go to US ?
Me: this weekend, if possible , if i get my visa.
VO : hmm... so here is a thing, your profile is showing a red flag , as your sevis is not updated bythe dso in your university. They should have done it. NO fault of yours (ofcourse i am tensed)
So, I have already requested that change, but that is going to add 1 more day in your visa processing and thursday is american thanksgiving so we are closed.
Me: um.. ok.. I have a flight to India from US next week ,If I could get it before that , It would be really great !
VO : handed me a white sheet : this explains your visa is approved , I just have to wait for your records to update in sevis. Where are you staying ?
Me:-- Quebec
VO : Ok, I am going to try and process it by friday afternoon to end of day and we are going to get in touch with you !I am keeping this passport right here (he kept it separate from the other stack, there was 1 more passport in my queue)
Me: Thank you , thank you so much !

29th Nov : 11:30 AM Issued
11:50 AM I get a call from UNKNOWN number and its the VO.
VO: Hi, How are you ?
me: I am good, thank you
VO: this is from the US Consulate , your visa is ready. You can come pick it up from the consulate. wea re here till 4:30.
Me: Oh great ! thank you , thank you so much . I ll be there in an hour .

at 1:30 : I tell the guards why I have come here, they confirm and let me in . The same VO that took my i/v greets me and hands me my visa and asks me to confirm all the details like name, dob, job etc.. on the visa stamp and once i do and thank him a lot . He wishes me have a safe trip to US

Vermont Land Border : an extremely nice border officer explains Land issued I-94 and stamps my passport. You have to pay $6 USD for same.
And I am back to US.

The people in Quebec are one of the most warm and happy people. Quebec is a winter wonderland. It is so magnificent and amazing!Its a beautiful place with beautiful people !
I stayed in airbnb saint-fye near the aquarium 20 min drive to US Consulate (located at one of the most epic views in Quebec).

Things to note :
1. get your sevis record updated once your status changes bu emailing to your dso.
2. apply for canada visitor visa? My reason was travel and tourism (takes about 1 month in all to get the visa)
3. in your ds 160 : make sure you select the same consulate as you mention , if you change that : email the consulate about that way before your scheduled interview. It helps smoothen the process
4. try uploading digital photo in ds 160 , just for back up get a photo with date stamp.
5. Only carry a clear plastic bag with documents, they do not allow back packs or laptop bag cases
6. you can carry your cell phone, they will ask you to switch off and keep it with themselves, when you come back they will give it to you (they have a token for that).
7. There is plenty of street paid parking near the chateau and its literally 1 block from the consulate.
8. Maximum time it would take is an hr for all the process.

These VO and guards are very nice people , if you answer honestly, that helps your visa getting issued faster !

Thank you to this forum !

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