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H1B & H4B Visa Interview at Ottawa, Canada
Hi All
Now its time to pay back so sharing my experience of h1b renewal at Ottawa, Canada.
Background: Bachelors(INDIA). Got first H1B stamping from Chennai, India 2012 which is valid until Sept 2015 with Employer A. In this time, changed to Employer B from Jan, 2014 to Jan, 2016 with
I-797A valid date until 01/01/2017. As the I-94 was expired back in Sept,2015 (which is for 3 years from the start) - applied for Canada tourist visa. Under Automatic Visa Revalidation program,
visited Canada (couple of times) and updated I-94 as per Employer B I-797A. And again, changed to Employer C from Jan, 2016 and got I-797A until Sept, 2018.
And I decided to renewal H1B Visa with Employer C and scheduled my interview with my spouse for H4B renewal at Ottawa, Canada on 18 March, 2016 at 8:00AM.
I drove to Ottawa, Canada one day before my interview. Please note that the hotels in Ottawa are expensive.
I drove to Embassy 45min before with a backpack,but the securigy personnal refused to enter with backpack so i had to return to car and have to carry file with documents only. Paid parking is available near the Embassy, within 5mins walking distance to the Embassy.
At the entrance security checked the appointment confirmation and allowed me to next level of security. Please note that the security personnal will not allow more than 15mins before the appoinment.
As I enter the Embassy met a lady, asked for ds-160 confirmation print out, passport and photos (make sure these are not older than 6 months). After that I was asked to go directly to window 6/7.
Post documents preliminary check - went through the security check,they basically scans your belongings and make sure that does not carry cell phone with you.
They have a facility where we can leave cellphones/keys with them and they give a token number - post interview they return all the belongings.
Went inside and stood in line at window 6/7 where they will keep your passport,I-797, appointment confirmation page and finger prints is done at the same window 6/7 after which we were asked to stand in queue to window 2.
Now you have to wait in the queue - this is where visa officer takes the interview. There are total 4 windows at Ottawa consulate, out of which I found only window 2 was open.
At around 8.35 AM, I got my turn at Window 2, ,but by that time I have listened to lot of other interviews going around and had set up my mind how to deal with the VO officer as per questions she was asking.
The questions were as follows:
What is your roles and responsibilities?
On what visa did we come to Canada?
How long you were working with Employer C? (Explained that I was with Employer B when my H1B visa was expired and the VO asked for I797A from Employer B)
What is the higher qualification to me and my spouse?
When we got married?
After that she asked for finger prints, told us that visa is Approved and passport delivery will be done in 2-3 days. The VO asked us to check for the email for the furture tracking updates. We came out of the Embassy by 8:50AM.
Now waiting for the passport to be delivered at Canada Post at 59 Sparks St, Ottawa Branch which is the nearest post office to the Embassy.
Upon reaching the hotel checked the visa staus in CEAC and showed as "Admin Processing" and on Monday at around 11:30AM status got changed to "ISSUED" and got an email along with Canada post tracking number.
I was very impressed with the updates on Monday, but after that there were no updates from Canada Post. To this day still waiting for the Passport pick-up.
As per Canada Post they picked our passports only on Tuesday 3:30PM and expected delivery was supposed to be on 03/23 but still the status is unkown.
Now its time to pay back so sharing my experience of h1b renewal at Ottawa, Canada.
Background: Bachelors(INDIA). Got first H1B stamping from Chennai, India 2012 which is valid until Sept 2015 with Employer A. In this time, changed to Employer B from Jan, 2014 to Jan, 2016 with
I-797A valid date until 01/01/2017. As the I-94 was expired back in Sept,2015 (which is for 3 years from the start) - applied for Canada tourist visa. Under Automatic Visa Revalidation program,
visited Canada (couple of times) and updated I-94 as per Employer B I-797A. And again, changed to Employer C from Jan, 2016 and got I-797A until Sept, 2018.
And I decided to renewal H1B Visa with Employer C and scheduled my interview with my spouse for H4B renewal at Ottawa, Canada on 18 March, 2016 at 8:00AM.
I drove to Ottawa, Canada one day before my interview. Please note that the hotels in Ottawa are expensive.
I drove to Embassy 45min before with a backpack,but the securigy personnal refused to enter with backpack so i had to return to car and have to carry file with documents only. Paid parking is available near the Embassy, within 5mins walking distance to the Embassy.
At the entrance security checked the appointment confirmation and allowed me to next level of security. Please note that the security personnal will not allow more than 15mins before the appoinment.
As I enter the Embassy met a lady, asked for ds-160 confirmation print out, passport and photos (make sure these are not older than 6 months). After that I was asked to go directly to window 6/7.
Post documents preliminary check - went through the security check,they basically scans your belongings and make sure that does not carry cell phone with you.
They have a facility where we can leave cellphones/keys with them and they give a token number - post interview they return all the belongings.
Went inside and stood in line at window 6/7 where they will keep your passport,I-797, appointment confirmation page and finger prints is done at the same window 6/7 after which we were asked to stand in queue to window 2.
Now you have to wait in the queue - this is where visa officer takes the interview. There are total 4 windows at Ottawa consulate, out of which I found only window 2 was open.
At around 8.35 AM, I got my turn at Window 2, ,but by that time I have listened to lot of other interviews going around and had set up my mind how to deal with the VO officer as per questions she was asking.
The questions were as follows:
What is your roles and responsibilities?
On what visa did we come to Canada?
How long you were working with Employer C? (Explained that I was with Employer B when my H1B visa was expired and the VO asked for I797A from Employer B)
What is the higher qualification to me and my spouse?
When we got married?
After that she asked for finger prints, told us that visa is Approved and passport delivery will be done in 2-3 days. The VO asked us to check for the email for the furture tracking updates. We came out of the Embassy by 8:50AM.
Now waiting for the passport to be delivered at Canada Post at 59 Sparks St, Ottawa Branch which is the nearest post office to the Embassy.
Upon reaching the hotel checked the visa staus in CEAC and showed as "Admin Processing" and on Monday at around 11:30AM status got changed to "ISSUED" and got an email along with Canada post tracking number.
I was very impressed with the updates on Monday, but after that there were no updates from Canada Post. To this day still waiting for the Passport pick-up.
As per Canada Post they picked our passports only on Tuesday 3:30PM and expected delivery was supposed to be on 03/23 but still the status is unkown.
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