Visa Stamping from Canada/ Mexico

Hi,

my H1b was approved but could not find any stamping slot in Canada till June 2022 (Canada PR and resident) so I applied for my passport renewal and waiting. On Nov 15th I saw an appointment available for Nov 19 (just in 4days) and I confirmed it using my old passport. I got the new passport and submitted an updated DS160 and completed the appointment and currently tracking the status of passport. I could not update my passport in the appointment confirmation

Hi,
My visa appointment is coming up in December @Ottawa.
My family is traveling from India a week before the appointment and they are fully vaccinated (Moderna - 2 shots).
As per canadian government website, there is no quarantine required. Would US Embassy follow the same guidelines by Canadian government on this one or different?
Any recent experience that anyone can share?

Thanks

Hi All,
Which is the fastest to get back your passport after visa stamping in Toronto. Is the expedited courrier service better than the regular Canada post?
Thanks,
Bernadette.

Hello everyone,

Here is my situation:
I got my F1 visa in May 2017 in home country (Brazil).
I started studying English for 3 quarters, and started my associates college classes. I will graduating with my Associates in April 2022.

My current F1 stamp expired in May 2021. I would like to renew it, and I am planning to get the stamp in Vancouver/Canada.

I am afraid for the following reasons:
- I got married here in Seattle to a DACA holder.
- I had a baby 4 months ago.

I will be going by myself to Canada to get the stamp, I am afraid they will deny it and I won’t be able to re-enter the U.S to my US Citizen daughter, and my husband.

What do you guys think?

Documents Delivered to Ottawa courier location - Nov 2 (Through Express Purolator service, did not use Canada post)
Current DS 160 Status - **No Status**
Anyone in the same boat? its been almost three weeks and the status did not even changed to received
Any indication from anyone that Holiday season or close to Thanksgiving, we may expect further details?

The Canada Post guys submitted my documents to the Toronto consulate even after explaining that the documents have to go to Ottawa since I m outside GTA. They said they will route it internally. This happened because my DS-160 was with Toronto, so the courier instructions were prepared for Toronto, so the Canada Post guys used it. Anyway, my status was updated to Admin Processing on Nov 16th. Any ideas how long after this? By reading other posts, I was expecting it to get issued today but has not changed. Please let me know your experience? Also, is the message displayed for Admin processing the same for all? Does it say it could take weeks?

My case status is below:

Case Created: 05-Nov-2021
Case Last Updated: 16-Nov-2021

Your visa case is currently undergoing necessary administrative processing. This processing can take several weeks, or longer. As explained on the day of your interview, if further information is needed, you will be contacted. If your visa application is approved when administrative processing is finished, you will receive a notification to collect the passport with the visa from the Loomis branch you selected when you booked your appointment.
For more information, please visit U.S. Consulate General Toronto.

I am an Indian Citizen and working & living with my family on H1B & H4 visa in US. We received our Candian Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR) in 2019 and planned to accept the PR by visiting Canada in Dec 2019. We booked appointments for H1B and H4 visa stamping interview for Dec 2019 in Canada and filled the DS-160 as an Indian Citizen (as we were not Canadian PR at the time of submission of DS-160 form). In September 2019, due to a mishap, we visited Indian in emergency and got our H1B visa stamped in India. In Dec 2019, we visited Canada and become Canadian PR.

As of today, due to COVID, the validity of the visa interview payment is extented and the US consulate vebsite is allowing me to reshedule the H1B visa interview in Canada; however, my situation is changed, I am now a Canadian PR. Moreover, the DS-160 associated with the previously scheduled interview and payment are expired.

Questions:
1. Can I use the interview payment free associated with expired DS-160 to a new DS-160?
2. Can I use the paid fee to associate it with my changed situation (Canadian PR) which makes me eligible for the Drop Box option?
3. Can someone share the USICS contact number on which I may speak to officials?

The timeline for my stamping is as follows. I have added my experience and suggestions based on mine and other peoples difficulties.
 Doc received by consulate -October 8.
Status changed to received - October 22 (took 2 weeks, may take 3 weeks or more for some)
Status refused - October 25.
Got email from admin to send Resume- Oct 27th
Sent resume on October 30th;Got auto reply saying not to contact before 60 days for admin processing. Worried me that this will take a while.
 Got actual reply acknowledging receipt of Resume November 3. Status changed from refused to administrative processing on November 3 itself after my Resume clarified I did not complete PhD and locations of work, job title.
Issued on November 5.
Got email from US visa info that documents were ready for pickup on November 10. No shipping notification etc. It was directly last stage. I found out why. Many people get a shipment notification if their pick up location is Canada post. If the pick up location is BLS or some company that deals more closely with consulate, then in that case the consulate directly hands them the documents and they likely have private transportation. They have a tracking number to identify the document but not really something to track the movement of docs. . In Ottawa they only send out on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Toronto ships almost every day. So if you are issued late on Thursday , it could possibly ship out next Tuesday so dont worry. My visa had annotation of Canadian Permanent Resident, so they were just seeking clarification. If it is actual 221g, the annotation maybe something like clearance received from *** or something along those lines.
Send Resume if the employer address , job title has changed or if you did not complete the last degree or any changes. Send LCA and employment verification letter to prove that the wages that are being paid are equal to or more than the wages promised. If you are sending copy of PR or any other document, send both front and back copies. Someone here did not send the back copy and it has delayed their processing. Only when their spouse went to an interview, this point was mentioned. If this is your first time H1 stamping after F1 and you are attending interview , be prepared to prove you manintained status during OPT period. There is added scrutiny of OPT, CPT periods. One person, took OPT card, job details, (paystubs if i remember right) and they got first H1 approved right away. While another person got 221g to make sure they were in proper status and it took few weeks to get clearance.
If you have any communication with admin processing from consulate like asking addresses, resume etc, in your replies, mention full name, DS 160 reference number and passport number at the bottom. That will make it easier for them to find your file, instead of just replying to their request. When they email you , they just send an email on file. But when you reply, there are many emails to sort through and it may not always be convenient for them to find your file with just name.
If any of your famly member has a name hit in database(even if child), then they may be in refused state till security clearance is received. So plan accordingly if there are delays.
If you have been outside US for long, carry paystubs and employment verification when trying to enter, to be on safe side , if they ask.
Feel free to ask any questions.

Oct -7 - Send thru canada post
Oct 9 - Status is Application Received
Oct 13 - Status changed to Refused
Nov 3 - Status Changed to Administrative processing.
Nov 8 - Issued.
Nov 12 - Received the Passport.

I submitted my passport and documents along with my wife's and 2 children for stamping. Visa has been issued and we also received the passports with stamping for me, my wife and one child.

The status of the other child is still Refused from Oct 13. Do you have any idea how to reach the Toronto Consulate/Consular? Any one faced such scenario like me?. Please help.

This forum has been useful. The below is my experience. Canadian PR, been here close to a year now. Dropbox sent to Ottawa for me and spouse.

Delivered on: Oct-22-2021
Received on: Nov-05-2021
Admin Processing:Nov-08-2021
Approved:Nov-10-2021
Shipped:Nov-12-2021
Delivered (Ontario):Nov-16-2021

Previous stamp was in India.