Visa Stamping from Canada/ Mexico

Hi -Me and my wife both went for H1B interview at Calgary consulate on Nov 27
Visa officer asked us few questions And said your Visa is approved and you will get your passports.

My wife got her passport but my DS 160 is still showing Admin Processing.
We have tried calling the consulate and emailed at [email protected] but haven’t received any reply back from email enquiry. Customer service is only saying whatever is on DS160 status page.
Has anyone experienced anything similar??

Can we reschedule more than two times? I am checking every day for a more favorable date than April 30 but wanted to check if we only had two shots at rescheduling?

Thanks

Please help me out what needs to be done. If i find any slots this month can i apply for a visa interview.

Just i'm in confused state to apply or not. If i apply what supporting document i need to show them that after my master's i will depart from united states.

This is the email i got from embassy

We regret to inform you that you have been found ineligible for a nonimmigrant visa under Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under U.S. immigration law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas are presumed to be intending immigrants. In order to be approved for a visa, applicants must satisfy the interviewing officer that they are entitled to the type of visa for which they are applying and that they will depart the United States at the end of their authorized temporary stay. This means that before a visa can be issued, applicants must demonstrate strong social, economic and/or familial ties outside the United States.

Unfortunately, because you either did not demonstrate strong ties outside the United States or were not able to demonstrate that your intended activities in the U.S. would be consistent with the visa status, you are ineligible for a nonimmigrant visa.

This decision cannot be appealed. However, you may reapply. If you have additional evidence to demonstrate compelling reasons to depart the United States that you did not present, you may wish to bring that with you. Otherwise, you should consider reapplying after there has been a significant change in your current situation.

 
If you do decide to reapply, you must submit a new application form and photo and pay the visa application fee again. There can be no guarantee that you will receive a different decision. Only a new interview can determine that.

Thanks

Hi all
I am having appointment in ottawa for h1b extension on dec 17, is anyone having same date, i live in NJ, who is travelling?

Hello,

I just booked an H1&H4 appointment in Toronto for April 30 2020.

We really need an earlier appointment as we need to be in India by May 6.

Can we realistically hope to get a date before April 30? Please help with rescheduling info and chances

Step 1) Canadian Visitor Visa.
 - Applied For Canadian visa on Nov15
 - Nov 16 got letter for Fingerprint scanning.(you need to book appointment)
 - If you live in NewYork go to https://www.vfsglobal.ca/Canada/USA/ (You will save on application process fee if you did both Bio-metric and visa processing in same location.)
- Nov 22 Bio-metric
- Approved and received it Nov 26.

Step 2)
- Fill DS-160(Make sure you upload your picture) & https://ais.usvisa-info.com apply.
- Nov 28 with Some luck got nearest available date is on Dec 5.
- Dec 3 book flight and hostel(https://theplanettraveler.com/) It cost $22USD per night including breakfast. Amazing.
- Dec 4 Night 10PM Reached YYZ Airport. You need to customs answer few question an a machine scan your passport take picture on the same machine.
   Immigration officer
    Officer: Why are you in Canada?
    Me: For my H1B stamping at US consulate.
    Officer: Do you have any friends here?
    Me: Yes
    Officer: Enjoy your stay.
    In Canada there not date stamping on your passport.
- Dec 5 8.15AM interview walkable distance(20mins) from hostel. Reach there by 8.00. If you stay in that hostel you don't need phone for direction. I print out map just in-case.
    - Security Check you can ware any kind of dress I had winter jackets and snow boots.
    - If you forgot to upload or bring pictures there is photo-boot inside. It cost $10
    - Counter 1 Document check (I-797, LCA(For H1B they are asking for this), Employment Letter, If you didn't upload picture in DS-160 then a 2x2 inch passport sized photo )
    - Counter 2 Finger prints
    - Counter 3
       VO: Hi How are you?
       ME: I'm good thanks for asking. How are you?(Hand over my docs)
       VO: Where do you work?
       ME: Told
       VO: Which city?
       ME: Told
       VO: What's your Salary?
       ME: told
       VO: What's your highest Education Qualification?
       ME: Master's in Computer Science at Chicago State University.
       VO: Ho! good you did your masters in US.
       VO: Visa Approved you will get update in 2-3 days. Enjoy your stay.
       ME: Thanks.
5) Dec 6 morning Status(https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?App=IV) updated to Issued.

Few note:
Most of the shops in Toronto accepts credit cards. But If you want to by anything in china town you should carry candida dollars they don't accept USD.

Don't carry any kind of electric devices. Keys are fine. Plastic is fine. wallet is fine.

Print out google map just in case if you forgot the street names.

For dates keep check.

Have fun too.

Hello all,

I am here to ask for your help /experience.

My mother, an Iranian citizen, went to the US embassy in Montreal (Canad status: visitor) on September 18th. The officer took her passport and said her visa (J1 Category) is approved. However, the next day we received an email asking for more documents (regarding extreme vetting, 221g form). I knew then that the process may take longer and my mother can't stay that long in Canada. So, I asked the embassy and they called me to come and pick up the passport.

On OCT 21st they sent an email that "the office has reviewed her case and asked for "Valid Passport"". My impression was that her visa is approved. She traveled back to Canada and submitted her passport on Nov 20th. Since then it is under the process with two updates on the dates but no status change (in the USCIS system).

W have contacted the embassy several times while keep hearing that they cannot predict the processing time. It has been 14 days that the passport is in the embassy. They are not confirming if the visa was approved nor returning the document.

Has anyone experienced a long wait time, processing time (for visa approval issuance) after they asked for a passport? Has anyone been asked for a passport while still under AP?
Living out of a suitcase with my mom in Montreal waiting for any updates. Any suggestion is very much appreciated.

hi - how is the experience of visa stamping in toronto for indian national?

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 !

Thanks to all this forum help me a lot .Finally my turn

Interview date Oct 22 ,Quebec morning 10:00
It’s a small consulate and they are particular about photo and they will look for date stamp on photo .Mine wasn’t have a date stamp but finally they accepted my photo
3rd counter is interview normal questions asked About company,employer,role,salary and said visa is approved
Got my passport back on 26