H1B Stamping Common Muslim Name Misconception!!!!

[hai_there]

Hello,

 

I have been lurking on the forum for a long time now. Last week I had come to Canada for my H1B Stamping. Reading at the horror stories on this forum of how a common muslim name can take months of Administrative Processing and theres no one who escapes it, I was very nervous and mentally fully prepared and very sad at the same time thinking I would be stuck for no reason whatsoever.

 

However to my surprise, it went the totally opposite.

 

Country of Citizen : Pakistan

Name : First and last name is a very common muslim name :P

Consulate: -------

 

I applied for a Canadian visitor visa and got approved for 3 years. PHEW!!!

 

I spent days and hours sorting my endless amount of documents that I had procured during my time in the states. When I copied each and every document, it was a total of 300 pages!!!!!!!! several i20's, passport copies, several transcripts, several USCIS papers e.t.c.

 

A little back ground about me, I came to USA as a visitor, changed my status to F1, did BS and then MS (from good programs) then did OPT, OPT extension and finally H1B at a known company.

 

Couldn't sleep the night before the interview!!

 

Date of interview:

Walked in with a bag pack, I was told I can't carry it in with me. (bad start) so I rushed to a shop nearby and paid the guy to hold the bag for me or else I would have thrown it away.

 

***skipping all the checkin part***

 

Went to the window, it was a white male, he was asking a lot of questions from everyone and was checking each and every document. Literally interrogating them, so I was hoping I don't end up with him, but I did and it paid off!

 

VO: Can I see your passport

Me: Handed both my current Passport and i797

VO: Do you have any employer verification letter

Me: Luckily I had a one month old letter I had used for my rental application, I handed that to him

VO: You were working with them before?

Me: Yes, first on OPT then stem extension. Do you want to see my OPT cards?

VO: No, I just need to enter on my system here that's all.

Me: oh no problem

VO: You're visa has been approved, you'll get you passport in a few days.

Me: Oh is that all?

VO: Yes.

Me: Thank you very much!!!!!!!

 

I was so surprised, he didnt check my old passports, my approvals, transcripts pay stubs. Just two pieces of paper is all he saw.

 

BUT at this moment I was still nervous, because a lot of people with common muslim name on the forums were put into AP even after the approval by officer. So I kept checking 100's time and the next day the status was changed to ISSUED!!!!!

 

I just collected my passports and am returning back to the greatest country on EARTH!!!!!!!

 

On an end note, while I think a lot of people are being put into AP if theyre from a certain origin, but it seems like there may be many others like me who are not, but those people don't share their experiences online and only resort to forums when they need help and are in such situations.

 

Be positive and good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

p.s don't forget to ask your mother to pray for you, it's all because of her prayers (: