Visa stamping done in Toronto

[manojonline123]

Since I benefitted from reading the discussion on this forum, it is just fair that I share my experience with H1b stamping in Toronto.

 

I have lived in US for almost 9 years and this was my 4th H1b stamping (based on approved I140 petition). I selected Toronto because it was closest to NYC. I believe I took the appointment more than 3 months back and this was the earliest date available in Canada.

 

My appointment was on Oct 28th, Tuesday at 8 AM. I reached outside the embassy just 10 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. On getting in, it was usual check of the documents at the first window. The lady who checked started writing something on my application form - starting with P I M...my heart started pounding. But she wrote PIMS ok. I was relieved :-)

 

She asked me move to the fingerprinting window. After getting fingerprinting done, I waited for my interview. There were only two interview window - a man and a lady officer. As I waited, I saw that the guy was processing and approving the visa very quickly while the lady officer was taking unusually long time and she rejected two applicants in succession. I was hoping to be not called by the lady officer. And then came the moment. Both the guy and the lady finished with their candidates at the same time but the guy was quick to hit the button first and I got called to his window.

 

He asked him if I had ever been on student visa. Then he asked about my first employer - Lehman Brother and we joked about it. After couple of minutes, came the statement - your visa is approved. Nothing asked about paystubs, bank statements, tax statements, W2, employment letter etc at any stage.

 

The usual processing time given for the return of stamped passport is 4-5 business days. I had booked my return flight for NY for Friday evening.

 

The next day, the visa status moved to "Processing" on the website. No movement in the status till Thursday night. I was keeping my fingers crossed for receiving the passport back by Friday. I checked out of the hotel on Friday morning but with the mind made up that I would have to check back in.

 

Luckily, the passport showed up on the tracking website on Friday morning around 10 PM. I picked up my passport on the way to the airport and took the evening flight back home.

 

No hassles. Everything went smoothly.

 

If anybody has any questions, let me know. I am on manojonline123@gmail.com.

 

Thanks

Manoj