2 H1-B approved in Toronto. UNVA Graduate

[raj3810]

I am very much thankful to my friends who shared their experience and guided me throughout the journey. In addition, I am thankful to Murthy forum for providing such a platform where everyone can share his/her own experiences.

Note: On the online forums, you will see most of the people who received 221g because people who were approved visa there are less chances that they will post their experience, so please do not panic after reading the online forums that there are lots of 221g or so. The key to success is to have all the documents and be confident, if you have all the documents need not to worry at all, as all the questions are related to our documents and job only, nothing is out of the box.

We are two friends who scheduled our interviews at U.S consulate in Toronto on Nov 28 and Dec 5. Our personal experience we did not see anyone who received 221g on those two particular dates and time. We both were interviewed by Asian Visa officers.

At Toronto U.S consulate:

There are couples of paid car parking spaces available at a walk able distance from the consulate. In addition, there is Starbucks and Tim Horton’s on either side of the Consulate to have some refreshment.

Case I. I am in EVC model. (Graduated from **** in Dec 2011, Part-time CPT for 3 months)

Interview was on Nov 28, 2012 at 8.30 AM (first batch) booked the visa interview date 20 days in advance and submitted DS-160 five days before the scheduled date.

Reached the consulate at 7.50 and I was the first person in the queue. An officer will come ask to show the passport and the original Visa appointment page. Later on, one by one everyone will be asked to enter the consulate where the security officer will scan the documents and will provide a small locker area to keep cellphones, headphones and other electronic accessories.

Once done with the security check, an applicant will be asked to proceed through a glass door, after crossing the glass door an officer will place a small white sticker on the passport, which will have the name of the applicant and other details. After this, there will be an officer who will ask for the passport, I797 approval notice and DS-160 confirmation page, and will keep them in a blue folder and will ask to go to the next room, which will be on the left.

After entering the room, everyone is supposed to stand in a queue as directed by the officer; there are lots of windows in that room, chairs to sit and a TV which will display the token number and news side by side. When asked on window 1 or 2 an applicant needs to submit the blue folder which contains passport, i797 approval notice and DS-160 confirmation page, the officer on those windows will verify the PIMS information and make a note on the DS-160 confirmation page whether PIMS ok or not. Also, the officer may put a visa cancel stamp on your previous visa if it is expired and will confirm with the applicant before putting a stamp.

After submitting the blue folder, a token number will be assigned and will be asked to sit. Window 9 and 10 are for finger printing. When the token number is called and displayed on the TV e.g. V0001 proceed to the respective window for finger printing and again will be asked to sit. Windows 5, 6, 7 and 8 are the one where the Visa interview will be conducted.

Around 8.40 AM, it was my turn for the interview.

Interviewee: Good Morning Gentlemen.

Vo: Good Morning.

VO: So do you work for X company? Where is it located?

Interviewee: Yes I do work for the X company and it is located XYZ location.

VO: Is there any other location of the company?

Interviewee: Yes the X company is located at ABC location as well which is a second location of the X company.

VO: What position do you work as?

Interviewee: I work as a XYZ.

VO: How do you qualify for such a position?

Interviewee: I have done my Master’s in Computer Science and I do have experience in the same field.

VO: So, you have recently graduated and from which University?

Interviewee: Yes, I graduated in Dec 2011 from University of Northern Virginia.

VO: Since when you are working with this company?

Interviewee: Since the petition was approved and told the month when petition approved.

VO: What is your salary?

Interviewee: My annual salary is X.

VO: Show the latest pay-stub?

Interviewee: Handed over the pay stub for the last 6 months and VO gave a glance through all.

VO: Can I see the LCA?

Interviewee: Handed over the LCA.

VO: Pulled out the white form of Loomis and said I am recommending US visa for you and you will receive the passport in 3 to 5 business days.

Interviewee: thank you.

Passport information was updated online and called Loomis location on Monday morning and they asked to pick up the passport.

Note: Loomis will take time to send an email for notification, so as soon as you see online updated information call Loomis regarding the passport availability.

Case II. It’s an EC model. Graduated from **** in May 2010. (Full-time OPT used, initial H1B approved for 1 year, applied for H1-B extension approved for 3 years and went for Visa Interview on the latest approved H1B). Different employer during OPT and different clients too.

Interview was on Dec 5, 2012 at 8.30 AM.

All the questions (please note) and procedure were same as Case I only thing was not asked to show any of the documents.

In both the cases, the passport was received on Monday morning around 11 AM.

If you have all the documents need not to worry as all the questions are easy and important thing is self confidence and you should be ready to give any document if asked.

Canadian Visa Procedure:

First, you need to get Canadian visiting visa, either multiple visit or single visit. You can either mail your docs (which would take around 1 month to get your passport back) and go in person( You can get visa in 3 days from New York).

Required docs for canadian visa are

http://www.cic.gc.ca...ations/visa.asp

Following are the documents i carried:

1. Application form (5257 E, 5645 E Family Information, 5257 B, 5484 E forms)

2. Family Information

3. Copy of I 797 form

4. Employment Letter

5. Paystubs

6. 2 photographs

7. Bank Statements for 3 months

Reason for Canadian visa can be H1-B stamping or Visitor.

The fee per person is $150 for a multiple entry visa, $75 for a single entry visa.

Affordable and clean places to stay in Toronto, Canada:

To book rooms for affordable price and clean please visit these links: hostelbookers.com or hostellingtoronto.com. If reserving a rental car, do it in advance from the Pearson international Airport and you can book a mid-size car for a week with GPS for around $150.00

Documents an H1-B applicant needs to carry for Visa interview:

1. Passport and Passport copies of all pages

2. DS-160 confirmation page (Barcode printout)

3. Original Visa interview appointment letter

4. Employer agreement / Employment contract letter signed by you and Employer Company (Original) / Contract between candidate and petitioner

5. Offer letter from the current Employer

6. Pay stubs for the last 2 years

7. Experience letter from the previous jobs

8. Employer letter/ Employment Verification Letter

9. Client Letter – Make sure Client mention Petitioner’s name in the Letter

10. W2’s and Tax Returns (for the entire period of your stay in USA)

11. Bank statements for last 2 years highlighting Direct deposits

12. Updated Resume

13. I 20's (All Original)

14. OPT Cards

15. Work location pictures (not necessary)

16. Client ID/Badge, Employer ID/Badge

17. Timesheets/status reports

18. Client location photos (optional) (not necessary)

19. Two passport size photographs as per specification

20. Work Experience Certificates, reference letters, appreciation certificates from previous or current employer/s (from the start of your career)

21. All Original Academic Credentials along with mark sheets(MS, BTECH, INTER, 10^th)

22. SSN card

23. Driver’s license

24. H1B data collection and filing fee exemption supplement

25. H classification supplement to form I129

26. H1B visa petition and supporting docs filed with USCIS

27. I-797 – Original

28. I-129 &H1B cover letter

29. Copy of LCA

30. Previous I-797A and LCA (If any)

Probable Visa interview questions:

MASTERS Questions:

• Did you do your master's in United States? / Did you study in US?

• How long u been in states?

• What is your highest degree?

• What was your major?

• Where did you do your Masters? / Which university?

• When did you complete your MS? / When did you graduate?

• Can I see your MS certificate?

• Any Specific/ specialization courses u did in MS?

CPT/OPT Questions:

• What did you do after your Master's or Graduation?

• Where did you start working? / To which company did you start working?

• Which companies you worked for prior to the current employer company?

• Was your role in your previous job was xxxxx?

• Who have been your employers since you graduated?

• For which company did you work in the past?

• What were you doing before you were with your employer?

H1B Questions:

• How long you been working in United States?

• Is this your first H-1b?

• Since how long have you been on H1?

• From which place did you come to Canada? / Where did you come from?

• Where you on different project than the project when your petitioner filed you H-1B?

• Are you applying for the same company or other?

• What visa were you in USA before? On F1 - now on H1B status, came here for H1B stamping?

PERSONAL:

• Where do you live? / Where do you stay?

• Are you married?

• Do you have any arrested history or did any law enforcement officials contacted you? Never sir?

• When you last visited India?

• Have you ever been out of the country?

• What is your location right now?

EMPLOYER Questions:

• Are you working with XXXX company ? / Who is your employer? / Whom do you work for? / Who is petitioning for you today? / Who is your petitioner?

• Where is your employer located?

• Who is your CEO?

• Address of employer?

• What is your qualification for this job?

• What is your employer business? / What's your employer? / What does your employer do? / What is your company about?

• What do you do for your company? / What are your duties/roles and responsibilities? / What is your title and what do u do for your employer? / What is your designation? / What is your job? / What is your role in your company?

• Can you please elaborate the duties?

• How much duration u r working with your employer? / How long you been working with your employer? / When did you join your employer?

• What is your annual salary? / How much do you get paid? / How much is your income? / What is your pay?

• Do you discuss pay and wages with your employer? Yes, I do discuss, but as of now, am very happy with what he is paying.

• Why is your salary fluctuating? Why there is deduction on paystubs? / Why so much change in salary?

• Show me ur bank statements

• Why is your pay less in last year W2?

• Show me your W2 worked for your employer.

• Show me your pay stubs

• Where do you work at?

• How do you like xxxxx place?

• Do you have any issues/problems with your employer?

• How do you get your work assignments?

• Does your employer know about your projects?

• Whom do you report to? What you will report to your employer?

• How do you report to your employer? - Weekly status call, biweekly status report, stand-up calls when necessary

• Who will allocate the work? XXX person from my company and XXX manager from client will co-ordinate and XXX person from my company will allocate the work.

• Is there any gap (sitting idle) during change of the clients? / Are you on bench? / Does your company ever bench you?

• I can see that your employer does not pay on time? No I get pay on time. (Please be more confident this time. Say it’s always on time)

• Does your employer maintain employer-employee relationship? How?

• How many employees does your employer have, and any one work in same location with you?

• How your employer and Vendor are related?

• Are you satisfied with all the companies you work or worked for?

• Are you happy with your employer?

CLIENT Questions:

• From what time who have been working with your current client?

• How long with client and employer? / Same time with employer and Client?

• Do you have an end client? Do you have client letter?

• Who is your End client?

• What do they do?

• How long you been working with your end client? / How many months you worked for this client? / How much duration you are working with Client?

• Do you travel to client place? / Do you travel every week to client location?

• What is your position with the client?

• Where is your client located?

• How far Client is from your place?

• Do you work at a client site?

• Any other employees working from your company at client?

• What do you work at Client? / What is your work at client location?

Explain same as in client letter

• Do you have supervisor/manager at XXX client and what is his name?

• How long is the project with your client

VENDOR Questions:

• Do you have vendor? / Do you have any layers?

• What does your vendor do?

• Do you have any one between your client and employer

• How come your Vendor found your client?

PER DIEM Questions: ( Shankar - I have no idea about this can you explain about Per Diem?)

Why per diem is on your pay stub? (It does not count as salary. Your salary has to match or exceed the salary listed on the LCA)

Why you didn’t have per diem earlier?

Why it’s only starting from this year?

Why you dint have per diem when project started?

BACHELORS/F1 VISA Questions:

• Where you did your bachelors? Is it technical?

• Did you do your undergraduate in US?

CLIENT QUESTIONS over the email or phone, if 221g received or received an email of further Administration processing:

In case consulate send an email to Client for further processing. You may prepare your answers and send them to your Client manager if he/she is okay with it to reply as you mention. Here are the list of questions:

· Who (you/preferred vendor/petitioner) supervises the applicant, and is such supervision off-site or on-site?

• Who does the applicant report to for work assignments?

• Who completes the applicant’s progress reviews?

Who reports to the Client Manager? How often Client manager being reported?

· If the supervision is off-site and performed by the petitioner, how does the petitioner maintain such supervision i.e. weekly calls, reporting to the main office routinely, or site visits by the petitioner?

· Who has the right to control the work of the applicant on a day-to-day basis if such control is required?

· Who determines the direction of the project?

· Who determines the applicant’s daily activities?

· Who provides the tools or instrumentalities for the applicant to perform the duties of employment?

· Who hires, pays, and has the ability to fire the applicant?

· Who claims the beneficiary for tax purposes?

· Who provides the beneficiary with employee benefits?

Also, If 221 (G) is issued, U.S. embassy will try to reach the client manager and the employer asking the above questions so all the three candidate, employer and client needs to be on the same page. As soon as they reply to the questionaire via email or phone, the case will be processed and maximum time taken till now upto my knowledge is 2 to 4 weeks. Also, it is asked sometime to the client how soon do you need this candidate to be back and if the client replies that we need him back and there is work pending, this helps to process the case much faster. One thing is sure, once 221 (g) is issued then everything depends on the client and employers response.

PIMS

Note: Make sure that you Verify PIMS by sending an email to for Toronto

contactus_en_CA@usvisa-info.com,

TRTNIV@state.gov,

PIMS@state.gov

For Vancouver: vancouverNIV@state.gov.

PIMS (verifying the details of approved petitions through the Petition Information Management Service (PIMS) via the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD)

Send this 1 week prior to your appointment to avoid 2-3 days of delay after your visa interview.

You will not get any response from the consulate but it works.

TO: PIMS@state.gov,

Hi Sir/Madam,

I am XXX bearing Indian passport: XXX, I have an appointment for visa stamping on XXX, I would like to verify my information in PIMSdatabase.

Please find the attached petition (I-797) and appointment confirmation for more details.

Details:

Appointment confirmation:

Receipt Number:

Petitioner:

Beneficiary:

Passport Number:

DOB:

Classification:

Starting Validity Date:

Ending Validity Date:

Thank you!

XXX

But from all the three e-mail address whom I sent the above email for updating PIMS I received a response was: we are the technical support group and if you have any questions contact on the below listed number of the embassy, so sending the email is not at all helpful.

Wish you all the best,

Raj.