Ottawa : Visa stamping Experience

[popeyeg]

Hello.

I Wanted to share +ve experience at Ottawa Embassy for H1-B & H-4 visa stmaping.

We had 8:00 AM Appointment and we did reach on time, unfortunately my wife's photo was year old so they asked me to get one from Black's (in Rideau center). Keeping our head cool, we got the new picture and went back to embassy around 8:30.

There are essentially 5 steps before you will be called for interview.

1. Front Door Security verifies your appointment confirmation email and let you in

2. You pass through "Airport" type security screening

3. Another consular office will verify Your I-797 and Appointment Letter. You will be asked to go to specific counter to submit your documents.

4. At counter, you submit documents and given token

5. You will be called in to another counter for finger prints and asked to be wait for your interview.

The entire process takes about 30 minutes or so.

At every step, staff was very friendly and easy to talk to. I think I must have talked to them from the pictures in their cube, to sports, to weather.

Our interview was short and sweet.

1. I was asked what I do for my company?

2. My wife was asked what she does ?

Overall it was over in 2 minutes. Didn't check single document. We were carrying quite few

Passport will be delivered in 48 hours. I didn't check the tracking number till the next day evening when I got notified that passports were picked up from Embassy. I called to DHL second day morning to ask, whether I can pick up and they said yes. I end up picking them in the late afternoon.

Hope this helps. BTW, I am FT Employee for 6 years. I have done all my previous stamping in Canada. This is my Post-6 year stamping.

PS: Its bit cold in Ottawa, carry light jacket or sleeve.