Successful H1B Stamping @Vancouver Feb

[dele]

I had a successful H1B Visa stamping experience @ Vancouver. These are my notes

• I work directly for my company
  
• This is my second H1B stamping. The first one was also done in Vancouver
  
• I waited for about an hour outside on the line before being called in for the security screening (i.e. the screening that takes place downstairs before u go up to the first floor). The long wait was because there were 2 lines - one for visa applicants and the other line for American Citizens who wanted consular services and there were just 2 people doing the screening.
  
• On the first floor, it only took about 2 minutes before I was fingerprinted and then sent upstairs to the 20th floor.
  
• On the 20th floor, there were 2 people in front of me for non-immigrant visa interview.
  
• I waited for about 15 minutes before being called for my interview with the visa officer (VO)
  
  • Me: Hello. How are you?
    
  • VO: I'm good. How are you?
    
  • Me: Fine. <I passed across my passport and 1-797 approval form>
    
  • VO: <Looking at the screen, probably at my work location> Oh, you live in a beautiful city. I love the place, been there before. It's quite nice.
    
  • Me: Yes <We chit chat a bit about the location>
    
  • VO: How long have you been on H1B?
    
  • Me: X number of years, been with the same company
    
  • VO: <Types and does some stuff on her machine>What do you do for them?
    
  • Me: <Give very very brief description>
    
  • VO: What's your degree in?
    
  • Me: <I answer. Since I had my certificate with me, I showed it to her. Note that she did not ask for it. I volunteered it>
    
  • VO: <Continues typing> What degree is that, Masters?
    
  • Me: Yes, Masters
    
  • VO: Your visa has been approved <gives me a sheet of paper> It will be delivered within 3 - 5 business days
    
  • I think the whole thing took about 5 mins. She didn't ask me for any documents but I took all my documents.
    

  [*]I had read in some posts that DHL sends the email for passport pickup by the next evening. I didn't get any email from DHL by the next evening. In fact, I never received any email from DHL at all (even as at the time of putting up this post)

  [*]My interview was on a Monday. As at midnight on Tuesday, I had not received any email from DHL and my status page on the visa website did not show any waybill number

  [*]On Wednesday morning, (around 6:30 AM), I checked DHL website (using my reference number) and saw an entry that my passport was picked up on Tuesday night around 6:30 PM. Note that DHL says their hours of operation is 9 - 6 PM but they did a pickup after 6

  [*]I then logged into the visa website and saw that I now had a way bill number.

  [*]I returned to DHL website and saw another entry with a status of undeliverable

  [*]Called DHL and the customer service officer told me it meant my passport was ready for pick-up. I asked her why it was showing undeliverable. She said it's just a code that the system assigns the package once they scan it, maybe because they are not going to deliver it themselves. Note that I had still not received an email at this point.

  [*]I stayed in downtown Vancouver and Google maps showed me the DHL office in Richmond was on my way to the airport. Google Maps said to stop off at Sea Island Center Train station which I did. But it's not a very short walk to DHL office (coupled with the fact that I had my bag with me).

  [*]At the DHL office, I asked the guy the shortest way to get to the airport since I could see the tower. He laughed and asked me if I stopped at Sea Island center to which I answered Yes. He told me to walk in the opposite direction. According to him - 'There is no walk path or anything like that but if you just follow the road, it should only take you about 5 mins to the airport.

  [*]The guy was right. In less than 5 minutes I was at the airport, at the point where you board the Sky train to go into town. In summary, if you're going to fly out of vancouver, take the train to the airport, and then walk to DHL office from the airport. It's much shorter that way than walking from Sea Island Train Station.

[Well]

Thanks for the information deedee. It would be really helpfull for us who are planning to attend for stamping.

[Vinayprirajin84]

Congratulations and thanks for the information. This is in deed a very helpful information.

NOTE ::: to all the guys still looking at the DHL service that the passport is not ready for pickup ... please check this out. ...

[vsnaveen1]

You gave us the very detailed information .

Thank you

[hsnariya2003]

which one is reference ID ? is it DS 160 number ?