Sucessful Stamping in Calgary!

alladi333

By alladi333,
in H1B : Visa Stamp

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alladi333 Advanced Member

alladi333

Posted
Posted

Hello all,

I want to share my visa stamping experience in Calgary, Canada on 26th March, 2012. I was there with a couple of my friends who came for stamping as well, We are F1 - H1B (Change of status), two of us working in EVC and one in EC model. I will share my experience here (EVC),

Day one (Travel to Calgary):

I bought my one way ticket from Expedia, I would suggest getting one-way ticket, as you are not sure what happens. I agree it may cost you more, but not more than what you pay, if you have to re-schedule your ticket. My flight was at 4:00 PM on Sunday, and landed there at 10:30PM local time, you will be asked to fill an immigration form in the flight and take it to an immigration officer, as i mentioned I would stay for 6 days, I was re-directed to another officer, who asked me to show my interview confirmation letter and then stamped my passport.

Stay:

We were staying at HI Hostels, which I wont recommend if you have not stayed in any hostel in your life-time. But It is good to stay for one night before the Interview as it is only a few blocks (5 minutes walk) from US Consulate. You can get a shuttle from airport for $15 to the downtown or you can get a cab for $35 and the room per day will cost you $28, which you can reserve online.

Interview Day:

Our interview's were half an hour apart from each. So I am going to give my interview details here. My intervew was at 9:00AM, I started at 8:15 and went a cafe next to Consulate and had a bagel and coffee and was at Consulate at 8:30 AM which is located in Rock mount plaza (Intersection of Macleod trail and 7th avenue). You cannot carry a bag, cell phone or keys to the interview, if you have to carry a bag or some thing which is not allowed into Consulate, you can rent a locker at the stores (Photocopy) in the plaza for $5 and leave them in there.

There was an initial security screening and then the lady who will be sitting there will asked me for the type of visa I was there for and documents related to the Visa, In my case I have submitted:

1. I 797,

2. Passport,

3. LCA and I 129,

4. Paystubs (Last 6 months), W2's Last two years.

5. Employer letter,

6. Employer agreement,

7. Employer letter to the consulate.

8. Client letter (which I did not submit here).

She took all the documents and bundled them and lebeled my passport with my details, gave those to me and asked me to sit. After a few minutes a security personnel came and called the names whose documents were ready (Around 10 people), He then guided all of us to 10th floor in the same building and where there was second security screening and once it was done, I was given a token and asked to wait till my number is displayed. I had to wait for 20-25 minutes to see my number for the first time, Once my nuber was displayed, I went to associated counter which was on the display, The lady in the counter asked me to pass my documents, verified them and told me to wait for my token to be displayed for the second time. For the second time it took little bit longer, around 30 minutes (They have not yet started any interview's yet). Afer a wait of 30 minutes, my token was displayed for second time and this time, I took a oath, that I am aware of everything on my file is true. And I have been ten printed at this point (4+4+2). Again was aked to sit. And have wait for my final call for the interview. So all the interview's were started at 10:00 AM. After about 20 minutes of wait my token was displayed for the third time.

Window # 4

Me: Good morning.

VO: Good morning.

VO: What do you do?

Me: Said my role here.

VO: What company do you work for?

Me: ABC Corp.

VO: How long have you been working there?

Me: X Years.

VO: Did you work on OPT?

Me: Yes, for the same company ABC Corp.

VO: Can I see you OPT card?

Me: Then I realized, I forgot my OPT card, but luckily had a photocopy, which I passed on to VO.

VO: What happened to the card?

Me: I forgot to bring.

After taking a look at all the documents (Pay stubs, W2's and bank statements), VO passed me all my documents exept keeping I 797 and Passport. At this point I though, I got my visa, But....

VO: Do you work at client location?

Me: Yes.

VO: Do you have anything from client?

Me: Yes, I do and passed on the client letter.

(Which I had from my client with all the necessary information addressing Employee-Employer relationship and with the details of the company I work for).

VO: Can I see your Client ID/Badge?

Me: I don't have any client ID, But I get in using my company ID, Which I passed on to the VO.

Gave everything back exept I 797 and Passport.

VO: How do you report to your employer? Comference calls? and what about performance reviews?

Me: Yes, through conference calls, and passed on my Timesheets, Weekly status reports and Quarterly performance reviews for last 12 months.

VO: Whom do you report to?

Me: My manager at ABC Corp.

I think she googled my manager's name at this point, which I could guess from her typing.

VO: So you did Master's in XXX?

Me: No, In YYY and from a well reputed University.

Gave all the documents back exept I 797 and Passport and said your Visa is approved, you can collect it on Wednesday or Thursday.

By 12:00 noon all of our interviews were done, and most of them who attended for the interview that day got approved. We had our lunch at Maharaja Indian restaurant, which is located next to the consulate.

Passport:

We received an email from loomis the next day (Tuesday) evening around 4:50 PM (Once you receive an email from loomis, it will be ready for your pickup, don't bother about the status to be changed to "Ready to pickup", Loomis at Calgary will be open till 7:00 PM and If you stay in Downtown Calgary, it will cost you around $35 to and fro in a cab). I booked my return ticket (Which was not expensive, again from expedia) on Wednesday at 12:15 PM, Before going to airport, I picked up my passport form Loomis which is on the way to the Airport.

In Airport:

Flying from Canada, you don't have to go through the Immigration check in US port of entry, But It will be done at Canadian airports, I have filled my I-94 (My I 94 was taken, when I left US) and customs form and went to an immigration officer, I was asked what do you do and I mentioned my role on H1B document and I was through the immigration and landed in the states on Wednesday evening.

I would recomend to carry all the documents, You never know what VO is going to ask you for.

Places where I eat (take it or leave it):

Maharaja Indian restaurant (Above average)Next to Consulate (Mac leod trail).

Mango Shiva (Indian-Western) Good and expensive. Stephens avenue, where you can find most of the restaurants and 10 minutes walk from HI Hostels.

Royal Indian cuising (Above average) 3rd avenue, 15 minutes walk from HI Hostels.

Falafel King (Good) Stephens avenue.

If you are a foodie, there are a lot of restaurants you can try on Stephens avenue.

Please post If you have questions, I will be happy to provide you the information I know.

**Please do not conclude or assume anything from this post, It is solely my experience.**

Good Luck!

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alladi333 Advanced Member

alladi333

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Missed to include the documents I carried.

Documents:

1. I 797, I 129, LCA

2. Passport

3. Pay stubs for the last 2 years.

4. Bank statements for last 1 years highlighting Direct deposits

5. Tax returns with W2s (Last two years)

6. Employee Tax returns 3 years.

7. Quarterly unemployment wage reports for last 6 quarters and Employers list (Org chart)

8. Notarized list of all employees from my company

9. Client letter

10. Vendor letter

11. SOW (Vendor - Client)

12. Work Orders (Employer - Vendor)

13. Proof of payment

14. Employer letter

15. Employer agreement

16. Experience letter

17. Project documents

18. Organization Structure

19. I 20's

20. OPT Cards

21. Work location pictures

22. Client ID/Badge, Employer ID/Badge

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Kriss.gv Member

Kriss.gv

Posted
Posted

Hello,

Congrats on your approval.

have a few questions:

when you say whom you report to ? did you gave you client manager's name or employer managers name ?

and can you tell me how the client letter should be, you said it explains something like employee -employer relation and all.

please do send me at kris dot gv at gmail dot com

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alladi333 Advanced Member

alladi333

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hello,

Congrats on your approval. Thanks!

have a few questions:

when you say whom you report to ? did you gave you client manager's name or employer managers name ? Employer Manager.

and can you tell me how the client letter should be, you said it explains something like employee -employer relation and all. Same format which is sent when filing H1B Petition

please do send me at kris dot gv at gmail dot com

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...
alladi333 Advanced Member

alladi333

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I don't stay/work in LA, Post your questions here, If not me, some one else can answer your questions.

Here is my Canada visa experience:

http://forum.murthy.com/index.php?/topic/35322-canada-visa-stamping-in-la/page__p__129736#entry129736

Thanks Southwest! Congrats on the visa... Since you work for ABC and your user tag is southwest, do you live in LA? I live in Palmdale... Let me know: d.meda@me.com. I have a few questions regarding the process. I'm going for my Canada tourism visa in LA tomorrow (4/11). Thanks!

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  • 5 months later...
Sonu11 Advanced Member

Sonu11

Posted
Posted

Hi Southwest,

Congrats!!! on your successful stamping.

I have a few questions for you, can you please answer them.

Actually I am working on EC model with the same client for more than a year and with the same employer.

1. I have worked with two different clients during my OPT,so do I need to mention all the employers in OPT while filling out DS-160?

2.Coming to the resume, I have submitted the 6 pages of resume including the india's experience when applying at the client's place so do I need to take the same resume or just include the work experience in my OPT in US which comes around 2 pages.Does the VO take your resume and keep with them ??

3.What will be the best place to stay and transportation to take?

Please let me know the answers for the 3 questions..

Thanks,

Sonu.

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  • 2 weeks later...
alladi333 Advanced Member

alladi333

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Here you go....

1. I have worked with two different clients during my OPT,so do I need to mention all the employers in OPT while filling out DS-160?

As far as I know, you have to mention all your employment past 5 years (Consult your company attorney).

2.Coming to the resume, I have submitted the 6 pages of resume including the india's experience when applying at the client's place so do I need to take the same resume or just include the work experience in my OPT in US which comes around 2 pages.Does the VO take your resume and keep with them ??

It has to be your work experience doesn't matter OPT or H1B.

3.What will be the best place to stay and transportation to take?

I was at Calgary Hostels nothing cozy, shared rooms but close to consulate, which I have mentioned in my first post, you will get what you pay for.

Good Luck!

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  • 1 year later...
areddy1234 Advanced Member

areddy1234

Posted
Posted

I have not seen anywhere that a USA education is needed...to go for stamping......we can go either to canada or Mexico.....

Southwest are you sure about this?

Yes, it is sure! Please check the embassys website in canada and mexico where you can attend interview. it is clearly mentioned there. Even though few people took a chance, it is not advisable. Consult with an attorney before you take a step.

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