Visa stamping got Approved in Vancouver on Jun 11th EVC Model.

[sthamago]

Visa stamping got Approved in Vancouver on Jun 11^th EVC Model.

 

First of thank you very much for Murthy forum and all the members of it who keep helping on all different questions raised by everyone.

Below is the Murthy forum url posted by one of the forum member which helped me a lot to carry all the documents which needed and prepare for the interview.

 

http://forum.murthy.com/index.php?/topic/47718-complete-package-h1b-stamping-questions-checklist-pims-client-questions-all-in-one/

 

Before we enter into the US embassy building the initial check up at the gate is about our DS 160 and Passport and Interview appointment letter.

 

Then they ask whether we bought any mobile phone with us if yes they keep it in a locker and hand a token to us which is free of cost. They allow car keys, valet and jacket along with us inside. Car parking is right in front of embassy for $15 for whole day.

 

Later they do the security check which is similar to airport security checkup. Then the first step in ground floor of the building is they collect our DS 160 Passport and Appointment letter and give us token number to wait (I waited about 25 mins here) for our finger printing (screen 1 display) . Once after finger printing we get back the DS 160, Passport to us to carry with us to floor 20 which is escorted us by the security guard on duty only once we have our token number shown on the (screen 2) display for 20^th floor. After going to 20^th floor there is again a screen which displays our token number pointed to which counter number waited for 3 minutes for my turn.

 

My Interview was on Jun 11^th Vancouver at 10:30 am (but I was early there at 8:35 and was allowed inside and I came out done with everything by 10:05 am)

 

My case is EVC Model (and I have done my H1 amendment)

Interview questions at Counter 6:-

Me:- Good Morning Sir how are you and handed over him my Passport and I-797

VO:- I am fine how are you with smiling face

Me:- I am fine sir thank you

 

VO:- How long are you working for this employer

Me:- XXX years and XXX Months

 

VO:- What’s your designation?

Me:- I am an XXX DeXXXXper

 

VO:- Do you have an End Client?

Me:- Yes

 

VO:- What’s your client Name?

Me:- told XXX Client

 

Vo:-  Show me the Letter

Me:- handed over it to VO

 

VO:- give me your LCA and W2 as well

Me:- handed over it to VO

 

VO:- How long are you working for this client?

Me:- Since XXX Months

 

VO:- which client did you work before?

Me:- told him at YYY Client

 

VO:- where was it located

Me:- told him yyy location

 

VO:- How long will your current project will at your present client

Me:- said long term and I was still waiting for other questions to answer to VO if he asks

 

VO:- did you do your masters here

Me:- answered

 

VO:- I am approving your visa and handed over the paper which contains the details how and where to collect the passport and returned back my Client letter, LCA and W2 and kept my I-797 and passport with him.

Me:- Thank you Sir

 

My interview with VO was lasted just 30 seconds only. It was really quick. I hardly stayed 4 mins on 20^th floor.

 

Few Things which worry while we plan to Canada/Vancouver visit for stamping.

Transportation :- is good anywhere you stay in and around Vancouver. Anyway if you take rental car is a good option as the roads here are less traffic and easy drive around anywhere.(if you feel to take cabs you end up paying more than what you pay for rental cars). Call to your insurance provider and make sure they provide insurance in Canada when you visit temporarily.

 

Canadian Dollars:- if you have Bank of America debit card you can directly withdraw Canadian dollars in Scotia Bank atms (they are plenty scotia bank atms) any number of times with no charges (some of my frnds exchanged USD to CAD at airport it cost more to them). If you keep swiping your USA Credit card everywhere there is a exchange fee on each transaction we do.

 

Stay:- Stay in a good hotel which has good wifi atleast for 2 days until your interview even though its costly. Once you have your interview you can move to any place for less price (anyway whole Vancouver city is not more than 1 hour from one end to other end). I stayed in Grouse Inn @ North Vancouver which was okay with wifi and pleasant stay with parking facility and it was 5km away from embassy hardly takes 15 min to embassy by car and 20 mins by bus.

 

Food:- Food is good everywhere and you get all kinds of food (we used yelp to search thai, indian and rest of the foods easily)

 

Phone Calls:- Its better to add some roaming minutes to your plan the day before you enter Canada.

 

Flight tickets:- if you book one way to Canada also its fine. Once you got approval and loomis information you can book return even though its bit costly.

 

Port of entry questions:- Once we land in Canada from USA the POE questions are why are you here and how many days you will be here and where do you stay. And there is no end date given at immigration check for visitors visa holders as US Visitor Visa does it for 90 days.

 

After visa interview is done we can check the status on https://ceac.state.gov/CEACStatTracker/Status.aspx?eQs=WwjqOlbeRYzCYubaSQI+RA==

 

For me initially on 11^th June it showed as “admin processing” and next day on 12^th Jun it changed to “Issued”. Its happening in the same way for others too. So nothing to worry.

 

Once it showed issued on Jun 12^th night in the https://usvisa-info.com/en-CA/selfservice/verify_account

It showed :- Applicant status :- Passport in Transit and 13^th Morning 6 am it changed to “in Facilty” and at 8:30 am it changed to “ready for Pickup”.

 

No Need to wait for email from Loomis just keep checking the above sites for the info.

Jun 12^th 9:30 am collected the Passport and I-797 at Loomis location.

 

Places to see:-

1) I-99N drive (drive between ocean and mountains, it’s a beautiful and awesome drive), 

2) Mountain top (you can see whole Vancouver city view from top of the mountain), 

3) Stanley park…..

4) capilano suspension bridge, 

5) Whistler and whale show

 

 

PIMS
 

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, 
vancouverNIV@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 inPIMS database.

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

 

 

One thing about I-94 :-

 

When we start from USA to Canada:- make sure the I-94 is picked by immigration in the US Airport itself. Mine it was not and still its in my passport and I need to figure it out where I need to send it after returning back to USA.

 

After Visa Approval: - friend who left from Vancouver yesterday and today they told me that while returning back to USA the I-94 process became electronic and we don’t get any I-94 stapled to our passport.

 

I met around 12 people among them only 2 got 221g they have all the docs which required (which only means further verification like end client or employer), however heard that they do the verification quick and hoping to hear from them by next week. If VO feels they want to further verify something in additional then only they issue 221g and its nothing related to rejection.

 

The other 10 got approved and what I feel is if you have all the documents everybody gets their visa approved on the spot.

 

Make sure your client letter has your petitioner name on it.

 

For all the other people i met here everybody has different kind of questions some were asked to show documents some were not depends by time and VO.

 

If I re-collect any more info to share with our Murthy Forum friends I will do add it in the same post later.

 

Wish you all good luck to who all are planning to visit for stamping soon.

[Guest]

Thanks for the info..!!

[banumyname]

Thanks for the information, This post is so helpful.

[sthamago]

 

 

One thing about I-94 :-

 

When we start from USA to Canada:- make sure the I-94 is picked by immigration in the US Airport itself. Mine it was not and still its in my passport and I need to figure it out where I need to send it after returning back to USA.

 

 

Hi All:- I traveled back to USA and at Immigration at Vancouver Airport i was asked below questions

1) How are you today? and where are you going? and checked the Visa on Passport (now there is no I-94 issued as it became electronic)

 

And I have mentioned him that previous I-94 while travelling from USA to Canada was not picked by anyone.

Then he took it and said I will take care of it and send it to concerned immigration dept.

 

 

 

[pa1thak]

@sthamago

 

One thing about I-94 :-

 

When we start from USA to Canada:- make sure the I-94 is picked by immigration in the US Airport itself. Mine it was not and still its in my passport and I need to figure it out where I need to send it after returning back to USA.

even my I94 was not removed at the border crossing but US consulate at Ottawa kept it after they approved my Visa.

 

Hi All:- I traveled back to USA and at Immigration at Vancouver Airport i was asked below questions

1) How are you today? and where are you going? and checked the Visa on Passport (now there is no I-94 issued as it became electronic)

And I have mentioned him that previous I-94 while travelling from USA to Canada was not picked by anyone.

Then he took it and said I will take care of it and send it to concerned immigration dept.

 

I was issued new I94 at the US/CAN border crossing. This is not the regular i94 that you need to fill out. The officer filled my details on the system and attached the printed i94 to my passport. It took less than 10 minutes here as not many people crossing the border are on H1. 

[sthamago]

@sthamago

 

One thing about I-94 :-

 

When we start from USA to Canada:- make sure the I-94 is picked by immigration in the US Airport itself. Mine it was not and still its in my passport and I need to figure it out where I need to send it after returning back to USA.

even my I94 was not removed at the border crossing but US consulate at Ottawa kept it after they approved my Visa.

 

Hi All:- I traveled back to USA and at Immigration at Vancouver Airport i was asked below questions

1) How are you today? and where are you going? and checked the Visa on Passport (now there is no I-94 issued as it became electronic)

And I have mentioned him that previous I-94 while travelling from USA to Canada was not picked by anyone.

Then he took it and said I will take care of it and send it to concerned immigration dept.

 

I was issued new I94 at the US/CAN border crossing. This is not the regular i94 that you need to fill out. The officer filled my details on the system and attached the printed i94 to my passport. It took less than 10 minutes here as not many people crossing the border are on H1. 

on which date was it?

[thumbadg]

Hi Srikalyan -

Congratulations!!

And thank you so much for wonderful information posted here.

I have 2 questions:

1. What should be the answers at Canada Port of Entry (POE)?

2. All together how much expense we can expect excluding Candian VISA fee?

 

Thanks in advance. 

[sthamago]

Hi Srikalyan -

Congratulations!!

And thank you so much for wonderful information posted here.

I have 2 questions:

1. What should be the answers at Canada Port of Entry (POE)?

2. All together how much expense we can expect excluding Candian VISA fee?

 

Thanks in advance. 

1. Once we land in Vancouver, Canada Airport we will be asked why you are visiting Canada, where do you stay and how long.

2. Trip cost totally depends on your distance you are travelling from and how long do you stay. 

[Guest]

1. Once we land in Vancouver, Canada Airport we will be asked why you are visiting Canada, where do you stay and how long.

2. Trip cost totally depends on your distance you are travelling from and how long do you stay. 

hello srikalyan

 

For point 1, we can tell them that we came for our visa stamping right? i can provide hotel details i will be staying. for how long what should be the answer (3 days or so)?

 

thank you

[thumbadg]

1. Once we land in Vancouver, Canada Airport we will be asked why you are visiting Canada, where do you stay and how long.

2. Trip cost totally depends on your distance you are travelling from and how long do you stay. 

Thank you Srikalyan.

 

I am sorry, I did not get answer to 1st question.

What should be answer to 1st question?

[sthamago]

hello srikalyan

 

For point 1, we can tell them that we came for our visa stamping right? i can provide hotel details i will be staying. for how long what should be the answer (3 days or so)?

 

thank you

Yes I said the same thing I came to Visit Vancouver City and attend my H1B Stamping as well.

Yes Hotel details should be fine.

1 week should be fine when they ask how long do you stay.

[sthamago]

Thank you Srikalyan.

 

I am sorry, I did not get answer to 1st question.

What should be answer to 1st question?

which POE were you asking about? If its for Canada POE

I said I came to visit Vancouver Canada and attend H1 Stamping and stay a week and return back to USA.

[thumbadg]

which POE were you asking about? If its for Canada POE

I said I came to visit Vancouver Canada and attend H1 Stamping and stay a week and return back to USA.

Thank you so much.

[lucky2013]

Thanks Srikalyan!! I just did my amendment and got approved on JUly 12. I have my appointment in Vancouver on Aug 6. I emailed PIMS to check my information. Will that be useful . Pls let me know!!! 

[sthamago]

Thanks Srikalyan!! I just did my amendment and got approved on JUly 12. I have my appointment in Vancouver on Aug 6. I emailed PIMS to check my information. Will that be useful . Pls let me know!!! 

Many people say no. Some say it works. Not really sure. so nothing wrong in giving a try.

Anyway wish you good luck.