My H1-B Visa Interview Experience in Calgary, Canada

anu507

By anu507,
in H1B : Visa Stamp

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anu507 Newbie

anu507

Posted
Posted

My visa interview experience:
 
Location: Calgary, Canada

 

Date: Aug 22, 2013
 
Appointment Time: 8AM
 
Arrived Consulate at: 7AM (The office building where consulate is located does not open until 7AM here..so if you go early you need to wait outside or in your vehicle)
 
Initial Procedures:
 
1)Security check: Dont take anything with you other than the document folder..Laptops, Cell phones, Large handbags etc...are not allowed. If you take them, its a mess. You are not supposed to leave them unattended as well. No lockers. They are very strict about it. So just make sure you go only with your folder and probably small purse or wallet.
 
2) Appointment confirmation: A lady asked for my passport, DS-160 and I-797 to confirm my identity and validate my appointment.
 
3) Guard took me to 10th floor where there was another security check and they gave me a token/slip indicating my slot number. I sat in the waiting room until my number is displayed on the hoarding over there.
 
4)Upon my turn, went to the window where a lady asked to handover my Passport, I-797.
 
Question 1: What type of visa you are applying for?
 
Me: H1-B
 
Question 2: Have you applied for any other US visa before?
 
Me: Yes. F1
 
Question 3: Where was that interview done?
 
Me: India.
 
She asked me to go and wait and the number will be displayed two more times again.
 
 
2nd time:
 
Went to another window where the lady asked for my finger prints.
 
3rd Time:
 
This is the main interview.
 
Visa Officer Description: Old guy( abt 50-55 yrs old)
 
VO: Hello
Me: Gud mrg sir
He was going through my I-797 and DS-160 which they initially took before the interview...
VO: So, you have took the same path of Masters,CPT,OPT and H1-B?
 
Me: Yes Sir.
 
VO: Which university you got your Masters from?
 
Me: Told him
 
VO: What is the end client?
Me: Told him
 
VO: So, does your emplyer pay you correctly without any issues?
Me: Yes sir. No issues.
 
VO: Why did you come here for stamping instead of going to your home country?
Me: (Got tensed here)..I said "My work schedule right now is busy and cannot afford for a long leave inorder to go to India. So took a short leave and came here instead".
 
VO: Then, you could have got it stamped whenever you would go, right?
 
Me: Yes Sir. But, I took one week leave for tourism to Canada, Thereby getting it here.
 
I am not satisfied with my answer.But that's the best one I could give at that time.
 
He took a long pause typing something in his system.....(I was getting very nervous)
 
Then, he took a small brochure and handed it over to me. I got scared for a moment think it to be a 221G. But, he immediately said to go through it later for my knowledge on civil rights if we have any issues with employers. That relieved me a bit.
 
Finally, he said  "Your visa is approved" and you can pick your passport from loomis by providing the waybill number which will be sent to my email in 2-4 business days. He gave me a paper that described this procedure.
 
Me: Thank You Sir.
 
Picked my passport from Loomis next day evening around 6PM (It is open until 7PM in Calgary). I did not receive any way bill number by then, but they will give you if you can show them your ID and Reference ID(which will be on our visa appointment ).
 
Note: Customs/port of entry  will be done in Canada airports itself while returning back instead of US. Also, note that your I-94 white slip will be taken at the airport. I panicked thinking that I lost it somewhere, but later figured out that I-94 records are now made online.
 
You can retrieve the e-copy of I-94 from the following CBP website and retain it for your records.
 
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html
 
Good Luck,
 
Thanks,

Warrior18 Member

Warrior18

Posted
Posted

My visa interview experience:

 

Location: Calgary, Canada

 

Date: Aug 22, 2013

 

Appointment Time: 8AM

 

Arrived Consulate at: 7AM (The office building where consulate is located does not open until 7AM here..so if you go early you need to wait outside or in your vehicle)

 

Initial Procedures:

 

1)Security check: Dont take anything with you other than the document folder..Laptops, Cell phones, Large handbags etc...are not allowed. If you take them, its a mess. You are not supposed to leave them unattended as well. No lockers. They are very strict about it. So just make sure you go only with your folder and probably small purse or wallet.

 

2) Appointment confirmation: A lady asked for my passport, DS-160 and I-797 to confirm my identity and validate my appointment.

 

3) Guard took me to 10th floor where there was another security check and they gave me a token/slip indicating my slot number. I sat in the waiting room until my number is displayed on the hoarding over there.

 

4)Upon my turn, went to the window where a lady asked to handover my Passport, I-797.

 

Question 1: What type of visa you are applying for?

 

Me: H1-B

 

Question 2: Have you applied for any other US visa before?

 

Me: Yes. F1

 

Question 3: Where was that interview done?

 

Me: India.

 

She asked me to go and wait and the number will be displayed two more times again.

 

 

2nd time:

 

Went to another window where the lady asked for my finger prints.

 

3rd Time:

 

This is the main interview.

 

Visa Officer Description: Old guy( abt 50-55 yrs old)

 

VO: Hello

Me: Gud mrg sir

He was going through my I-797 and DS-160 which they initially took before the interview...

VO: So, you have took the same path of Masters,CPT,OPT and H1-B?

 

Me: Yes Sir.

 

VO: Which university you got your Masters from?

 

Me: Told him

 

VO: What is the end client?

Me: Told him

 

VO: So, does your emplyer pay you correctly without any issues?

Me: Yes sir. No issues.

 

VO: Why did you come here for stamping instead of going to your home country?

Me: (Got tensed here)..I said "My work schedule right now is busy and cannot afford for a long leave inorder to go to India. So took a short leave and came here instead".

 

VO: Then, you could have got it stamped whenever you would go, right?

 

Me: Yes Sir. But, I took one week leave for tourism to Canada, Thereby getting it here.

 

I am not satisfied with my answer.But that's the best one I could give at that time.

 

He took a long pause typing something in his system.....(I was getting very nervous)

 

Then, he took a small brochure and handed it over to me. I got scared for a moment think it to be a 221G. But, he immediately said to go through it later for my knowledge on civil rights if we have any issues with employers. That relieved me a bit.

 

Finally, he said  "Your visa is approved" and you can pick your passport from loomis by providing the waybill number which will be sent to my email in 2-4 business days. He gave me a paper that described this procedure.

 

Me: Thank You Sir.

 

Picked my passport from Loomis next day evening around 6PM (It is open until 7PM in Calgary). I did not receive any way bill number by then, but they will give you if you can show them your ID and Reference ID(which will be on our visa appointment ).

 

Note: Customs/port of entry  will be done in Canada airports itself while returning back instead of US. Also, note that your I-94 white slip will be taken at the airport. I panicked thinking that I lost it somewhere, but later figured out that I-94 records are now made online.

 

You can retrieve the e-copy of I-94 from the following CBP website and retain it for your records.

 

https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html

 

Good Luck,

 

Thanks,

Thanks a lot bro. Really appreciate your writing. It definitely helps. 

hello10 Member

hello10

Posted
Posted

Hi , 

when you submit the DS-160  form , the form says do not bring this copy to interview and it says it for you personal right .??? 

whats the DS-160 you have taken  to invterview ???

 

Thanks

  • 1 month later...
sri4747 Member

sri4747

Posted
Posted

Hi , 

when you submit the DS-160  form , the form says do not bring this copy to interview and it says it for you personal right .??? 

whats the DS-160 you have taken  to invterview ???

 

Thanks

just barcode after submitting the ds 160

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