H1B visa appointment availability

[harirajmohan]

I did not get you. We need to give new passport details right while we fill in DS160. Or we can also do it with old passport? I am not aware of this. If thats the case, I will go ahead and book it. And also till i attend the Interview, can i still keep using AVR. Genenrally once we book a slot, we shouldnt travel right.

2) We have already booked an appointment as h4. How do we change it to B2, not sure on this.

1. Its fine on the appointment day with old passport in the record(during the interview). Its not a problem. THey will change it during the interview while issuing visa as they will update it based on current new passport. You are not the first to do like that. So nothing to worry.
2. Wont the fee same for B or H? I think so. i cant verify as the site is down. So just book the appointment for B instead of H for the same fee.

 

[swan0206]

1. Its fine on the appointment day with old passport in the record(during the interview). Its not a problem. THey will change it during the interview while issuing visa as they will update it based on current new passport. You are not the first to do like that. So nothing to worry.
2. Wont the fee same for B or H? I think so. i cant verify as the site is down. So just book the appointment for B instead of H for the same fee.

No, we have already booked for H on april 8th. How can that be change now. Should we fill ds160 again and re-book the appointmnet. Not sure how this works.

 

[harirajmohan]

No, we have already booked for H on april 8th. How can that be change now. Should we fill ds160 again and re-book the appointmnet. Not sure how this works.

ya you need to cancel it. Get new ds160 and then rebook it.

Do like this:
Submit new ds160 with B class. Have this number ready.
Cancel appointment.
Book the appointment immediately with B class.
Mostly you would get your same appointment. As far as i remember, they release the cancelled appointments immediately.

 

[swan0206]

ya you need to cancel it. Get new ds160 and then rebook it.

Do like this:
Submit new ds160 with B class. Have this number ready.
Cancel appointment.
Book the appointment immediately with B class.
Mostly you would get your same appointment. As far as i remember, they release the cancelled appointments immediately.

Sure thanks Hari. also ,making sure it wouldnt ask us to pay fee again. Because havent cancelled appointment anytime before


Wouldnt that be a problem. I mean would they ask why did we change it from H to B? Can we answer that we moved to Canada after that and no longer need H4. is that what a right answer would be.

 

[harirajmohan]

Sure thanks Hari. also ,making sure it wouldnt ask us to pay fee again. Because havent cancelled appointment anytime before


Wouldnt that be a problem. I mean would they ask why did we change it from H to B? Can we answer that we moved to Canada after that and no longer need H4. is that what a right answer would be.

The fee is for the group. If you edit the profile then it doesnt reset the fee. I have canceled the appointments multiple times. So they dont track the visa class for sure. You can edit anytime you want.

They wont ask. They dont track the changes what happened and research on it. We do submit multiple DS160 for correcting mistakes. They dont track and ask on it. So you can very well correct it.

 

[swan0206]

The fee is for the group. If you edit the profile then it doesnt reset the fee. I have canceled the appointments multiple times. So they dont track the visa class for sure. You can edit anytime you want.

They wont ask. They dont track the changes what happened and research on it. We do submit multiple DS160 for correcting mistakes. They dont track and ask on it. So you can very well correct it.

Thats great. so when is the ideal time to give it a try for B. As we have moved in October. probably in March or April is fine? I remember you telling to give it sometime before moving from H to B as they might reject if we are too eager to get a visa after a change.

However, i would look for the earliest dates for my h1 stamping.

 

[harirajmohan]

Thats great. so when is the ideal time to give it a try for B. As we have moved in October. probably in March or April is fine? I remember you telling to give it sometime before moving from H to B as they might reject if we are too eager to get a visa after a change.

However, i would look for the earliest dates for my h1 stamping.

1. There is no timeframe as few have gotten visa within 1-2 months too but its more logical and safer to give it few/some months rather than applying sooner. Its your comfort as there is no real timeline. 6+ months would be more preferred but its not mandatory.

As it shows the appointments for Mar-Apr then book that timeframe as its having enough gap between you moved and the interview. Also if the US-Canada border was restricted for essential by the time your family attends interview then make sure to answer that your trip would be after the restriction is over so that there is no unexpected issues if any from any visa officer.

2. First try to get your appointment which is more important than B2. By the time you finish booking your appointment, it would have passed few weeks and then start with #1.

 

[swan0206]

1. There is no timeframe as few have gotten visa within 1-2 months too but its more logical and safer to give it few/some months rather than applying sooner. Its your comfort as there is no real timeline. 6+ months would be more preferred but its not mandatory.

As it shows the appointments for Mar-Apr then book that timeframe as its having enough gap between you moved and the interview. Also if the US-Canada border was restricted for essential by the time your family attends interview then make sure to answer that your trip would be after the restriction is over so that there is no unexpected issues if any from any visa officer.

2. First try to get your appointment which is more important than B2. By the time you finish booking your appointment, it would have passed few weeks and then start with #1.

Thanks Hari. I would do go ahead with this plan.

 

[dry.00]

I called the Vancouver number on the AIS website and booked an appointment for April 2021.
The agent said the location on DS-160 doesn't matter.

To those of you who already went through the interview, were you given an option to pick up your passport at the US consulate?
I just don't want it getting lost in the transit.
If so, how long does it take, assuming that everything goes smoothly?

 

[swan0206]

I called the Vancouver number on the AIS website and booked an appointment for April 2021.
The agent said the location on DS-160 doesn't matter.

To those of you who already went through the interview, were you given an option to pick up your passport at the US consulate?
I just don't want it getting lost in the transit.
If so, how long does it take, assuming that everything goes smoothly?

Oh thats nice. Why do you have to call them? Were you looking for any earlier date? as i can see dates in April in website itself. And did you tried only Vancouver or any other location.

 

[harirajmohan]

1. To those of you who already went through the interview, were you given an option to pick up your passport at the US consulate?
2. I just don't want it getting lost in the transit.
3. If so, how long does it take, assuming that everything goes smoothly?

1. Did you receive any email regarding the appointment? Dont you see the document return location?
Seems you are new to stamping in Canada. In canada the passport will be sent to designated pickup locations(canada post https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/niv/information/courier_dropboxes) or you can pay fee to get it delivered to your address.
2. #1
3. Passport comes through express post through canadapost. it comes next day of posted date within state but possible one more day for out of state.
The time taken for consulate to send back the passport varies based on your application's adjudication time.

 

[dry.00]

1. Did you receive any email regarding the appointment? Dont you see the document return location?
Seems you are new to stamping in Canada. In canada the passport will be sent to designated pickup locations(canada post https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/niv/information/courier_dropboxes) or you can pay fee to get it delivered to your address.
2. #1
3. Passport comes through express post through canadapost. it comes next day of posted date within state but possible one more day for out of state.
The time taken for consulate to send back the passport varies based on your application's adjudication time.

Ok, I got it. There's no direct pick-up from the embassy.
That's all I wanted to know.

 

[KanadianGuy]

Hi All, My L1A is expiring in the first week of March 2021 and I am planning to schedule an interview in Canada for renewal since I got a PR.
Does anyone know if the US embassies in Canada are open for non emergency l1 visa appointments. If yes, until around what time we have to wait for getting an appointment.

I was checking on https://ais.usvisa-info.com/ and it currently displays the status as follows. I was wondering if this is going to stay the same or are they adding any new open slots (which I know might get taken pretty quickly).


First Available Appointments

Calgary	No Appointments Available
Halifax	No Appointments Available
Montreal	No Appointments Available
Ottawa	No Appointments Available
Quebec City	No Appointments Available
Toronto	No Appointments Available
Vancouver	No Appointments Available

 

[harirajmohan]

Hi All, My L1A is expiring in the first week of March 2021 and I am planning to schedule an interview in Canada for renewal since I got a PR.
Does anyone know if the US embassies in Canada are open for non emergency l1 visa appointments. If yes, until around what time we have to wait for getting an appointment.

I was checking on https://ais.usvisa-info.com/ and it currently displays the status as follows. I was wondering if this is going to stay the same or are they adding any new open slots (which I know might get taken pretty quickly).


First Available Appointments

Calgary	No Appointments Available
Halifax	No Appointments Available
Montreal	No Appointments Available
Ottawa	No Appointments Available
Quebec City	No Appointments Available
Toronto	No Appointments Available
Vancouver	No Appointments Available

Did you pay the fees and then did you try to check on the actual slots open? If not you should first do that to know the exact availability or we need to wait for other member to confirm if they see any appointment(whoever paid fee).

For the time being its only limited services, not full services open yet.
https://ca.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/consular-operations-updates/

 

[KanadianGuy]

Did you pay the fees and then did you try to check on the actual slots open? If not you should first do that to know the exact availability or we need to wait for other member to confirm if they see any appointment(whoever paid fee).

For the time being its only limited services, not full services open yet.
https://ca.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/consular-operations-updates/

No, I have not paid the fees yet. The earliest available appointment date is displayed right before the payment option, and I am stopped at that point. I am still not clear on what it means for "limited Services". is it open for only Canadian Citizen or they booking les than the full capacity appointments right now?