Sharing my timeline and experience in Vancouver for Dropbox. Dates maybe +/- 1
I went through a lot of pages and forums. Read all 160+ pages in the H1b dropbox in canada on this site. Please do your own research and not follow me as things could turn out differently for you. Hope this helps others.
1. To get Dropbox facility you have select when filling out the application for visa when asked If you're traveling from another country to apply for visa? You have to reply with No. If you reply with yes, you won't get dropbox as simple as that. I called the number from US multiple times and they said if you're canadian PR, you can write down as no. Even the help tool on that page says, Canadian permanent residents are considered as living in canada.
2. I completed my DS-160 in US itself and requested for instructions from US itself.
3. Got instructions in 2-3 days.
4. You can use your US license to pick up your passport. Whatever ID and information you put while filling out the application, you need that to pick up the passport. There is no connection at all with what you put in your DS-160. The address and name should match.
4. Flew to Canada on a Tuesday in May. Submitted documents on Wednesday before 12 PM because people said in this and other forum about when the delivery guy picks up your parcel. This didn't make a difference to me. It was only delivered and ready to pick up on Friday.
5. Next Monday, it showed picked up. At this point the visa status checker showed no status. In fact, putting in all correct details showed no profile or something like that. I typed in NA for two fields which was mentioned by someone and it still said no status. There's information below the fields which says if your application is before such and such date put NA.
6. Tuesday Visa status changed to Application received.
7. Wednesday it showed issued. I was surprised as there was nothing like Approved or something. Directly Issued.
8. Got email on friday about tracking information and that passport is picked up by canada post and estimated delivery was the coming Monday.
9. Passport was ready to pick up on Monday around 1 PM.
10. Not gonna say don't stress as all of us will but I feel if you're a canadian PR, might as well do it in Canada as it this point it looks like it is faster than doing it in India. Total business days for me from submitting passport and picking up were 8 days.
General remiders:
a. When you print in courier in certificate, it again asks for an address. But you can't put a US address there as country is filled as CA already. I used my brother's name and address who lives in vancouver. I thought it could be related to delivery of passport but it wasn't. I am not even sure why they ask for it. Use any Canadian address.
b. Address to send for embassy is written on the instructions. No other address. Canada Post people in Surrey knew the entire process and was helpful.
c. I paid 19 CAD for premium delivery to track application properly 28 CAD was for home delivery but didn't want to wait.
d. Documents I sent was same as documents mentioned in instructions. No additional documentation just for the sake of it. Just make sure all the documents are clearly visible.
e. Country of Permanent residence I kept it as USA. Some said to keep it as Canada and some as India. It was very ambiguous but the toolbar next to it when completing the visa application said country you are legally authorized to work. Personally I feel it could be US or Canada.
I went through a lot of pages and forums. Read all 160+ pages in the H1b dropbox in canada on this site. Please do your own research and not follow me as things could turn out differently for you. Hope this helps others.
1. To get Dropbox facility you have select when filling out the application for visa when asked If you're traveling from another country to apply for visa? You have to reply with No. If you reply with yes, you won't get dropbox as simple as that. I called the number from US multiple times and they said if you're canadian PR, you can write down as no. Even the help tool on that page says, Canadian permanent residents are considered as living in canada.
2. I completed my DS-160 in US itself and requested for instructions from US itself.
3. Got instructions in 2-3 days.
4. You can use your US license to pick up your passport. Whatever ID and information you put while filling out the application, you need that to pick up the passport. There is no connection at all with what you put in your DS-160. The address and name should match.
4. Flew to Canada on a Tuesday in May. Submitted documents on Wednesday before 12 PM because people said in this and other forum about when the delivery guy picks up your parcel. This didn't make a difference to me. It was only delivered and ready to pick up on Friday.
5. Next Monday, it showed picked up. At this point the visa status checker showed no status. In fact, putting in all correct details showed no profile or something like that. I typed in NA for two fields which was mentioned by someone and it still said no status. There's information below the fields which says if your application is before such and such date put NA.
6. Tuesday Visa status changed to Application received.
7. Wednesday it showed issued. I was surprised as there was nothing like Approved or something. Directly Issued.
8. Got email on friday about tracking information and that passport is picked up by canada post and estimated delivery was the coming Monday.
9. Passport was ready to pick up on Monday around 1 PM.
10. Not gonna say don't stress as all of us will but I feel if you're a canadian PR, might as well do it in Canada as it this point it looks like it is faster than doing it in India. Total business days for me from submitting passport and picking up were 8 days.
General remiders:
a. When you print in courier in certificate, it again asks for an address. But you can't put a US address there as country is filled as CA already. I used my brother's name and address who lives in vancouver. I thought it could be related to delivery of passport but it wasn't. I am not even sure why they ask for it. Use any Canadian address.
b. Address to send for embassy is written on the instructions. No other address. Canada Post people in Surrey knew the entire process and was helpful.
c. I paid 19 CAD for premium delivery to track application properly 28 CAD was for home delivery but didn't want to wait.
d. Documents I sent was same as documents mentioned in instructions. No additional documentation just for the sake of it. Just make sure all the documents are clearly visible.
e. Country of Permanent residence I kept it as USA. Some said to keep it as Canada and some as India. It was very ambiguous but the toolbar next to it when completing the visa application said country you are legally authorized to work. Personally I feel it could be US or Canada.