H1B visa appointment availability

[harirajmohan]

Just keep checking at all hours, only hope to secure a slot is hope for someone's cancellation. There are very few slots available for non-residents at US consulates in Canada and demand is very high. Even I'm struggling to secure one but I guess thats what everyone runs into.

May be i am wrong but it looks like they removed any specific quota for residents as i am facing the same problem as nonresidents. Hardly the dates are open unlike 1-2 years ago where residents used to get appointment within 2 weeks.

Have been trying for a week to get an appointment for H1b stamping in Canada. Looks like it is impossible to get one. Would appreciate some advice.

Are you also trying for a group? Thinking that group appointments are also making us hard to get one as very few slots for groups i guess.

 

[msingh20]

May be i am wrong but it looks like they removed any specific quota for residents as i am facing the same problem as nonresidents. Hardly the dates are open unlike 1-2 years ago where residents used to get appointment within 2 weeks.

Are you also trying for a group? Thinking that group appointments are also making us hard to get one as very few slots for groups i guess.

For two, H1b & H4!

 

[harirajmohan]

Toronto: March 17th 11:30am appointment is available for group(at least 2)

 

[Nick1233]

May be i am wrong but it looks like they removed any specific quota for residents as i am facing the same problem as nonresidents. Hardly the dates are open unlike 1-2 years ago where residents used to get appointment within 2 weeks.

Are you also trying for a group? Thinking that group appointments are also making us hard to get one as very few slots for groups i guess.

Vancouver and Calgary had around 10 days wait time at the start of the year for residents.

 

[harirajmohan]

Vancouver and Calgary had around 10 days wait time at the start of the year for residents.

Yes correct, I could see for those locations but not for Toronto/Ottawa. So no idea how the slots are allocated.

 

[harirajmohan]

Toronto: June 26 appointment is available for group(at least 2)

 

[msingh20]

Toronto: June 26 appointment is available for group(at least 2)

It was perfect date for us and we missed it.

 

[HelloCanada910]

My H1b case is COS ( Change of Status) and also I am in the process of Canada PPR. Can I go for stamping in Canada during soft landing or do I have to visit home country? My passport is expiring in Dec 2020 and due to that close timelines, I want some inputs to plan accordingly.

 

[harirajmohan]

My H1b case is COS ( Change of Status) and also I am in the process of Canada PPR.
1. Can I go for stamping in Canada during soft landing or do I have to visit home country?
2. My passport is expiring in Dec 2020 and due to that close timelines, I want some inputs to plan accordingly.

1. You can get stamping during your soft landing. Keep in mind that the visa issuance takes 5-7-10 normally and sometimes it would take more too hence plan accordingly. For me it took 5-9 days in the last 2 times.
2. Why this is a problem. You just need to renew it within 12 months of expiry of passport which means that you can just renew this month. New passport doesnt affect any of your immigration documents/status(unless you try to renew with uscis which might give you I94 based on passport expiry sometimes).

 

[lampbreaker]

My H1b case is COS ( Change of Status) and also I am in the process of Canada PPR. Can I go for stamping in Canada during soft landing or do I have to visit home country? My passport is expiring in Dec 2020 and due to that close timelines, I want some inputs to plan accordingly.

Like above you can renew your passport. (If you are from India, passport renewal is fairly quick). It does not make any difference any way.
You don't have to apply for the H1B Visa while in Canada, you can use AVR to return. But if you choose to apply that's fine too. Plan to stay in Canada for 2 weeks. If this is the first time that you are applying for H1B Visa, then it is better to apply in home country.

 

[HelloCanada910]

1. You can get stamping during your soft landing. Keep in mind that the visa issuance takes 5-7-10 normally and sometimes it would take more too hence plan accordingly. For me it took 5-9 days in the last 2 times.
2. Why this is a problem. You just need to renew it within 12 months of expiry of passport which means that you can just renew this month. New passport doesnt affect any of your immigration documents/status(unless you try to renew with uscis which might give you I94 based on passport expiry sometimes).

Thanks @harirajmohan . Looks like I need not rush on passport renewal. I am planning to renew it after completing the PPR process and before soft landing. I hope that way I need not update the CIC about passport changes. Does that work without any challenges?

 

[HelloCanada910]

Like above you can renew your passport. (If you are from India, passport renewal is fairly quick). It does not make any difference any way.
You don't have to apply for the H1B Visa while in Canada, you can use AVR to return. But if you choose to apply that's fine too. Plan to stay in Canada for 2 weeks. If this is the first time you are apply for H1B Visa, then it is better to apply in home country.

Thanks for the inputs @lampbreaker I will do some research on the AVR as I am new to this term. By any chance if you have any helpful links, please share it.
This is the first time I am applying for H1b stamping, earlier I was on F1 status and changes to H1b and never left US.

 

[harirajmohan]

Thanks for the inputs @lampbreaker I will do some research on the AVR as I am new to this term. By any chance if you have any helpful links, please share it.
This is the first time I am applying for H1b stamping, earlier I was on F1 status and changes to H1b and never left US.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1218?language=en_US
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/visa-expiration-date/auto-revalidate.html

Thanks @harirajmohan . Looks like I need not rush on passport renewal.
1. I am planning to renew it after completing the PPR process and before soft landing. I hope that way I need not update the CIC about passport changes. Does that work without any challenges?

1. I agree as you dont need to update cic for that but you can easily update it but cic changes it in few weeks of your webform request but yes you can try to avoid if you can but you need at least 6 months before reentry into US. So your timing should be carefully dealt on your canada trip.

 

[harirajmohan]

My family's H4 appointment at Toronto for Apr 27th seems to be cancelled by the system today. Anyone else's appointment got cancelled?

 

[scylla]

My family's H4 appointment at Toronto for Apr 27th seems to be cancelled by the system today. Anyone else's appointment got cancelled?

They may be canceling everything through to the start of May. I would expect you'll receive a notice.