From: surajit@rhine.eng.ohio-state.edu (Surajit Chakravarti)
Subject: Multiple Entry H-1B Experience at Toronto (Nov 30, 1992)
Summary: Tips and info on Multiple H1 at Toronto
Keywords: H1, H1B, Multiple Entry, Toronto, Visa
Organization: The Ohio State University Dept of Electrical Engineering
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 21:37:57 GMT


Multiple H-1B sceene at Toronto (Nov 30, 1992)
--------------------------------

US Consulate address:	360 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario

Where to stand in line:  223 Simcoe Avenue (backside of the main
				enterance)

VISA interviews:
----------------
The consulate only gives appointments for visa interviews on monday
mornings (officially 8:45-10:30) for the rest of the week. So the
earlier you stand in line on monday, the earlier in the week you get
the interview. Passport pickup is after 3:00 pm.

OTHER Specifics:
----------------
documents: passport, I94, I797, employer's letter, 1 passport photo
(37mm x37mm), $100 cash- they do not take any bills higher than $20.
                         ------------------------------------------

Our Experience:
---------------
We stood in line from 5:00 AM on monday (nov 30, 1992). This period is
apparently the peak season for tourist visa and off-season for other
visas. The line is COMMON for all and we were 8th in line. At 8:30,
the gates opened and us "cattles" were driven in and divided into two
line, one for Toronto residents and the other for visitors TO Toronto
(us). Our line was much shorter and looking back it did not pay to
stand in line at 5:00 for people who arrived at 8:00 for H1
also got the visa with us. However, use your judgement on this since
when we went, it was the off-season as far as non-tourist visas to US
are concerned (H-1 people planning to travel during Dec/Jan had
already got their multiple and with holidays comming, this is the peak
season for applying for US visitor's visas). On monday, all they did
was give us an appointment for Tuesday 8:30 AM. Now this time means
nothing, ONLY the Day counts. On a busy H-1 day, arriving at 8:00
could mean an interview on Thursday/Friday! SO that is all we could do
on monday.
On Tuesday, we stood in line at 7:30 and there was a huge line already
but I was the first person for H1 and about the 10-15th person overall
for the "visitors to Toronto" line. You should get an idea from
standing in line on Monday as to how many people (visitors to
Toronto line) are actually "competing" with you. Once inside, we just
waited for our turn and around 9:00 or so I had my interview. All H-1
applicants (about 10-15 altogether) had a very easy time... no major
questions but "chats" like "since when did you stand in line", "are
you rich?" and the like! In fact they did not even want to see the
employer's letter and I was asked why I bothered to bring both copies
of I797! So real casual stuff and then we were asked to wait a few
minutes to pay the $100 and that we could pick up the passport after
3:00 SAME DAY. Usually from other Toronto veterans, we were informed
that they return the passports the following day after 3:00, but I
suppose we lucked out on this. So for us, it was a 2-day pilgrimage.

	Place where we stayed:
	----------------------
	Executive Inn, 221 (?) West King Street. It is about 20
minutes walk from the consulate and is extremely easy to find. Take
Spadina Ave from Gardinier Freeway and just after crossing the CN
tower and Skydome take a left on King Street. Spadina runs parallel to
University and Simcoe.

Useful tip:
-----------
The consulate has facilities for passport photos for Canadian $3(In
Canadian $1 Coins only!). However, there is usually a line for that 
and so by waiting in line
for that, you forfeit your position in the all-important interview
line.... so carry a passport photo.

Other Attractions in and around Toronto while you anxiously wait your
---------------------------------------------------------------------
turn for the "dredded" interview:
---------------------------------

* Niagara Falls is only about 100 miles away. Take Gardinier Frwy
heading East. It becomes 427 and then take QEW(Queen Elizabeth Way)
for Hamilton/Niagara.
* Food: Indian stores in E. Gerrard Street. There are about 3 blocks
of Indian stores on both sides of the road with all kind stuff from
"bhel" to "paan". To get there, take a E. Gerrard St from university
and keep driving..... if you have lived in an Indian city, you cannot
miss it! You will cross China towns and other ethenic areas and
finally hit the "desi muhalla".


Hope all this helps.

--Surajit
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,soc.culture.pakistan