Hey folks,Is it mandatory to get H1b stamped once youe status changed to H1b?Thanks in advance.Any inputs are highly apreciated.

You don't need H1B stamp in your passport if you are in the US. Stamp is only needed if you go outside of US and want to enter US.

Saan Dai

Thank you saan_dai ,I am in US.Almost everybody around me with H1b is going for stamping so I was trying to make sure that I am ok even if I do not go for stamping.

Yea , you are fine. but it's not a bad idea to get stamp from Canada. If you have to go outside US in urgent it would be easy if you have stamp on your passport from US embassy and easy to go to NEPAL in vacation otherwise you will spend most of your time in NEPAL for visa process, this my opinion.
I was in Nepal couple months ago and I already had my H1b stamp so I saved my time to go to embassy.

Saan Dai

Sounds like a good plan.Is there any chance of H1b Visa denial in canada or Mexico.Thank you Saan dai again.

Yeah, I need to know that as well. I am hoping my H1 to be approved within the next two months. What all you need to get it stamped from Canada? Which part of Canada should I go? How the process works? How do I go about it? I would be grateful if someone could please help.

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first of all you have to wait until your H1B starts even if it will approve in a month you need wait until your h1B start usually Oct 1st unless your lawyer put different date on your I129 application. Some pople put dates at the end of OPT expire. Check with your lawyer.
Get atleast 2 paycheck after H1B starts. but in the mean time you can apply for Canadaian visa which very easy to get. Youcan send your passport by mail. Check canadaian counsulate office. and you have to take appointment date in US consulate office in Canada, which is very hard to get , you can do these process before H1B starts. after getting all documents you can fly to Canada. It will take 1-3 days depending upon which cosulate office you are going to in Canada.
If you have common name than sometime match with name of person who are over staying in US or, did some felony or crime, then US consulate has to do background check which may take 2-3 weeks. so, do some reserch on your name.
In my case my name matched with another guy who was overstayed in US and did some felony or crime. I had to stay 2 weeks in Canada doing nothing and after 2 weeks they called to to get visa after doing background check. If you go to nepal and match your name than it may even take couple months beacuse they do background check through Washington DC.
I think this information helps you

Saan Dai

Thank You very much Saan Dai.
I will do that. Which US consulate in Canada do you recommend? Do I have to prove anything under "the purpose of the visit to Canada" clause?

I have a question about re-entering to the US via land. I am travelling to Canada on this weekend. I am just driving there and coming back the next day. I already have H1B entry visa stamped on my passport that expires on June 29, 2007. Will I have any problem at the boarder because the visa is expiring soon? What do they usually ask in the boarder?

You don't need a stamp if you are not leaving US.
I came here on J1,changed status to F1 do my MBA and now i am working on H1.Never went home.I will be leaving for Nepal next week and will get visa stamping there.
Initially i was thinking of going to Canada for stamping b4 leaving for Nepal.I feel that it is waste of money if u are going to Nepal anyway.I don't think there will be any problem in Nepal.i have already worked 6 months with my current employer.
Thanks

as far as your current job position match with your level and major field of study, there is almost 0 % risk of being rejected at embassy (if not arrested in US for any reason, except traffic violation). let me share my friends experience to you:
last year two of my friends went to nepal, with their h1-b approval letter. both of them have masters from US and have nice job, matching with their field and level of study. one of them had record of domestic violation in US, the embassy put his application pending for 45 days. they basically sent his fingerprints to DC to find out nature of crime, and if he is dispensed by court or not. after 45 days he got his h1b stamp. this is the worst case i ve seen so far, but still grated the stamp. the other one had clean record, and was granted stamp within couple hours.
the thing is, it is always wise not leave US if you have any bad records (except traffic violation), or if you dont have a right job. and if you are fine with both of them...fly anywhere you want..nobody can stop you.
so, chill brother, kahile bro laai politics le polne....kahile h1b le polne...yaar yasto tension naleu......timro tensions haru dekhera runa maan lagchha yaar!!...baru 6 packs beer lyau,,kukhura bhuta farfari....ani tanna khayera masta ghurera suta.....good luck!

Khuitteji,
How did you changed status from J1 to F1? I have a friend who is graduating soon (in August) but she is on J1 visa and hence pissed off coz shez gotta go home after graduation. Can you please tell us what you did to change status from J1 to F1?

Danger,
for canadian visa, you can clasiffied as to get US visa stamp. you have to send them I-94 card you H1B approved letter and letter from employer and two photographs and application fee $80.00 one single entery and $135.00 multiple entery.
Regarding which consulate, it depends upon where you live and how long you want to stay in Canada. In calgary, they issue visa in same day. Torronto ,& vancouver next day.
If you get paid off to got canada from your work than go to Vancouver, its nice place to go in summer. If you don't have paid off than go to Calgary nice place for summer.

Sukul gunda,
If your H1B is expiring soon, than you already filed for renewing you H1B ?? you have to renew it and you will get new I 797 with new date. you can go to canada and come back to US as long as you have valid visa, make sure your passport is valid for six more months. If passport is expiring within 6 months than renew it before going to canada.

Saan Dai

Daddy,
When someone comes in with a J1 visa,they have 2 year home residency requirement.
However, it can be waived off and change to any other status after that.
Is your friend's program funded by any organisation/government? If it is then there is little chnace of getting ur waiver application approved.If it's funded by yourself,then it's not a problem,but it's really a long process though.
Steps for applying:
1) Send the application(Form DS-3035) to US department of State(I think it's Application for waiver of 2 year home residency requirement).They will send a letter acknowledging the receipt of ur application and will ask for NOC(No Objection Certificate) from Nepalese Embassy in DC and a letter from you stating why you want the waiver,DS-2019 etc.You will also get the case number which you have to write on the correspondence that u send to Nepalese Embassy.
2) Send the application and ur letter of intent to Nepalese Embassy request the NOC.
( I was lucky that I got NOC within a week,but for one of my friend it took almost 2 months and that too calling them so many time.U know how professional they are)
3) Embassy will send a NOC diirectly to the US department and will send u a copy too.
After the US department of State receives all the required documents comes the real part.It will take forever to get it approved,but depends on which service center it's being processed.Mine was in Texas and took forever.At one point I used to buy phone card and call the Service center to speak to the customer service about my application(you will be kept on hold for hours).It took about 5/6 months to get the approval.
4) Us dept. of State will send a letter of recommendation to INS directly and a copy of the same letter.After this you are pretty much set.You can atleast change to F1 at this point.
5) Final stage is waiting for approval from INS which is also a long process.
Process takes a long time,but can be done.I changed mine to F1 to do my MBA.One of my friend changed his directly to H1b.
Good luck and let me know if u need more help.
Khuitte