H-1B Visa Application
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      Getting H-1B Visa in a Third Country: Case Study

      This article illustrates the process of applying for an H-1B visa in a third country through the case of Xiao Zhou, who obtained her H-1B visa in Canada.

      Background

      In 2020, Xiao Zhou was selected for the H-1B visa and received approval. In 2022, she needed to get an H-1B visa due to her plans to return to her home country. After weighing her options between returning home or going to a third country for visa application, she chose the latter. To avoid time zone differences, she decided on Vancouver, Canada, which shares the same time zone as her place of residence.

      How to Choose "TCN?"

      "TCN" stands for "Third Country Nationals," which means you are living in a country other than your home country and are applying for a visa in Canada. Before applying for the visa, you must schedule an appointment online and select "TCN" during the process.

      Generally, you should select "Yes." While choosing "No" might make it easier to book an interview slot, it carries the risk of cancellation if discovered.

      Timeline

      • February: Filled out Form DS-160 and scheduled the interview in Vancouver for May 10 at 8:00 AM.

      • February to May: Prepared materials and requested supporting documents from her company.

      • May 10: Arrived at the Vancouver consulate at the scheduled time.

        • Arrived half an hour early, got required documents examined on the 1st floor, and stored phone and watch;

        • Went through security and had documents checked again on the 2nd floor;

        • Proceeded to the 20th floor for fingerprinting and the interview.

        • After the interview, checked the visa status, which showed "Approved."

      • May 11: Check status around noon; it showed "Issued." Received the tracking number the same day.

      • May 12: Received confirmation email in the morning that the passport was ready for pickup. Got the passport with a 1-year H-1B visa.

      • May 13: Re-entered the United States.

      Interview Questions

      • What is your job title?

      • What are your job duties? What is your annual salary? Have you changed jobs?

      • Did you study in the United States?

      • Is your current visa the same as your previous one?

       

      Important Notices

      • When applying for a U.S. visa in Canada, you must choose between picking up your passport from BLS or having it mailed via Canada Post. Due to past delays from Canada Post strikes, most people prefer BLS.

      • If there is a delay in issuing the visa, you can retrieve your passport, return to the U.S. for work, and come back to Canada once the visa is approved (this doesn’t apply to first-time H-1B applicants and must be done while your entry visa is valid).