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Change to Automatic Visa Re validation since Oct 2017 and Impact

systix

Hero Member
Mar 13, 2017
308
119
Canada
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
CPC Ottawa
NOC Code......
2171
Nomination.....
None
Interview........
None
VISA ISSUED...
##-08-2027
LANDED..........
##-09-2027
I used AVR this past weekend. The officer at the gate asked lot of questions about purpose of my visit and why I was in Canada (If I was PR in Canada, Why am I coming to US, Why PR in Canada). The officer inside was cool (no questions). Just let me know that my visa has been validated and I can go. She did not stamp my passport or took my finger prints or asked me pay any fee. She returned my I94. I checked my arrival history online and it is updated.
Did you have a change in petitioner by chance?
 

wolfman2017

Star Member
May 5, 2017
156
50
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2147
App. Filed.......
27-07-2015
AOR Received.
28-07-2015
Passport Req..
27-08-2015
VISA ISSUED...
22-09-2015
Did you have a change in petitioner by chance?
No, It was an extension from same employer. Do not worry about all that. Just be prepared to answer clarifying questions.
 

wolfman2017

Star Member
May 5, 2017
156
50
Category........
FSW
Visa Office......
Ottawa
NOC Code......
2147
App. Filed.......
27-07-2015
AOR Received.
28-07-2015
Passport Req..
27-08-2015
VISA ISSUED...
22-09-2015
@wolfman2017 which border crossing was this? When did your Visa expire and what is the expiry date of your current I-797?
Lewiston (Niagara Falls). Expired this year and extension valid till 2019.
 
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DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
What about travelling in AVR when amendment/extension is in progress? I still have 5 months left in my current petition. Raised an amendment last week. Is it ok for me to travel and come back?
So if you have already moved to new location for which the amendment has been filed (if your pay slips and employment records start reflecting that location), then you cannot travel with that current i94. You'll have to wait till the amendment is approved and use the i94 that comes with the approved petition for travel.

If you are still with old location for which you possess the approved petition, you could travel before you move to new location. Because when you enter US, they ask about your job details. What you say must be in sync with what's in your petition with i94.

I have a future dated amendment pending and my company attorney clarified these things. I'm moving to new location on Jan 8th. So I either need to travel before I move to that location (before Jan 8th), if after, I need to wait for my amendment to be approved and use that i94 for travel. I'm still debating what to do as I want to delay my landing as much possible so that I have more time to decide my move from US. My landing visa is valid till April 9. My amendment was filed on September 11
 

dora115

Star Member
Jul 7, 2017
156
75
My h1b is expiring on 31st December, I have applied for extension, I was planning to do soft landing in first week of December, can I still use automatic visa revalidation ?
I finished my landing on Sunday 12/17/17 at thousand island/Lansdowne, I stay in East coast, drove around 6 hrs to reach the border.

First we need to pay a toll of 2.75 usd/3.75 cad at a toll booth in cash only, after 5-10 mins drive from this toll the border crossing comes, it also looks like a toll booth only, here the Canadian officer asked me the purpose of my visit, I said landing as PR, then he took our passports and verified and gave us a yellow slip and asked us if the car belonged to me, I said it's a rental car, he showed a place to park the car and told to go inside the office.

No one else was landing at that time. We were just asked for passport/copr, how much funds we have , address in Canada. Then he asked us to put initials in some places in copr and sign at the end. After this another officer checked the goods to follow and goods accompanying list, he told he just needs one and asked me put all in one list, so I put everything in goods to follow list, he stamped the form and gave a receipt for it. That's all and I became a PR.

Next day I went to service Canada and got SIN, it was also very fast no wait at all and then went to TD bank and opened an account, make sure to take an online appointment 2 or 3 days before you travel from the bank near your place of stay. An appointment is needed to open an account.

The following day I returned to US, I was using AVR as my Visa expired in 2014, here US officer at the booth was not able to verify my status and he told my Visa expired in 2014, he took my passport, I797 and showed me a place to park my car, another officer at the parking asked me to handover the car keys, I took all the documents, my wallet and cellphone with me. Inside the building after a while another officer called my name and said the same that my Visa has expired in 2014, then I mentioned about AVR, he verified the I797 and after a while he said they are revalidating my Visa and gave an orange slip to get back the car keys. That's all I'm back home . All the best to everyone.
 
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DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
I used AVR today at Windsor - Detroit ambassador bridge. I was bit nervous, but the experience was extremely smooth. It was no different from paying a toll fee. I gave all our passports with expired visa and new passports without visa, i797 for myself and dependents with valid i94, yellow slip given by CBSA mentioning landing. The officer just asked my nationality and where I was from US before getting those documents. While giving my passport, I just mentioned to him that I need to use AVR.

He kept them inside the booth for a five - ten minutes, and returned back saying all set. That's it. We were done. Passports were not stamped, and we didn't get down from the car either.

And for those who did AVR.. one question. When I checked online i94, it still shows old date and last port of entry that I did using visa. But today's trip got updated in travel history alone. Is it the same for you guys too? Or should the i94 be updated too online? How could we know that we were admitted correctly?
 
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dora115

Star Member
Jul 7, 2017
156
75
I used AVR today at Windsor - Detroit ambassador bridge. I was bit nervous, but the experience was extremely smooth. It was no different from paying a toll fee. I gave all our passports with expired visa and new passports without visa, i797 for myself and dependents with valid i94, yellow slip given by CBSA mentioning landing. The officer just asked my nationality and where I was from US before getting those documents. While giving my passport, I just mentioned to him that I need to use AVR.

He kept them inside the booth for a five - ten minutes, and returned back saying all set. That's it. We were done. Passports were not stamped, and we didn't get down from the car either.

And for those who did AVR.. one question. When I checked online i94, it still shows old date and last port of entry that I did using visa. But today's trip got updated in travel history alone. Is it the same for you guys too? Or should the i94 be updated too online? How could we know that we were admitted correctly?
Same with me also, travel history updated, i-94 is old only. It seems since we use avr no new i-94 is generated.
 
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dora115

Star Member
Jul 7, 2017
156
75
Hi @DEEPCUR , were you able to link PR application of your family to express entry profile? I was able to link mine but not able to link my spouse and child.
 

APPNOV2014NY

VIP Member
Nov 21, 2014
3,005
1,099
Thanks.

Have you tried it? People were reporting the link doesn't let update the address.
Not yet but others' in this forum have successfully used it. No harm in trying.

I also have blank IMM 5456 that I can scan and email it to you. You can print it, fill it and then fax it to get your PR cards shipped. ;)
 

dora115

Star Member
Jul 7, 2017
156
75
Hi, the officer didn't let me update the address for PR card. He asked me to do that once I move and have my own address.
Thanks. I was not asked, if that's my own address. I think we should not tell them upfront if that's our friend's address.
 

DEEPCUR

Champion Member
Apr 12, 2016
2,428
642
Thanks. I was not asked, if that's my own address. I think we should not tell them upfront if that's our friend's address.
I didn't say anything. They themselves asked if that was my address or not. Because during port of entry, officer asked me if I just came for landing. I told yes. So he wrote my expected stay as 2 hours. They eventually got to know.