F1toOPTtoH1BHopefully

Hi,

I am currently living in the US on F1 OPT and as of Oct 1 an H1-B. I studied in the US (if that makes a difference). I would like to leave the US and get my visa stamped. I am from the UK but would like to get it stamped elsewhere.

Has anyone had an H1-B visa stamped in any of the US embassies in Scandinavia? I'd like to join some friends who are traveling there but need to know

1. how long it would typically take to get a visa turned around? Norway looks really long (because it needs to be mailed and it would take 10 days). Has anyone had a visa processed in Finland/Denmark/Sweden etc? Do you know how long?

2. Can I get a visa stamped there? They all note that it's difficult for a 3rd country national to get a non immigrant visa there if they don't reside there because they need to show "ties" to that country. But presumably this wouldn't be necessary for an H1-B? Because I don't need to show "ties" to the UK when getting it stamped? I don't live in the UK and haven't done for 6 years. I have no "ties" to show.

Or should I just go back to London?

F1toOPTtoH1BHopefully

Or Canada? Maybe I should go to Canada?

Does anyone know the quickest embassy in Canada? Or globally really (except the UK?)

Yorkie_in_SD

When living in California on an H1-B several years ago (originally from UK) and interviewing in Europe, with all the relevant documentation in-hand, I successfully obtained an H1-B stamp (sticker) in my passport at the U.S. embassy in Frankfurt then in 2011, in Copenhagen. The interview process was no more arduous than in London and I believe I received my passport back in 6-8 days in both cases. I supplied the interviewing institute's address for passport return. So, it can be done, but if something goes amiss, it might well be more complicated than being in the UK...

Being in Scandinavia now (and it being a while since I logged-in), I should probably change my username!

sherbert

I am from the UK and have had both my H4s stamped in Netherlands. My OH had his first H1b stamped in NL. They did ask why I was at the embassy though and not the one in the UK but said no more when I told them I used to be a resident in NL.

F1toOPTtoH1BHopefully

Just an update: went for my visa stamping in Copenhagen. Everyone was very nice and it didn't take very long at all (about 50 minutes for the wait and interview).

My friends didn't end up traveling and I've basically had a great time by myself in a beautiful country. Heartily recommend it!

Yorkie_in_SD

We're currently living about 10 mins north of the city centre/downtown by train. I can definitely recommend Copenhagen. It's a beautiful, vibrant city with a very friendly populace. It's also very compact with a great public transit system and fantastic cycling infrastructure - you can bike from one side of the city centre proper to the other in 30 mins. FWIW, the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen seem to be some of the friendliest compared to those at the Embassies in other cities I've visited (London, Frankfurt, etc.).

F1toOPTtoH1BHopefully

Update 2: went to Copenhagen and absolutely loved the place. The embassy was very fast and efficient and got me the visa within the week I was there. My H-1B visa stamping was very quick btw. They asked me a few questions and that was it tbh.