OCI process

[manu.yoganand]

Finally, OCI on the way...

Date	Status on BLS Tracker	Status on OCI Services Portal	Days since applied	Days elapsed
2022-04-02​	under process	No such record found		60​
2022-04-05​	Processing at Consulate General	No such record found	4​	57​
2022-04-27​	Processing at Consulate General	UNDER-PROCESS	26​	35​
2022-05-19​	Processing at Consulate General	PROCESSED	48​	13​
2022-05-20​	Processing at Consulate General	Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 20-MAY-2022	49​	12​
2022-05-20​	Processing at Consulate General	Document received At TORONTO On 20-MAY-2022	49​	12​
2022-05-27​	(Counter Delivery to BLS Centre after OCI stamping)		56​	5​
2022-05-31​	(Passport ready For Dispatch after OCI stamping)		60​	1​

Tracking on Purolator is now available using the CANT reference no. The status is out for delivery, so I should have the OCIs by the end of the day.

Finally, the journey is near its end. It has been quite an experience from applying for PR, planning the move here, then citizenship and the SC/OCI process after all that. This forum has been an invaluable resource to me and the members have been an excellent source of support both technically and morally.

I hope to hang around here for a little while longer offering moral and technical support as much as I can. It's the only way that I can attempt to repay the kindness of strangers.

I hope that all of you still waiting will have good news soon, and will also see the end of your own immigration journeys. I wish everyone a great future in their new home and happy travels to the motherland. God bless us all.

Awesome!! Finally!!! Congrats!!

 

[Hot2Cold]

Sadly, this is the opposite of what BLS is striving for. More ambiguity and more anxiety for applicants is their goal, as it gives them more opportunities to force us into "optional" services like courier, SMS, needlessly retaining originals, etc.

I applied for OCI at BLS Toronto few weeks back, and was EXTREMELY well-prepared. Learning from the experiences of others on this forum, I carried every possible original document + self attested copy for me, my wife, our children (such as marriage certificate, birth certificates, consular registration document for birth of children outside India, ancient documents / gazette notifications related to legal name change).

The BLS person at the counter was Zeenat. She spent 45-50 minutes (not an exaggeration) making me show EVERY SINGLE document. Ultimately, she found 2 "mistakes" (1) minor discrepancy in my wife's mother's name in the application package vs what was mentioned on my wife's passport (2) I had a name change 15 years back, for which I had multiple supporting documents including gazette notification - according to Zeenat, I should NOT have shown this name change in the OCI application.

Zeenat said I had to fill in fresh online OCI applications for both me and my wife, which I was prepared to do since I was carrying my laptop. But this would take me about 15 minutes to do, so she said it is better I came back another day with a fresh appointment, or join the walk-in line (another 3 hours of waiting).

At that moment, I threw in the towel, and indicated to Zeenat that she was welcome to charge me for additional services. She instantly became extremely helpful. Accepted all "missing" documents via email, personally made photocopies of anything that was needed. She retained our original canceled Indian passports, because apparently CGI Toronto needed to verify whether the passports have been canceled - according to her, surrender certificate issued by CGI themselves is not sufficient proof that our Indian passports were surrendered. (Note that couple of days back I received those original canceled passports back through Purolator, and it is obvious nobody opened the brown envelopes that Zeenat stapled in front of my eyes).

And here was the coup de grace from Zeenat, that convinced me I was in the presence of a mafia don. She asked me to submit a 5 star review on Google, mentioning her name. She asked me to show the wording of the review on my phone, and pressed submit HERSELF. I waited till applications appeared on OCI Services portal, before deleting that 5 star Google review.

This is really sad to hear and a really bad impression on our fellow countrymen. I have always felt that this a legal form of corruption. It would be so much easier to just say that our price is $X and get it done with rather than have this subterfuge in trying to wrangle a few dollars more from us. If they gave great service, then I am sure no one will grudge them the costs.

This way all that they are gaining is the curses of those that they are screwing over and perpetuating the bad reputation that they already have.

On the other hand, I must say that both my experiences with BLS Brampton were painless and well streamlined, and only a few minor mistakes(?) were caught but easily fixed. I wouldn't give a 5 star rating, but they definite rate a 3 star from me.

Good luck and here's wishing that you never have to deal with them ever again.

 

[Hot2Cold]

Awesome!! Finally!!! Congrats!!

You're close behind and should see yours soon.

 

[dushyant2809]

This is really sad to hear and a really bad impression on our fellow countrymen. I have always felt that this a legal form of corruption. It would be so much easier to just say that our price is $X and get it done with rather than have this subterfuge in trying to wrangle a few dollars more from us. If they gave great service, then I am sure no one will grudge them the costs.

This way all that they are gaining is the curses of those that they are screwing over and perpetuating the bad reputation that they already have.

On the other hand, I must say that both my experiences with BLS Brampton were painless and well streamlined, and only a few minor mistakes(?) were caught but easily fixed. I wouldn't give a 5 star rating, but they definite rate a 3 star from me.

Good luck and here's wishing that you never have to deal with them ever again.

Even I agree....Bramptom experience has been little better than Toronto office. Brampton guys are more cooperative.

I wonder what's their hiring criteria. "Duniya ka sabse dusht prani chahiye humko"

 

[softwaretesting]

This is really sad to hear and a really bad impression on our fellow countrymen. I have always felt that this a legal form of corruption. It would be so much easier to just say that our price is $X and get it done with rather than have this subterfuge in trying to wrangle a few dollars more from us. If they gave great service, then I am sure no one will grudge them the costs.

This way all that they are gaining is the curses of those that they are screwing over and perpetuating the bad reputation that they already have.

On the other hand, I must say that both my experiences with BLS Brampton were painless and well streamlined, and only a few minor mistakes(?) were caught but easily fixed. I wouldn't give a 5 star rating, but they definite rate a 3 star from me.

Good luck and here's wishing that you never have to deal with them ever again.

I am assuming that they got contract based on low rate that they quoted. In order to earn more, they are asking their employees to sell these extra services. I am still Ok if they just try to convince us, but not cheating. They charged $5 to us for that SMS/Status call service without even asking. We all ignore it considering small amount, but it's not ethical.

 

[canadamaple]

Here is something interesting. My application was sent to BLS Ottawa and I live right across the river in Gatineau. My original documents are current on the truck for delivery, but the package was picked up in Montreal. This does not make any sense. I hope that they are not sending me somebody else's documents. I wonder if they sent the original documents to BLS Montreal for verification. Seems like a BIG scam to me. I will keep everybody posted as soon as I receive my originals. I have spent many many sleepless nights over this. LOL.

 

[kdham]

Applied for entry visa at Brampton BLS office on May 24th, and received my stamped passport at home on May 30th. Pleasantly surprised to receive it this quick

 

[dc_2022]

Is there a specific time of the day BLS posts updates for OCI (regarding transit from Consulate/out for Courier etc.). Mine was processed on May 25th but have not seen any updates since.

 

[delray55]

Is there a specific time of the day BLS posts updates for OCI (regarding transit from Consulate/out for Courier etc.). Mine was processed on May 25th but have not seen any updates since.

Processed i believe is status from OCI portal. Has it arrived at the consulate?

 

[dc_2022]

Processed i believe is status from OCI portal. Has it arrived at the consulate?

Yes, it was all on the same day. Processed and Arrived.

 

[Hot2Cold]

Is there a specific time of the day BLS posts updates for OCI (regarding transit from Consulate/out for Courier etc.). Mine was processed on May 25th but have not seen any updates since.

I haven't noticed any particular time. Last night I had checked at 4:30 pm issh and there were no updates. This morning when I checked, I had an update. The Purolator tracking shows that the OCI was picked up at 3:30 pm, so they must have an overnight process and not live or else I would have seen my update yesterday itself.

 

[CanEEPR]

can someone help to answer this query: My son current Canadian child passport (for 5 year age) is going to expire in 2 months and he already have the OCI card, once I renew his passport, do I need to inform anything to Indian consulate for OCI to update the new passport no ?

 

[delray55]

can someone help to answer this query: My son current Canadian child passport (for 5 year age) is going to expire in 2 months and he already have the OCI card, once I renew his passport, do I need to inform anything to Indian consulate for OCI to update the new passport no ?

Details are in the link

https://www.cgitoronto.gov.in/page/oci-renewal-and-updation/

 

[immigrant7]

can someone help to answer this query: My son current Canadian child passport (for 5 year age) is going to expire in 2 months and he already have the OCI card, once I renew his passport, do I need to inform anything to Indian consulate for OCI to update the new passport no ?

Here you go.

https://www.cgitoronto.gov.in/page/oci-renewal-and-updation/

 

[canadamaple]

Finally received my original documents. Phew. What a RELIEF Now got to be patient for the OCI to be ready