Tourist Visa - Indian

[siddharthkalyan]

Hi,

not sure if this is the right place, but I need some help in understanding the visa process.

I am in Toronto, Can I apply Visitor Visa and Surrender my Indian passport at the same time? and how much time does this process takes?

Thanks in advance!

 

[smansuri97]

following

 

[akbardxb]

Hi,

not sure if this is the right place, but I need some help in understanding the visa process.

I am in Toronto, Can I apply Visitor Visa and Surrender my Indian passport at the same time? and how much time does this process takes?

Thanks in advance!

Yes. You can apply for both on the same day. However, I think these days, BLS is pushing one year tourist visa. This is what they advised us to take as it is 'faster processing'. We got it in a couple of weeks.

 

[siddharthkalyan]

Yes. You can apply for both on the same day. However, I think these days, BLS is pushing one year tourist visa. This is what they advised us to take as it is 'faster processing'. We got it in a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the reply,

and about OCI, can we apply OCI along with the passport surrender.
if yes, which is the faster way to go, applying OCI with surrender or applying for visa with surrender

 

[akbardxb]

Thanks for the reply,

and about OCI, can we apply OCI along with the passport surrender.
if yes, which is the faster way to go, applying OCI with surrender or applying for visa with surrender

OCI and Surrender cannot be applied on the same day. If you want to travel to India, apply for a visa with the surrender and then apply for OCT once surrender certificate is in hand.

 

[siddharthkalyan]

OCI and Surrender cannot be applied on the same day. If you want to travel to India, apply for a visa with the surrender and then apply for OCT once surrender certificate is in hand.

Thanks a ton, i will go with Surrender and visa at the same time.

 

[akbardxb]

Thanks a ton, i will go with Surrender and visa at the same time.

A word of advice. Don't waste your money getting photos done outside. Chances are high that they will reject them and make you pay for photos again. Double / triple check that you have ALL documents. If you have a printer at home, take extra copies of documents. They are known tol send you back on the slightest pretext. If you are taking an appointment, make sure every one in your family including minors have an appointment.

I learnt it the hard way

 

[siddharthkalyan]

A word of advice. Don't waste your money getting photos done outside. Chances are high that they will reject them and make you pay for photos again. Double / triple check that you have ALL documents. If you have a printer at home, take extra copies of documents. They are known tol send you back on the slightest pretext. If you are taking an appointment, make sure every one in your family including minors have an appointment.

I learnt it the hard way

Thank you, is there any document in particular, which they require and can send us back.

do i have to take two separate appointments for visa and surrender at the same time.

how much time in advance should i reach there, if i need to get my photos clicked as well

 

[akbardxb]

1. Check the forms for accuracy.
2. Two separate applications for surrender and visa.
3. Each will have a check list for documents. colour copies please for each application.
4. Photos take a couple of minutes - done when they receive your application at the counter.

 

[americanidiot]

Piggybacking off this thread. What are the timelines of getting a tourist visa? My Oath is on Nov 23. Assuming it's in person and I get the cert right away I can get a Canadian passport in a couple of days. I can apply for surrender + tourist visa at the same time but do I need the surrender to be done to fly to India? Can I use the tourist visa to go there? I fly to India on Dec 14

I'm based in Vancouver so I have no clue about timelines here

 

[akbardxb]

Piggybacking off this thread. What are the timelines of getting a tourist visa? My Oath is on Nov 23. Assuming it's in person and I get the cert right away I can get a Canadian passport in a couple of days. I can apply for surrender + tourist visa at the same time but do I need the surrender to be done to fly to India? Can I use the tourist visa to go there? I fly to India on Dec 14

I'm based in Vancouver so I have no clue about timelines here

Can't say about Van. but at Brampton BLS, we applied for surrender and visa on the same day. We collected ours in two weeks - both applications and this was in June this year. You don't need to have the surrender certificate in hand to apply for a visa and don't need it to travel to India as a Canadian.

In most cases, citizenship certificates are received within two weeks for online oaths. Once you have the certificate, you can queue up at a Passport Canada office with proof of travel within 25 days and you can get your passport even in 2 days. IMHO, you are cutting it a bit fine if you have an online oath.

Start praying for an in-person oath. Collect your certificate and queue up on Nov 24 days for a passport. A little stretched in this case, but do able.

 

[americanidiot]

Can't say about Van. but at Brampton BLS, we applied for surrender and visa on the same day. We collected ours in two weeks - both applications and this was in June this year. You don't need to have the surrender certificate in hand to apply for a visa and don't need it to travel to India as a Canadian.

In most cases, citizenship certificates are received within two weeks for online oaths. Once you have the certificate, you can queue up at a Passport Canada office with proof of travel within 25 days and you can get your passport even in 2 days. IMHO, you are cutting it a bit fine if you have an online oath.

Start praying for an in-person oath. Collect your certificate and queue up on Nov 24 days for a passport. A little stretched in this case, but do able.

Cheers mate. Yeah you're right - I am cutting it close. Honestly, I'll look at the visa processing times around Nov 15 and if it's like 4-5 weeks then I'll have them postpone my oath to when I'm back in Jan/Feb.

Of course, if it's an online oath to begin with then I'm screwed regardless and it's an easy decision to postpone it.

 

[Samoinp]

1. Check the forms for accuracy.
2. Two separate applications for surrender and visa.
3. Each will have a check list for documents. colour copies please for each application.
4. Photos take a couple of minutes - done when they receive your application at the counter.

Hi, what do you mean by Photos taking a couple of minutes? Aren't we supposed to already take photos along with the application?

 

[akbardxb]

Hi, what do you mean by Photos taking a couple of minutes? Aren't we supposed to already take photos along with the application?

Most of the time they will find faults with your photos and make you pay again by taking the photos there.

 

[djrobinn]

Will keep adding to this post as the application progresses:

December 9: Applied for Tourist visa for my wife by mail.