Indian passport surrender

[abbas.pasha]

Hey.. Just received my surrender certificate. I am not able to book BLS appointment for OCI so I am planning to send it by mail. If I book pickup & drop off then there is no need to include any extra fee. It will be $345 (for OCI) + $7.40 (BLS) right? Also, I am planning to travel to India around 6th April so any experience with OCI processing time?

If you are in the GTA I read on the BLS website a day or two ago that they are accepting walkin
Please call them in the morning to reconfirm and I would suggest you to submit this in person.
Another option will to be book appointment under Passport or Visa category if it is available and book those appointment slots instead and visit the BLS center as per the appointment.
With the postal application there is no guarantee that they will not reject the applications.
At least with in person submission you know that if the photos will be ok or not and if they require any additional documentation/signature etc, you can provide them on the spot.
Factor in 2-3 months for OCI application processing

 

[kjaspreet]

If you are in the GTA I read on the BLS website a day or two ago that they are accepting walkin
Please call them in the morning to reconfirm and I would suggest you to submit this in person.
With the postal application there is no guarantee that they will not reject the applications.
At least with in person submission you know that if the photos will be ok or not and if they require any additional documentation/signature etc, you can provide them on the spot.
Factor in 2-3 months for OCI application processing

Actually, I am in Surrey and they only accept OCI either by appointment or by mail. There is no available appointment till March end.

 

[wincanton]

Hey.. Just received my surrender certificate. I am not able to book BLS appointment for OCI so I am planning to send it by mail. If I book pickup & drop off then there is no need to include any extra fee. It will be $345 (for OCI) + $7.40 (BLS) right? Also, I am planning to travel to India around 6th April so any experience with OCI processing time?

Keep checking https://www.blsindia-canada.com/appointmentbls/appointment.php everyday between 7-10AM, you may get same day slot for OCI Applications at their either GTA locations (if you stay in drivable distance).
I got OCI appointment for same last week.

 

[appuchu]

As of now, I see lot of appointments available for Toronto under Visa category for Jan. Earliest is available for Jan 13 (tomorrow atleast 14 slots). If anyone is looking for slots in Toronto.

Appointments are also available under passport category for Feb 14 onwards.

 

[aphermix]

Hi, I am about to submit the Surrender application. On the BLS checklist it says "If there are any endorsements on the page, kindly enclose copy of those pages as well." What are these endorsement pages ? I see a stamp on my passport saying Endorsement for PCC issued for my PR application a long time ago. Should I include copy of this page as well ? Anyone who did the same ?

 

[melmathews]

Payment can be made to BLS either by Cash or Debit card
But be prepared BLS will charge you extra e.g. courier, photo, etc

Thanks , @abbas.pasha I was just worried f I need to go prepare 4 separate drafts for this. I have also experienced the BLS VAS selling when I renewed our passports there in the past

 

[owleroz]

Let me rephrase my question.

I am currently in Canada and awaiting my Canadian Passport. I am planning to apply for e-visa, once receiving and travelling to India and while in India can i submit for Surrender Indian passport and apply for OCI?

Is it possible or the only option to apply for Surrender Indian passport and OCI is only from bls-india ?

@nrc1978, did you get any more information on applying for your OCI in India ? Would it be faster to apply for OCI or passport surrender from US (if it is allowed) ?

 

[sentraj]

I'm planning to travel India a week after getting Canada Passport with 3 months Grace Period, Anyone with this experience?

 

[abbas.pasha]

Thanks , @abbas.pasha I was just worried f I need to go prepare 4 separate drafts for this. I have also experienced the BLS VAS selling when I renewed our passports there in the past

For surrender no but when it comes to OCI you will need to make drafts for payment to CGI

 

[melmathews]

For surrender no but when it comes to OCI you will need to make drafts for payment to CGI

Oh well. Somewhere or the other we get to waste some money making drafts

 

[abbas.pasha]

Oh well. Somewhere or the other we get to waste some money making drafts

If you have e.g. All Inclusive Bank Account with TD... They dont charge a fee for the draft

 

[OllySyd]

Oh well. Somewhere or the other we get to waste some money making drafts

The challenge with a single draft for the entire family is - there is no guarantee that all the application forms will be approved by BLS (if submitting in person). If there were issues with one application, then you will have to take a call and take back the entire set....individual drafts -----while costly, will help in getting at least some of the applications through.....

So if you are 100% sure that you have everything correct for all you applications or if you are Ok to take the "All or None" approach then you should be fine

 

[abbas.pasha]

Hi, I am about to submit the Surrender application. On the BLS checklist it says "If there are any endorsements on the page, kindly enclose copy of those pages as well." What are these endorsement pages ? I see a stamp on my passport saying Endorsement for PCC issued for my PR application a long time ago. Should I include copy of this page as well ? Anyone who did the same ?

We had same PCC endorsement stamps but we did not include the copies during either the surrender or OCI applications. We had to submit original Indian passport during both processes when we submitted the application at BLS Brampton.
Did not face any issues during the surrender application.
OCI application also submitted recently

 

[aphermix]

We had same PCC endorsement stamps but we did not include the copies during either the surrender or OCI applications. We had to submit original Indian passport during both processes when we submitted the application at BLS Brampton.
Did not face any issues during the surrender application.
OCI application also submitted recently

Thanks, I went for surrender application today. I had copies of endorsement pages. But they did not ask for the same

 

[onkar112]

Any suggestions for best place to get photos done? Is London drugs ok?