Indian passport surrender - 2 failed in-person attempts (BLS Brampton)
sharing my experience from past 2 days - 16-17Feb'23. my God only knows how badly I want to get rid of ALL dealings with BLS - the mini sarkaari daftar! even though my kids may not visit India so often, I am still gonna go for more expensive OCIs for them so that I don't have to deal with BLS for every entry visa each time! these asses are simply minting money and treating us like shit, the ones who are actually funding their salaries!
1 - we were told by other applicants (even BLS/CGI website said) we need 1 photo
NO - they asked for 2 photos - 1 pasted on the form, 1 additional
2 - it wasn't mentioned anywhere on BLS/CGI website that photos need to be stamped (like for our citizenship appln)
NO - they said the photos need to be stamped with date (studio details not needed, at least that is what the woman said at the counter)
3 - BIGGEST one - we can apply for passport surrender if we don't have a Canadian passport, by giving a declaration
NO - I was refused yesterday (17Feb). even though i argued that getting a passport is an optional step, i already am a Canadian citizen. but no they didn't listen. BLS and CGI websites and even the checklist says that I can give a declaration to this effect. so, i am now waiting for my passport to come.
FUNNIEST PART is that on my 1st visit to BLS on 16th, I was told that I should not write "applied for" in the foreign passport field on the form, rest everything was okay. I visited them again on 17th Feb in less than 24 hours, this time they said (including the girl who I met last time) that they can't accept.
4 - Photos should be from a professional photo studio (but photos taken by a BLS staff in the waiting area from an ancient digital camera are acceptable!!)
Another applicant was refused cos their photos were not clicked by a professional photo studio. He showed the photos to me - they were absolutely perfect. Clicked by his son who's studying photography, and an absolutely normal n clear print which they took at home. This guy saved $80 - 100 by doing so for a family of 4. At the same time we say a BLS guy clicking photos under normal CFL lights in the waiting area, by making the applicant stand in front of a stained wall. This is acceptable?!
