OCI process
- Thread starter blueshirt
- Start date
I did on Saturday 6th May'23. I reached the location at 6.40am. And there were already 20 or so people ahead of me. By the time the centre opened at 8am, there were 60+ people behind me on the line. Considering there were people with appointments being let in as they came in, I was let in at 9.10am and was out by 9.25am.
Just got back from the Brampton centre, and feel completely ripped off. They said my photograph was not correct (even though same photograph was fine for surrender certificate), but I was expecting that from what I read on this forum. But they charged me for a lot of stuff that was not provided.
So, they pointed out an error in my form (very minor) so they said if I wanted it to be done today, they will charge me $30 to fill up my form. I said fine as I came from afar. But I also had my daughter's application that had no errors. However they charged me the fee to fill up 2 forms instead of one. Even though they said it's just one application and my daughter's application was fine. Then, they said I needed my Canadian passport copy as well for my daughter's application, which is fair, but they charged me $12 to make the copy and $12 more for the print. But again, they charged me this $24 twice! Even though, it was only missing from my daughter's application.
So overall, there is a variance of $54 that they charged me extra. I mean even the legitimate additional fees of filling up the form, photo, and print was basically ripping off, but at least they provided me that service. But this $54 was just not provided. I only noticed this after I looked at all the receipts.
Is their any way to raise this with BLS and get my money back? Or is it a lost cause? Anyone had a similar experience.
So, they pointed out an error in my form (very minor) so they said if I wanted it to be done today, they will charge me $30 to fill up my form. I said fine as I came from afar. But I also had my daughter's application that had no errors. However they charged me the fee to fill up 2 forms instead of one. Even though they said it's just one application and my daughter's application was fine. Then, they said I needed my Canadian passport copy as well for my daughter's application, which is fair, but they charged me $12 to make the copy and $12 more for the print. But again, they charged me this $24 twice! Even though, it was only missing from my daughter's application.
So overall, there is a variance of $54 that they charged me extra. I mean even the legitimate additional fees of filling up the form, photo, and print was basically ripping off, but at least they provided me that service. But this $54 was just not provided. I only noticed this after I looked at all the receipts.
Is their any way to raise this with BLS and get my money back? Or is it a lost cause? Anyone had a similar experience.
Submitted OCI application today at BLS Vancouver.
Had an appointment for 10:15 and was done with all document verification in about 5 mins or so. No issues with the form/photos.
Total: OCI Fee($345) + BLS fee($7) + Courier(~$28)
They said it should be delivered in ~6 weeks.
Had an appointment for 10:15 and was done with all document verification in about 5 mins or so. No issues with the form/photos.
Total: OCI Fee($345) + BLS fee($7) + Courier(~$28)
They said it should be delivered in ~6 weeks.
That's unfortunate !!
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/contact.php
There is a category under "Select ticket subject" on this page - which says "Complaints- Excess fee charged" . You should raise a request and see?
They charged me $53 (plus tax) per application for courier. How is it so different at Vancouver?
Oh wow, yeah that seems steep change! Did you opt/ were coerced to go for SMS updates or anything?
These were the components on the receipt
OCI Fee($341) + ICWF($4) + BLS Fee($7.05) + Courier($28.57) + GST($1.78) + Debit card fee ($0.7) = $383.10
No, nothing extra for the courier. In the OCI receipt, I have all the charges you have mentioned, with the difference being the change in courier fee ($54.10) and obviously the tax was different due to the change in courier fee.
Interesting.
The only thing I can see & think of is "Out of province courier fee" (Does that apply to you by any chance?)
https://www.cgitoronto.gov.in/page/bls-service-charges/
I don't think this applies to me. The only thing I can think of is that they said my surrender certificate and my daughter's birth certificate will be sent back to me after verification and they charged me separately for that; not sure!
In any case, I think after this experience, I'd say sending application via post avoids any scamming by BLS folks. I sent my surrender certificate application and had zero issues - including using the same photograph that today they said was incorrect. But god knows, maybe they would have sent the application back and it would have been more frustrating, costly, and time consuming.
I submitted a grievance form on BLS site. For anyone interested, here's what I wrote:
I was charged $54 extra for services that were not provided. I only noticed after I came back home and checked my receipt. So I went for OCI application for myself and my daughter (minor). Her application reference number is xxxxxxxxxxx. The agent pointed out an error in my form so they said if I wanted it to be done today, they will charge me $30 to fill up my form. But I also had my daughter's application that had no errors. However they charged me the fee to fill up 2 forms instead of one. Even though they said it's just one application and my daughter's application was fine.
Then, they said I needed my Canadian passport copy as well for my daughter's application, which is fair. For this I see there are 2 charges of $12 each, one for Passport page, and one for passport print. But again they charged me these $24 twice. Even though, the passport copy was only missing from my daughter's application.
So overall, there is a variance of $54 that they charged me extra.
Apart from this, I was also charged $54.10 EACH (once for my application, and once for my daughter's), for courier. The courier fee is supposed to be $28.6, but I was charged ~$25 extra for each application. I have no idea why I was charged this additional amount. I am from Toronto, so the out of province courier fee doesn't apply to me, and I did not opt for any other service for courier.
So, all in all, I was charged $104 extra - $30 for the form filling for my daughter's application which was fine, $24 for the copy and print which was charged twice, and $50 extra ($25 in each application) for courier.
I have zero hope in ever getting this resolved, but I thought I will at least let them know. Hope this doesn't negatively impact my application
I was charged $54 extra for services that were not provided. I only noticed after I came back home and checked my receipt. So I went for OCI application for myself and my daughter (minor). Her application reference number is xxxxxxxxxxx. The agent pointed out an error in my form so they said if I wanted it to be done today, they will charge me $30 to fill up my form. But I also had my daughter's application that had no errors. However they charged me the fee to fill up 2 forms instead of one. Even though they said it's just one application and my daughter's application was fine.
Then, they said I needed my Canadian passport copy as well for my daughter's application, which is fair. For this I see there are 2 charges of $12 each, one for Passport page, and one for passport print. But again they charged me these $24 twice. Even though, the passport copy was only missing from my daughter's application.
So overall, there is a variance of $54 that they charged me extra.
Apart from this, I was also charged $54.10 EACH (once for my application, and once for my daughter's), for courier. The courier fee is supposed to be $28.6, but I was charged ~$25 extra for each application. I have no idea why I was charged this additional amount. I am from Toronto, so the out of province courier fee doesn't apply to me, and I did not opt for any other service for courier.
So, all in all, I was charged $104 extra - $30 for the form filling for my daughter's application which was fine, $24 for the copy and print which was charged twice, and $50 extra ($25 in each application) for courier.
I have zero hope in ever getting this resolved, but I thought I will at least let them know. Hope this doesn't negatively impact my application
Sorry bhai...I was waiting for your GIF reply Abbas!
But this is indeed a rip off and shameful day light robbery courtesy BLS... sorry that you had to go through this experience
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Arey sorry kahe ka bhaai! Ab vaat toh lag hi gayi hai, uspe rone se acche, thode maze hi lein le