OCI process

[desmat]

Why wouldn't he know? There is every reason to suspect that employees at BLS are doing this at the behest (and likely coerced) by their upper management. Every application re-filled using their value added services brings in $$. Its hard to think even the most sadistic employee would enjoy refilling 70 to 80% of applications for manufactured "mistakes", working non-stop from 8 am to 4:30pm for a low pay --- which is all what at least 3 "VAC" counters at Toronto office do these days. I believe fleecing applicants through predatory practices is the business MO of BLS management.

Every single application I have submitted at BLS counters in last 10+ years have been accepted only because me forcing them (standing one's ground as you say) and ignoring their final threat that this will be rejected by CGI punctuated by "no refund"! Nothing has ever been rejected by CGI in my case.

That said, this is not going to change until HCI stops accepting unreasonably low bids by agencies like BLS tailored to force out competition. The actual revenue strategy being fleecing gullible applicants, fees matter little to them. $7 to $9 of service fee per application is too low to be sustainable for any honest operation.

The reason I was thinking that because the way the staff at counters play games and mind games, it seems whatever fee they charge extra, goes into their own pockets or a hefty share of that is given to them...
But your points make more sense that they will not dare something like that without management approval.

 

[rpatel1290]

Hello,
Applied OCI for minor ( walk in Toronto)
On 25th October,
Bls tracking shows application date: 25 October 2023, status : processing at consulate of General but no ack yet.
OCI status: no record found.

Anyone has same timeline and same scenario?

 

[desmat]

The tricky situation is when applying via post - they sent my documents back with a strange explanation. You have no choice to pay $62 again. Once I have my OCI, I will not have to deal with these folks. Better to outsource to VFS type organization

What is $62 fee for?

 

[forw.jane]

What is $62 fee for?

Purolator postal charges

 

[Ayshufatima204]

Hi,
I have a question, I am expecting my OCI status to change to processed today, however I've booked my flight for dec 30th assuming ill have my OCI in hand by then but now it looks like a very close call. Now which option will be quicker? Directly picking it up from BLS centre or waiting for it to be delivered at home?

 

[eas2lv]

Hi,
I have a question, I am expecting my OCI status to change to processed today, however I've booked my flight for dec 30th assuming ill have my OCI in hand by then but now it looks like a very close call. Now which option will be quicker? Directly picking it up from BLS centre or waiting for it to be delivered at home?

Dec 30 is plenty of time. Would suggest to wait for it to deliver home instead of messing up with BLS which is a royal pain. You should get it delivered mid next week (Nov 29 as per my projection) assuming it gets processed today.
Unless you mean Nov 30.

 

[Ayshufatima204]

Dec 30 is plenty of time. Would suggest to wait for it to deliver home instead of messing up with BLS which is a royal pain. You should get it delivered mid next week (Nov 29 as per my projection) assuming it gets processed today.
Unless you mean Nov 30.

Thank you for the quick response!

 

[Ayshufatima204]

Dec 30 is plenty of time. Would suggest to wait for it to deliver home instead of messing up with BLS which is a royal pain. You should get it delivered mid next week (Nov 29 as per my projection) assuming it gets processed today.
Unless you mean Nov 30.

My bad!!! I meant nov 30! Its still a very close call, thats why I am nervous.

 

[eas2lv]

My bad!!! I meant nov 30! Its still a very close call, thats why I am nervous.

In that case, if processed today (with all three steps completed), we can expect "counter delivery.." update on Monday (at BLS site) and dispatch on Tuesday. An option is to ask BLS to hold it (do not courier) and then pick up in person on Tuesday (Nov 28).
I think 27th will be too early to try pickup and 28th too late unless a hold is put. If its BLS Brampton, people have had good success doing this, but you will have to make a trip on or before 27th to request hold to be sure.
You can request for hold even today.

 

[Sammzk]

Applicant Name	XXXXX
File Reference Number
Date Of Acknowledgment	14-OCT-2023
Registration Status at Mission	OTTAWA
Documents Printing Status	PROCESSED	On	21-NOV-2023
Dispatched From MEA (OCI )	NEW DELHI	On	22-NOV-2023

Hello,
Was your document received at Ottawa?

 

[Ayshufatima204]

In that case, if processed today (with all three steps completed), we can expect "counter delivery.." update on Monday (at BLS site) and dispatch on Tuesday. An option is to ask BLS to hold it (do not courier) and then pick up in person on Tuesday (Nov 28).
I think 27th will be too early to try pickup and 28th too late unless a hold is put. If its BLS Brampton, people have had good success doing this, but you will have to make a trip on or before 27th to request hold to be sure.
You can request for hold even today.

Thank you so much! ill ask them to hold my oci to be on a safer side.

 

[eas2lv]

Thank you so much! ill ask them to hold my oci to be on a safer side.

If you do this be aware that they may say things like it could take a week for OCI to arrive from consulate etc. Just ignore those and try to double check they have really put a hold on couriering it out. Good luck. Also move faster if any of the BLS updates happen earlier than expected.

 

[Dv.harsh]

Any idea what's the fee for 1yr and 1 month?

1 year is USD 40 .

 

[skondav]

We applied for OCI on October

This one is for one of my daughters, applied via appointment at BLS Brampton at the same time with mine and my husband’s application.

Application Reference Number	C**
Application Date	2023-10-07
Applicant Name	M****
Applicant Passport Number	A******
Applicant Date of Birth	*****
Application Status	Processing at Consulate General Processing at Consulate General
​ Additional Infomation #​ Comments​ On​ 1 Resubmitted to cgi 2023-10-26 07:28:14

This is for my other daughter as we were waiting for her Canadian passport.

Applied via mail: October 11th, received at BLS Oct 12th, No acknowledgement on OCI’s website yet. Not expecting it before our travel on Dec 9th. We applied for entry visas for both our kids.

Application Date	2023-10-24
Applicant Name	S****
Applicant Passport Number	P****
Applicant Date of Birth	****
Application Status	Processing at Consulate General Processing at Consulate General

The postal application that was sent on October 11th got an acknowledgement on OCI's site on 23rd Nov. The one we applied in-person on October 7th and which got re-submitted on 26th Oct has not been acknowledged on OCI's website yet.

 

[Ninisha]

We applied for OCI on October

The postal application that was sent on October 11th got an acknowledgement on OCI's site on 23rd Nov. The one we applied in-person on October 7th and which got re-submitted on 26th Oct has not been acknowledged on OCI's website yet.

My OCI application reached BLS Bramton on 16 Oct and is in Consulate for Processing since Oct 25. Its not ack on OCI website. I think it will be next week. Consulate is really slow. But after this things will speed up as not many will be in rush to apply for entry visa and OCI.