OCI

[saini84]

original

They do not keep Canadian Passport while filing OCI application. I submitted the application today and they even did not look at the original Canadian Passport. Only originals that they took: CoPR, Citizenship Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate of my child.

One thing regarding courier. As one of the members quoted that be proactive and say that I will pick-up the documents, else, they will quickly charge you and make the bill.
I had 5 applications today (3 OCI and 2 for Passport Surrender). I was called simultaneously in 2 counters (one for 3 OCI applications and another for 2 Passport Surrender applications). I was going back and forth to both the counters. For Passport Surrender, the associate quickly generated the receipt of 560 dollars (60 being the charge for courier), but, for the OCI counter one, I managed to tell her that for all the documentation (Original Documentation, OCI cards), I will pick the documents. This is un-necessary expense if you are residing in Brampton/Mississauga. So, be proactive and save some money.

 

[saini84]

my bad. I meant to ask do I need to submit my original Canadian passport for OCI ?

No. They will not ask to submit the original Canadian Passport.

 

[saini84]

On the Document checklist, it clearly says a copy is required.

They will take the originals and will return within 2 weeks.

 

[Goku]

They will take the originals and will return within 2 weeks.

They are going to take original COPR not Canadian Citizenship Certificate.

 

[saini84]

They are going to take original COPR not Canadian Citizenship Certificate.

They took the Citizenship Certificate; I submitted the application TODAY.

 

[Goku]

They took the Citizenship Certificate; I submitted the application TODAY.

Well that's interesting. As per document checklist currently available online on bls website it says:

CANADIAN/ FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE : Canadians please provide a copy of the long Oath Certificate

RECORD OF LANDING (IMM1000)/ Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5392) - All the applicants who are born outside Canada must submit Record of landing/Confirmation of Permanent Residence indicating the “immigration category” of the applicant. Immigration category on the landing paper can be found under point 19 on the landing paper.  Note: In case, original landing paper is not available / lost, a duplicate/certified true copy or any other document, showing applicant's immigration category, issued by Canadian immigration authority can be accepted. Please note that the document submitted in lieu of the lost/misplaced original landing document will be accepted only if it reflects the immigration category of applicant. In this case, you may also apply for a ‘Status of Verification’ document from CIC, ensuring that the category is printed on the same.

This is so confusing. I called bls yesterday morning and they told me opposite of what you are telling us.

So they did ask you for COPR and Citizenship Certificate or did they just took Citizenship Certificate and never asked you for COPR?

 

[saini84]

Well that's interesting. As per document checklist currently available online on bls website it says:

CANADIAN/ FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE : Canadians please provide a copy of the long Oath Certificate

RECORD OF LANDING (IMM1000)/ Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5392) - All the applicants who are born outside Canada must submit Record of landing/Confirmation of Permanent Residence indicating the “immigration category” of the applicant. Immigration category on the landing paper can be found under point 19 on the landing paper.  Note: In case, original landing paper is not available / lost, a duplicate/certified true copy or any other document, showing applicant's immigration category, issued by Canadian immigration authority can be accepted. Please note that the document submitted in lieu of the lost/misplaced original landing document will be accepted only if it reflects the immigration category of applicant. In this case, you may also apply for a ‘Status of Verification’ document from CIC, ensuring that the category is printed on the same.

This is so confusing. I called bls yesterday morning and they told me opposite of what you are telling us.

So they did ask you for COPR and Citizenship Certificate or did they just took Citizenship Certificate and never asked you for COPR?

As I mentioned in my earlier post, they took BOTH CoPR and Citizenship Certificate.
Only originals that they took: CoPR, Citizenship Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate of my child (for her application)
For marriage certificate, I did an affidavit here (notarized by public Notary) as I did not have Spouse name on Indian Passport.

 

[saini84]

As I mentioned in my earlier post, they took BOTH CoPR and Citizenship Certificate.
Only originals that they took: CoPR, Citizenship Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate of my child (for her application)
For marriage certificate, I did an affidavit here (notarized by public Notary) as I did not have Spouse name on Indian Passport.

I asked the same question; but, you know that if they ask for the certificate, we must provide it else, they will make us to provide it
so, better give them what they want

 

[saini84]

Well that's interesting. As per document checklist currently available online on bls website it says:

CANADIAN/ FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE : Canadians please provide a copy of the long Oath Certificate

RECORD OF LANDING (IMM1000)/ Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM 5392) - All the applicants who are born outside Canada must submit Record of landing/Confirmation of Permanent Residence indicating the “immigration category” of the applicant. Immigration category on the landing paper can be found under point 19 on the landing paper.  Note: In case, original landing paper is not available / lost, a duplicate/certified true copy or any other document, showing applicant's immigration category, issued by Canadian immigration authority can be accepted. Please note that the document submitted in lieu of the lost/misplaced original landing document will be accepted only if it reflects the immigration category of applicant. In this case, you may also apply for a ‘Status of Verification’ document from CIC, ensuring that the category is printed on the same.

This is so confusing. I called bls yesterday morning and they told me opposite of what you are telling us.

So they did ask you for COPR and Citizenship Certificate or did they just took Citizenship Certificate and never asked you for COPR?

Please DO NOT rely on their call center representative. I saw three applicants today who were sent back because one of the documents were missing and they were saying that Call Centre guys did not said it.
My suggestion is ....always carry all the originals with you for which the copies has been provided when we are going to BLS or Indian Embassy. Except the passport, submit whatever they ask.

 

[Goku]

I asked the same question; but, you know that if they ask for the certificate, we must provide it else, they will make us to provide it
so, better give them what they want

Lol. I agree. That's why I was confirming it with you cause document checklist says something they ask for something. Funny part is we cant even argue as they will make us submit what they want anyways. Thanks

 

[majorsaab]

They took the Citizenship Certificate; I submitted the application TODAY.

They are very inconsistent. When I applied last month, they only took COPR.

 

[majorsaab]

For #4: You mentioned that for your wife they printed as per Canadian passport which had the Surname but given name as "XXX". Did the OCI card had Given Name as blank or was it listed as "XXX". Please let me know. thanks !

In my wife's case, she had no surname as per Indian passport; First Name: ABC DEF Last Name: ______. When we immigrated, they changed her name to First Name: ABC and Last Name: DEF. Same in citizenship certificate and passport. So in OCI it was as per Canadian passport First Name: ABC Last Name: DEF.

 

[mumbai1985]

They do not keep Canadian Passport while filing OCI application. I submitted the application today and they even did not look at the original Canadian Passport. Only originals that they took: CoPR, Citizenship Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate of my child.

One thing regarding courier. As one of the members quoted that be proactive and say that I will pick-up the documents, else, they will quickly charge you and make the bill.
I had 5 applications today (3 OCI and 2 for Passport Surrender). I was called simultaneously in 2 counters (one for 3 OCI applications and another for 2 Passport Surrender applications). I was going back and forth to both the counters. For Passport Surrender, the associate quickly generated the receipt of 560 dollars (60 being the charge for courier), but, for the OCI counter one, I managed to tell her that for all the documentation (Original Documentation, OCI cards), I will pick the documents. This is un-necessary expense if you are residing in Brampton/Mississauga. So, be proactive and save some money.

So, they keep your original citizenship certificate? I though they only require a copy, as per the checklist.

 

[mumbai1985]

As I mentioned in my earlier post, they took BOTH CoPR and Citizenship Certificate.
Only originals that they took: CoPR, Citizenship Certificate, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate of my child (for her application)
For marriage certificate, I did an affidavit here (notarized by public Notary) as I did not have Spouse name on Indian Passport.

Hello - can you tell me where did you get the marriage certificate affadivit?

Also, did you upload original marriage certificate in the oci website ? Or affadivit has to be uploaded?

Do I need 2 affadivit for 2 oci applications?

 

[Goku]

Here are my Passport Reunification and OCI application experience.

So I went to BLS Brampton around 8:10. There were not many people there, maybe 3-4. I took no. from reception and then I was immediately called in. Submitted both applications in the first try.

Passport Reunification:
It is a pretty straightforward application. I took documents according to document checklist. Nothing else needed apart from that.
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OCI Application:
This application looks complicated as they have provided all the information on the checklist, but it is also pretty straightforward.

Filling out PART A & B:
Names:
Make sure to include your and parents exact names as it is on the Indian passport. If you have xyzkumar or xyzbhai then make sure you write exactly what you have on your Indian passport. They will tell you to resubmit the online application if that "Kumar" or "bhai" or something else is missing in the name.

Indian address:
Make sure to write exactly as it is on Indian Passport.

Native address:
I wrote my Indian address as the Native place. I have same on my Indian passport as well.

Documents Uploaded:
Don't worry if you see the same documents uploaded twice. If you click twice on upload document it will upload it twice but not to worry.

• For Marriage certificate, I uploaded a photocopy of notarized marriage Certificate along with No objection certificate from the spouse (NOC letter), and a copy of her passport bio pages. All the pages were self-attested. Yes, NOC letter and spouse bio-pages are sort of not on the checklist. See Marriage Certificate section below for more detail.
• All the documents I uploaded were self-attested.

Make sure to double check all the information with your Foreign/Indian passport before going to BLS for submission. Then you print it and sign it.
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Document checklist:
Please make sure that all document (photocopy) has to be self-attested. You have to write "This is a true copy of the original" on all photocopies and have to sign it and date it.

Photographs: It has to be same as you uploaded online.

Surrender Certificate: If you are submitting the application for reunification and OCI at the same time then don't worry about this part. As BLS will issue you are tracking receipt which will be then attached with your OCI application.

Marriage Certificate: Yes this part is little confusing. So here what it says on the checklist and here I quote,
"If married in India:
Marriage Certificate should be attested by the State Home Dept. where the marriage was registered and further more attested
by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi (MEA). Please note: If the applicant does not have Marriage certificate attested by
MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) New Delhi, but is issued by the Marriage Registrar of a State Home Government in India, then
the pplication can be accepted along with Notarized joined Affidavit, containing both- photograph and signatures of the couple, from
Notary Public or lawyer in Canada."

I spoke to 3 different BLS representatives over the phone, and they all said that this is the old requirement. If your marriage certificate is issued by state/province then a photocopy will suffice.

My spouse has never been to Canada, so here is that they required of her in order to process my application:

• Notarized marriage certificate. I got it Notarized from India as I don't have original with me here. Though they said photocopy would be ok, I still got it notarized just in case.
• NOC Letter from the spouse (Original). Stating that She doesn't have any objection in me applying for NOC. It has to be signed by your spouse.
• Her passport bio-pages. Signed by your spouse.
• Also they didn't tell me over the phone, but they made me write a letter at BLS saying that my spouse has never been to Canada as that's why we cannot provide you with Landing paper, and also original marriage certificate is not available as it is required in India for some purposes, and then I signed the letter.

That's pretty much it for Marriage Certificate. I didn't get anything notarized from Canada. This was for me please check if you are required to notarize any of your documents in Canada.

COPR(Landing Paper) & Citizenship certificate:
They did take my Original COPR/Landing paper for OCI but they never asked me for my original Citizenship certificate.
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BLS Courier Fees:
They never asked me to if I wanted to opt out this option, but if you want to opt out do tell them as soon as you hand them over your application. They won't even tell you how much the charges are. I actually wanted the courier services as I live far for BLS Brampton. In total, they charged me around $90ish for courier. for both OCI and Passport reunification.

You can pay for Passport reunification at BLS, but for OCI you have to get a draft of $282 payable to The Consulate General of India - Toronto" (For Toronto Jurisdiction only).

I hope this helps. Good Luck.