OCI process

[Subu75]

Finally mine shipped today.Status changed today.Hopefully I will get it by thrusday

Good.
I will check mine when I reach home.

 

[Subu75]

Just checked:
"Application Status Original documents Dispatched via courier
(Passport ready For Dispatch after OCI stamping)
Courier Company FEDEX"
FedEx? Ha Ha

Showing Package picked up by Purolator today at 4pm at Surrey.

 

[HelloandHi]

So finally my status changed to "Received at Vancouver today "

 

[Subu75]

In Transit
Estimated Time of Delivery
By Wednesday, January 23, 2019
History

Date Local Time City Description
Jan 22, 2019 5:16 p.m. Port Kells Arrived at sort facility
Jan 22, 2019 4:00 p.m. Port Kells Picked up by Purolator at SURREY BC

 

[mohd000]

Same showing in my tracking.Hope I will get it today

 

[wolfpack27616]

I had submitted Passport surrender application and OCI application on Jan 14th (BLS Brampton).

I received my passport surrender on Jan 21st.

Today my OCI application status shows "In Transit from Consulate General to BLS Centre".

I know there's no way I would be getting my OCI approved so quickly- so what does this mean? Did any of you recent OCI applicants have this status message within a week of application?

 

[Subu75]

Out for delivery

 

[canadatryingguy]

So, today, I checked the status on BLS again. It is as same as yesterday. There is an Airway Bill Number associated with FedEx. Perhaps, it is a typo or FedEx collaborates with Purolator.

Anyway, Airway Bill Number shown on BLS is the tracking number for Purolator. While tracking on Purolator website, it shows that package was picked up on Jan 21st from Vancouver.

Thanks,

Received the OCI package today (family member received it).

Below is the complete timeline -

Applied at BLS center (in-person) in downtown Vancouver 5-DEC-2018
Date Of Acknowledgment 11-DEC-2018
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 04-JAN-2019
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 07-JAN-2019
Document received At VANCOUVER On 18-JAN-2019
Document dispatched from BLS On 21-JAN-2019
Document received at home On 23-JAN-2019

Good luck everyone!

 

[Subu75]

Just received oci booklets.

 

[mohd000]

Received Blue booklet today

 

[mogli]

Got my OCI card booklet today via purolator in record time! a little less than a month from application ..
BLS Brampton did an excellent job, I dealt with two people at the counters, one for surrender of Indian passport, and one for OCI app.
Both were excellent and professional, thank you BLS and CGI!
Only complaint I have is with the quality of the photo and OCI booklet, but who cares lol! it's done

 

[JamesBond007]

Got my OCI card booklet today via purolator in record time! a little less than a month from application ..
BLS Brampton did an excellent job, I dealt with two people at the counters, one for surrender of Indian passport, and one for OCI app.
Both were excellent and professional, thank you BLS and CGI!
Only complaint I have is with the quality of the photo and OCI booklet, but who cares lol! it's done

But it is very expensive. Almost $750 per head. why they need $250 for just surrendering a passport + courier extra.
I requested BLS Edmonton that i will pickup my OCI and surrendered passport at BLS. They said they don't have that option and charged me $112 for courier ($28 each myself, my spouse and my kid + OCI as one package). I stay just beside BLS which is 2 minutes drive from my home.

 

[mogli]

But it is very expensive. Almost $750 per head. why they need $250 for just surrendering a passport + courier extra.
I requested BLS Edmonton that i will pickup my OCI and surrendered passport at BLS. They said they don't have that option and charged me $112 for courier ($28 each myself, my spouse and my kid + OCI as one package). I stay just beside BLS which is 2 minutes drive from my home.

Expense is part of life, every country has it's fee to renounce citizenship and to gain a new one, heck even Jamaica charges over $1000 to renounce. Plus remember India is positioned economically to become a giant, surpassing even the US economically in the few coming years, they have their means to generate revenue, and people want to keep links to India for business, family or any other reason.
The US charges $2500 to renounce and they don't make it easy either. India is still a lot better off and lenient I'd say, in terms of accommodating it's former citizens. Lets not complain about money, and be prod of what we are achieving, i.e. our link to our motherland.

 

[mogli]

Since everyone just ignored this question lets try it again!
It is important, as it pertains to proving a common law relation in Canada for OCI application .. I'm sure there are many out there in Canada who require this answer but it's not addressed anywhere on Google searches, BLS website, Indian govt websites, etc .. there is nothing on how to handle this.

Only found one thread where someone asked this question, but that part of the question was also conveniently ignored, and other aspects answered ..
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/regarding-oci-application-for-my-wife-and-son.427812/

One of the documents required for OCI is a marriage certificate, but in Canada, bonafied Common Law relations are same as marriage .. so what document needs to be submitted in lieu of a marriage certificate, to prove a common law relationship ?
Does India recognize common law relationships for OCI purposes?

After thinking about this, I thought of making an affidavit, run it through a commissioner of oaths, notary, to mention the length of the relationship, if any kids, any other particulars, etc, and attach copies of proof such as ID's, definition of common law relationship as defined by the Canadian government, etc ..

I'll be phoning BLS directly on this tomorrow, but wanted to know if anyone went through same situation, and successfully got OCI ..
Please share your experience/advise/what documents you submitted exactly ..
BTW, I recently became a Canadian citizen this December ..

Good question, I see nobody even the 'so called gurus' even attempted to answer lol !
The mental stigma and narrow-mindedness in *some* Indian's is remarkably resilient, even in educated Indians living abroad, who stay away from an Indian girl asking a simple question about common-law relationships and OCI.
The acceptance of the concept of common-law is relatively new in India (although it has been there forever), until recently I think they have started recognizing 'live-in' relationships at the grass-roots level, but not officially as such. Live-in being equivalent to common-law but not as equal in terms of marriage. In Canada, it's almost the same as marriage after a few years and kids I suppose, nobody really cares here, as long as you're both in agreement of being together. Depends on the province.
The idea of registering a marriage and getting assigned a number on a certificate is a foreign concept for India, as before there was just a religious ceremony and you're done.
In any case, since CGI has not caught up with common-law, even though they operate in Canada, I'd advise you to just list as 'Single' and get your app processed, because technically according to their definition, you are Single, so you would not be lying - nothing to worry about there.
If you have any kids, they will be eligible for OCI as well on your basis, so you can always add them later, but get your OCI status first, then you can use OCI miscellaneous services to change your particulars. By that time you can call BLS and get clarification on how to approach this.
If no kids, then you'd be all set.

 

[wolfpack27616]

Today my OCI application status shows "In Transit from Consulate General to BLS Centre".

I know there's no way I would be getting my OCI approved so quickly- so what does this mean? Did any of you recent OCI applicants have this status message within a week of application?

Just to update- I received my original COPR back as well as OCI acknowledgement. So in case somebody sees this status message ""In Transit from Consulate General to BLS Centre" within a week or so of your application- it means your COPR and OCI acknowledgement is on its way to you.