OCI process

[ajit90]

I finally got the oci. My status changed to ‘Passport ready For Collection after OCI stamping’ ar 1:45 pm today. I rushed to BLS brmapton and collected it right away. The good for nothing call centre was still saying that my application is ‘processing at CGI’ and it might take 4-5 days more which was obviously incorrect. My flight was booked for tomorrow morning so getting the oci 12hrs bfr my flight came as a blessing for me.
Takeaway?
1. BLS call centre is full of clowns who do not always understand the current status
2. ‘ready for collection..’ means you can 100% get it from BLS.
3. CGI is a typical snob agency who will not pick up calls and will not reply to emails or twitter. For them, only a death in the family qualifies as an urgency. Their urgent appointment form literally has a placeholder to upload death certificate. These f$&@tards dont understand that it takes atleast a month to receive death certificate in India. Diplomats and grade B and C officers working at CGI are as good as the decade old BSNL employees who dont bother for responding to querries.

Factual details:
Date i sent the application to bls via courier: 07-OCT-2021
Received by BLS: 13-OCT-2021
BLS application date: 19-OCT-2021 (yes, they didnt do sh1t for 6 days.
Date Of Acknowledgment: 29-OCT-2021
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 24-NOV-2021
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 25-NOV-2021
Document received At TORONTO On 25-NOV-2021

Status on BLS website was always ‘Counter Delivery to BLS Centre after OCI stamping’

Status changed to ‘Passport ready For Collection after OCI stamping’: 26- NOV 2021 01:45 pm EST
Thanks @ajit90 for sharing his details with me. It helped me figure out my status. Really appreciate your responses man.

Awesome news! Have a nice trip

 

[vivek.89]

I finally got the oci. My status changed to ‘Passport ready For Collection after OCI stamping’ ar 1:45 pm today. I rushed to BLS brmapton and collected it right away. The good for nothing call centre was still saying that my application is ‘processing at CGI’ and it might take 4-5 days more which was obviously incorrect. My flight was booked for tomorrow morning so getting the oci 12hrs bfr my flight came as a blessing for me.
Takeaway?
1. BLS call centre is full of clowns who do not always understand the current status
2. ‘ready for collection..’ means you can 100% get it from BLS.
3. CGI is a typical snob agency who will not pick up calls and will not reply to emails or twitter. For them, only a death in the family qualifies as an urgency. Their urgent appointment form literally has a placeholder to upload death certificate. These f$&@tards dont understand that it takes atleast a month to receive death certificate in India. Diplomats and grade B and C officers working at CGI are as good as the decade old BSNL employees who dont bother for responding to querries.

Factual details:
Date i sent the application to bls via courier: 07-OCT-2021
Received by BLS: 13-OCT-2021
BLS application date: 19-OCT-2021 (yes, they didnt do sh1t for 6 days.
Date Of Acknowledgment: 29-OCT-2021
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 24-NOV-2021
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 25-NOV-2021
Document received At TORONTO On 25-NOV-2021

Status on BLS website was always ‘Counter Delivery to BLS Centre after OCI stamping’

Status changed to ‘Passport ready For Collection after OCI stamping’: 26- NOV 2021 01:45 pm EST
Thanks @ajit90 for sharing his details with me. It helped me figure out my status. Really appreciate your responses man.

Congrats!

Had a question: do they stamp OCI on Canadian passport or is it like a separate card?

 

[rajkamalmohanram]

Congrats!

Had a question: do they stamp OCI on Canadian passport or is it like a separate card?

Separate booklet.

 

[rupinmaths]

Hey guys, i have a question about the fee for New fresh OCI Vancouver. What is the actual amount of draft that we have to make?

The checklist @ https://www.blsindia-canada.com/CanadaVisaCCT/Checklist_and_Information_Booklet_for_OCI.pdf says CAD $345

whereas the link @ https://www.blsindia-canada.com/ocihome.php says two drafts $341(CGI Fee) and another draft CGI Consular Sucharge: $ 4 + BLS Service charge: $7.40 + Courier fee...

please can someone clarify what is the amount for money drafts and do i have to make two??

 

[Oceanna]

For Marriage Certificate:
Step1: Get apostle from New York, https://dos.ny.gov/apostille-or-certificate-authentication or do it online third private party which delivers faster, https://www.vitalchek.com/order_main.aspx?eventtype=MARRIAGE#
Step2: After receiving the apostle, it has to be attested by Consulate.
Step3: Once you recieved the attested apostle, attach with your OCI application. Please contact with BLS to know if original or copy must be attached with OCI application.

Child born in Canada:
Copy of birth certificate showing both parents name attested by both parents with a statement written on it "This is true............................"

All uploaded documents has to self attested with a statement "This is true .........." and same will be attached with the OCI application.

Hope it helps.

Great. Much of that was helpful for our child. So I will re-upload all documents with self-attestation. What is still not clear and which the consulate in Vancouver has not returned to us on is the attestation of the marriage certificate by the NY Indian consulate. As I mentioned NY city clerk, county clerk and state have already attested the certificate, US Dept of State has replied that they will not because it is unnecessary due to Hague Convention and intended use in India. When we try to have India consulate attest we get this reply: "Please Apostille the marriage from State Secretary as Indian Consulate plays no role in attestation of Marriage Certificate issued by US government. Please do not reply to this email - Thanks & Regards Consulate General of India" plus address etc.

 

[imm01]

It seems checklist for OCI application has changed recently. For individual applicant, spouse's passport, landing paper, status in Canada (PR card) etc are no longer required
For minors born in Canada, birth certificate is not required to be attested by various authorities.

 

[Abhishek901]

You should see it in the oci website within 15-18 days from Nov 15th.

In my case, it took them 21 days. Walk-in application submitted at BLS on Nov 5 and acknowledged on OCI website on Nov 26.

 

[imm01]

In my case, it took them 21 days. Walk-in application submitted at BLS on Nov 5 and acknowledged on OCI website on Nov 26.

Do you remember when BLS status shows "Processing at CG"? Usually its 15-18 days from the day BLS status shows processing.

 

[azizvohra]

Hey guys, i have a question about the fee for New fresh OCI Vancouver. What is the actual amount of draft that we have to make?

The checklist @ https://www.blsindia-canada.com/CanadaVisaCCT/Checklist_and_Information_Booklet_for_OCI.pdf says CAD $345

whereas the link @ https://www.blsindia-canada.com/ocihome.php says two drafts $341(CGI Fee) and another draft CGI Consular Sucharge: $ 4 + BLS Service charge: $7.40 + Courier fee...

please can someone clarify what is the amount for money drafts and do i have to make two??

352.40$

 

[thenumbiceman]

Thank you Sir, tried tracking on Purolator as per your suggestion and could not find any record, I see people are usually getting it dispatched the same day after status change but not sure why it is being delayed for me

All timelines are relative. Besides you are only reading about a handful of the total applicant size. Hang in there.

 

[masterofpupp]

Can I apply for a tourist visa along with my passport surrender and OCI application? How long does it take to get a visa?

 

[lifein360]

Can I apply for a tourist visa along with my passport surrender and OCI application? How long does it take to get a visa?

You can apply for tourist and surrender together. OCI can no longer be submitted together with surrender. Rules changed this month

 

[krunal2904]

It seems checklist for OCI application has changed recently. For individual applicant, spouse passport, landing paper, status in Canada (PR card) etc are no longer required
For minors born in Canada, birth certificate is not required to be attested by various authorities.

Yes. OCI Application checklist is updated now and I can see they are asking to submit some of the documents original + copy such as Canadian Passport, Citizenship Certificate etc. What the hell.

 

[masterofpupp]

Yes. OCI Application checklist is updated now and I can see they are asking to submit some of the documents original + copy such as Canadian Passport, Citizenship Certificate etc. What the hell.

I called them like 2 weeks ago and they said it can be done.

 

[imm01]

Yes. OCI Application checklist is updated now and I can see they are asking to submit some of the documents original + copy such as Canadian Passport, Citizenship Certificate etc. What the hell.

I am not sure if they would retain the Canadian passport for 2-3 weeks, they might just verify and return it for walk in applicant.
Has anyone recently submitted OCI application (walk in), kindly confirm if BLS retained your Canadian passport.