OCI process

[prash42]

Thanks very much, Vik. Couple of other minor questions for Vik, or anybody else who has completed the process.

1. Does bank draft amount exclude courier pickup + drop off charges, since that seems to be a separate online card payment. So draft would be for a single total amount of $129.40 (surrender fee + consular fee + BLS service fee) in favor of "BLS International Services Canada Inc."? Also, for family members applying together, did you send separate drafts for each family member?
2. For either the surrender form, or OCI form, did you need to upload the photo online when filling the application form? I have only 2 photos, and no jpeg file for additional prints / to upload for an online form. Hoping to glue 1 photo on the surrender form, and glue the 2nd photo later on the OCI form.

Hi Prash, That is correct. You only need to submit the original latest Indian passport with your surrender application and it will be returned to you after cancellation.
For courier fee, I paid around $130 for my single application that included all the pickup and drop-offs of my OCI and Indian passport along with an affidavit that I submitted for my name variation(returned to me after verification via courier as well).
Hope this helps!

 

[SHVM]

Hello Just wanted to confirm, do I need to send the original Canadian citizenship certificate for passport surrender information?

 

[canvisa13]

Surrender application shows as 'Certificate printed' status on passport website, for almost 10 days now. Does it take this much time? When will they send it back to BLS?

 

[dakugandhi]

Walked in to BLS Brampton on December 17, 2021 for OCI.
Date if acknowledgement- Jan 6th 2022
Doc printed and received at Toronto Jan 27th. Will be picking it up from CGI Toronto directly due to emergency although paid for Purolator shipping to home.

 

[masterofpupp]

Surrender application shows as 'Certificate printed' status on passport website, for almost 10 days now. Does it take this much time? When will they send it back to BLS?

I received my certificate and it still says printed on the tracking page. Check BLS tracking not the Passport Seva tracking.

 

[sumg]

Thanks very much, Vik. Couple of other minor questions for Vik, or anybody else who has completed the process.

1. Does bank draft amount exclude courier pickup + drop off charges, since that seems to be a separate online card payment. So draft would be for a single total amount of $129.40 (surrender fee + consular fee + BLS service fee) in favor of "BLS International Services Canada Inc."? Also, for family members applying together, did you send separate drafts for each family member?
2. For either the surrender form, or OCI form, did you need to upload the photo online when filling the application form? I have only 2 photos, and no jpeg file for additional prints / to upload for an online form. Hoping to glue 1 photo on the surrender form, and glue the 2nd photo later on the OCI form.

1. I used a single draft for our family of 3 for surrender cert
2. You can scan one of the pictures and upload for the online application.
If you are applying OCI for minor child, parents need to attach their passport pics (any size) to a No Objection Certificate as well. This passport pic does not need to match the pic you use on your own OCI application.

 

[SG3108]

OCI - Anybody have problem with uploading Indian Origin Proof - Self Indian passport.
I am uploaded the passport pdf, but not able to view it. It keeps saying “We cannot open this file”.
Wonder what the problem is.
Such a useless website - they have a limit on how many times you can view your uploaded document!

I have had the same issue but I submitted it as is, I'm hoping it was showing up correctly at their end.

 

[Mads@1211]

Walked in to BLS Brampton on December 17, 2021 for OCI.
Date if acknowledgement- Jan 6th 2022
Doc printed and received at Toronto Jan 27th. Will be picking it up from CGI Toronto directly due to emergency although paid for Purolator shipping to home.

Hello,
How did you arrange to pick it up from CGI can you please share?? Many thanks.

 

[PunjabiDeadpool]

Just to speed up OCI process...
The Canadian passport takes a while to come by mail. Afterwards, the surrender application and then the OCI will also take time.
Is it possible to submit in person surrender application before receiving Canadian passport? So has anyone recently applied for surrender just with certificate? What are the additional documents required?
Thanks.

I applied with this method.. a week ago.. everything went smooth at BLS.

 

[ankcan]

Hi all. I am seeing the status in BLS as "Passport ready For Collection after OCI stamping" ipaid for 2 way BLS courier. Should I collect the OCI by hand or will it be delivered to my location. Little confused

it took mine 2 days after this status for the OCI to be delivered, for me there was an Additional Information section that appeared below which had Purolator tracking number.

 

[canvisa13]

I received my certificate and it still says printed on the tracking page. Check BLS tracking not the Passport Seva tracking.

It says 'Processing at consulate' in BLS status, but 'Certificate printed' in the passport website for last 10 days. Not sure how long they take to send the passport back. I think once it is printed then all they need to do is send it back to me. Why 10 days just to send it back? God .....

 

[vik20]

Thanks very much, Vik. Couple of other minor questions for Vik, or anybody else who has completed the process.

1. Does bank draft amount exclude courier pickup + drop off charges, since that seems to be a separate online card payment. So draft would be for a single total amount of $129.40 (surrender fee + consular fee + BLS service fee) in favor of "BLS International Services Canada Inc."? Also, for family members applying together, did you send separate drafts for each family member?
2. For either the surrender form, or OCI form, did you need to upload the photo online when filling the application form? I have only 2 photos, and no jpeg file for additional prints / to upload for an online form. Hoping to glue 1 photo on the surrender form, and glue the 2nd photo later on the OCI form.

1. Does bank draft amount exclude courier pickup + drop off charges, since that seems to be a separate online card payment. So draft would be for a single total amount of $129.40 (surrender fee + consular fee + BLS service fee) in favor of "BLS International Services Canada Inc."? Also, for family members applying together, did you send separate drafts for each family member? - Correct, Draft would be $129.40 and for courier you would have to pay separately. I paid via credit card for myself over phone but as someone here mentioned, it seems like they get commission on these courier fees as they come across as desperate and hustled when doing the transaction over phone . I am not sure about the family members but assuming the application is separate, bank draft would be separate too.
2. For either the surrender form, or OCI form, did you need to upload the photo online when filling the application form? I have only 2 photos, and no jpeg file for additional prints / to upload for an online form. Hoping to glue 1 photo on the surrender form, and glue the 2nd photo later on the OCI form. - I have uploaded my digital photo(same as physical one) with the application, they give you the specification online. The physical 2 photos I have included with the postal application. I did not have glue so I just dropped them in the package lol

 

[stalker]

My application says “Ready to dispatch” on BLS. Does anyone know how to track the return courier?

 

[stalker]

OCI timeline for my child. A long wait comes to an end. Thanks to valuable posts from members on this forum, it was really helpful in preparation of my child's OCI application.

1. Walk-in application at Brampton BLS: Dec 1st, 2021
2. BLS status changed to Processing at Consulate General within 4-5 days
3. Acknowledgment date on OCI website: Dec 15th, 2021
4. No updates until 19th Jan, 2022
5. OCI website status changed to printed, processed and received at Toronto on 20th Jan, 2022
6. BLS status changed to counter delivery on 24th Jan, 2022
7. BLS status changed to passport ready for dispatch after OCI stamping on 25th Jan, 2022
8. Received OCI booklet on 26th Jan, 2022 via Purolator.

How did you receive the tracking information for drop off?

 

[Here]

We have received our daughters OCI document the journey is complete. I am sharing time line hopefully it will help.

Acknowledgement Dec 20 2021

Documents printed Jan 21 2022.
Dispatch and shipped to Toronto Jan 24 2022
Stamping 26 Jan 2022
Purolator dropped OCI card Jan 28 2022