OCI process

[rpishere]

OCI application: Postal
Mission: Ottawa
App. Received:10 Jan,2022
Application date on BLS: 19 Jan
Acknowledgement date: 27 Jan
Original documents return: 31 Jan
Status: under process on oci site
When should I expect OCI card.
I have ticket on 13th March to travel to India
Should I postpone or apply for entry visa??
Any suggestions??
Thank you in advance

I applied 18th Jan in-person BLS Brampton with acknowledgment of Feb 4th on OCI website. Status changed today to processed on OCI website and I am expecting I should receive it by next week. You should be fine for travel by March 13th but I can't say if postal application makes any difference.

 

[zagcollins]

Feb 10- Applied BLS Brampton in person
Feb 25- under process OCI Website

Feb 12 - applied BLS Toronto in person
Today - Still under processing at Consulate General status on BLS website. Nothing on OCI website.

 

[sumg]

BLS Site says OCI timelines are 4-5 weeks, but anybody applied in person in BLS Brampton Feb 1st week, have any updates.

Applied in person on 9 FEB 2022
Acknowledged Date: 25 FEB 2022

 

[trv_237]

Hi Guys,

Does anybody knows what documents we need to upload For OCI on website ? There are various documents mentioned such as employment letter, current passport, India origin proof, Indian visa, marriage certificate, PIO card, relationship certificate, spouse OCI card ....

I find this bit conufusing as some of the documents have not been mentioned on BLS checklist For OCI.

 

[116sg17]

Hi Everyone
Is valid return ticket required when entering India on entry visa?
A family member recently received X-1 visa due to family emergency but since they made plans last minute they don’t have a return ticket yet. Any advice or experience?
Thanks

 

[tamilvanan3]

I think it is to do with the consular office and not which BLS Centre. We applied at Calgary office that falls under Vancouver jurisdiction. We had called BLS before we went in and the agent confirmed that Vancouver office was still accepting combined applications.

Actually, we applied for visa in the same application as well and got the passport back within 6 calendar days. It was surprisingly fast for us too.

I confirmed the same today with Customare care agent.In Vancouver office still accepting surrender and OCI at same time.

 

[tamilvanan3]

So I am coming close to finally applying for surrender certificate and OCI. My jurisdiction would be Vancouver. Can someone please clarify that I can still apply for both together and is it in person only or can I apply for both together by mail too?

Any other tips and tricks you would recommend? things I should keep in mind and look out for? The whole process seems way too convoluted.

TIA

I confirmed the same today with Customare care agent.In Vancouver office still accepting surrender and OCI at same time.

 

[anandg12]

My surrender application was returned as I put acquisition date of citizenship as my passport date but it should be the oath date. Silly mistake on my end. Do we need to get new photos for new application or can I submit the old ones (they are glued to my old application)?

 

[COOL_DUDE_CANADA]

Today I went for walkin service (Brampton) however there was no walkin but the guard gave me the address of gurdwara where there was camp (CGI) WALKIN - I SUBMITTED SURRENDER APPLICATION AND entry visa ..
Hope things go through fine as I have travelled planned for march 23 ..
Also the infor of camp has been on portal seems.. not sure if this is going to be held every week ..

 

[preet1911]

Where can I check my surrender passport status ?

https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/welcomeLink?request_locale=en

use above link and login with your username .
u see ur file number ,click on it , u ll see track application option

 

[Hot2Cold]

My experience at Brampton today

I had booked an appointment slot for 8:00 am. We were 3 of us that wanted to surrender the passports and apply for OCI.

When we got to BLS at 7:45, all doors were closed with signs saying that they only accept appointments from 8:30 am onwards. However, a little after 8:00 am, they opened the doors and started letting people in. The security guard mentioned that only people with appointments could enter. I asked if all 3 of us could apply and she said that we would need 3 appointments, but she let me in anyway. (shout out to @Rana Singh for warning me of this).

The guy at the counter (Nipun Gupta) however, said that he would accept all 3 surrender applications, but could not accept the OCI applications as they have stopped accepting surrender and OCI applications at the same time. He clarified that I would have to wait for the surrender certificate before applying for the OCI card.

Now, as is par for dealing with Indian consulates (and their proxies) globally, I had to run in to some snags no matter how well prepared I was.

• When entering the details for my spouse's parents, I entered their full names as was mentioned in the online application forms. This was rejected as her passport only mentioned their parents' first names (Thank you, CGI Dubai). I had to re create a new application from scratch and submit that.
• When it came to submit my photograph, it was rejected as I was wearing glasses. Though there was no reflection from the lenses, the photo was not acceptable. I had to take a new photograph and submit it.

For both the above, Nipun allowed me to re-submit as soon as the issues were resolved and he finished with the customers that he was dealing with at the time, so that is another thing to be grateful for. Unfortunately, due to these issues, what would have been a 15 minute process, ended up taking nearly 2 hours.

Now I will have to wait for the OCI time slots to open before I can schedule an appointment. As of writing this, nothing is available in Brampton or Toronto up to the end of May. Ottawa has slots but that's probably further than I am willing to drive.

As @COOL_DUDE_CANADA said in the post above, I may have to look and see if they have any walk in camps. I'll wait another 4 weeks anyway to see the progress of the surrender application before I worry though. Who knows, things may change by then with the province opening up it may become easier.

Thanks to all of you posting tips and updates in this thread. All of you rock!

 

[Hot2Cold]

https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/welcomeLink?request_locale=en

use above link and login with your username .
u see ur file number ,click on it , u ll see track application option

Also track on BLS Site for their side of the process:
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/track-application.php

You'll need

• the Application Reference Number* and date of birth or passport number (if you applied in person at BLS)
• your Passport number (if you applied by mail).

*printed on the receipt that they gave you when you applied

 

[sumg]

My experience at Brampton today

I had booked an appointment slot for 8:00 am. We were 3 of us that wanted to surrender the passports and apply for OCI.

When we got to BLS at 7:45, all doors were closed with signs saying that they only accept appointments from 8:30 am onwards. However, a little after 8:00 am, they opened the doors and started letting people in. The security guard mentioned that only people with appointments could enter. I asked if all 3 of us could apply and she said that we would need 3 appointments, but she let me in anyway. (shout out to @Rana Singh for warning me of this).

The guy at the counter (Nipun Gupta) however, said that he would accept all 3 surrender applications, but could not accept the OCI applications as they have stopped accepting surrender and OCI applications at the same time. He clarified that I would have to wait for the surrender certificate before applying for the OCI card.

Now, as is par for dealing with Indian consulates (and their proxies) globally, I had to run in to some snags no matter how well prepared I was.

• When entering the details for my spouse's parents, I entered their full names as was mentioned in the online application forms. This was rejected as her passport only mentioned their parents' first names (Thank you, CGI Dubai). I had to re create a new application from scratch and submit that.
• When it came to submit my photograph, it was rejected as I was wearing glasses. Though there was no reflection from the lenses, the photo was not acceptable. I had to take a new photograph and submit it.

For both the above, Nipun allowed me to re-submit as soon as the issues were resolved and he finished with the customers that he was dealing with at the time, so that is another thing to be grateful for. Unfortunately, due to these issues, what would have been a 15 minute process, ended up taking nearly 2 hours.

Now I will have to wait for the OCI time slots to open before I can schedule an appointment. As of writing this, nothing is available in Brampton or Toronto up to the end of May. Ottawa has slots but that's probably further than I am willing to drive.

As @COOL_DUDE_CANADA said in the post above, I may have to look and see if they have any walk in camps. I'll wait another 4 weeks anyway to see the progress of the surrender application before I worry though. Who knows, things may change by then with the province opening up it may become easier.

Thanks to all of you posting tips and updates in this thread. All of you rock!

You can take appointment for Visa and submit your OCI application in that slot. This is what I did, and many others are doing.

Also, a shoutout to Nipun Gupta. This gentleman processed our applications too - I also had a problem with my application and had to come the next day. He is extremely respectful and patient - most times helping his other colleagues in other counters as well

We all tend to blame BLS for the inefficiencies in all of thse processes. However, the truth is they are simply implementing the rules laid out by the Consulate. For the most part, doing a thankless job that not many ppl appreciate.
The number of ppl with all sorts of deficiencies in their forms and BLS personnel trying to help them, letting them fix them, and come back again is mind blowing.
Not to mention the number of eyerolls they receive.
Honestly, I only now understand why they have all these rules like no walkin etc. The only thing thats absurd with BLS is the push for couriers.

 

[COOL_DUDE_CANADA]

https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/welcomeLink?request_locale=en

use above link and login with your username .
u see ur file number ,click on it , u ll see track application option

R u aware if they give any tracking number for surrender and entry visa application ???
I am lill nervous as they took both my passport and the agent mentioned I should just track with the number below the barcodes of application form..
She said it will be sent home but how do I track it ????

 

[Hot2Cold]

You can take appointment for Visa and submit your OCI application in that slot. This is what I did, and many others are doing.

Thanks for letting me know. I'll try that. Visa slots are open, so shouldn't be a problem.

We all tend to blame BLS for the inefficiencies in all of thse processes. However, the truth is they are simply implementing the rules laid out by the Consulate.

Unfortunately, it's these rules that drive us insane as some of them make no sense, and aren't even logical or obvious. I have had problems with every consulate that I have had the pleasure to deal with almost every single time that I have had to deal with them - even after preparing for all eventualities.

As they say - C'est la vie