OCI application process for Indian Canadians - avoid common pitfalls

[forw.jane]

I am trying to get an OCI card for my husband. When I called BLS about it, they stated that I need "Consulate Approval" before he's allowed to apply for OCI on spousal grounds.

When I emailed CGI Toronto per their instructions, they said that to process this for my husband's OCI, they need "If the Marriage Certificate is issued by the Canadian Authorities (longer version), it should be first attested by the Ministry of Ontario and Consumer Services or the concerned Province Authorities and thereafter by the Consulate General of India, Toronto."

I don't live in Ontario. I live in New Brunswick. I tried getting it "attested" by Service New Brunswick, but they said that they are Commissioners of Oath, and the Marriage Certificate is official and already "attested" by Vital Statistics, because it comes with their sign and seal... but CGI Toronto isn't seeming to accept the Marriage Certificate we have. What do we do?

For my application, they are accepting the marriage certificate as is.

Isn't it to be done by Global Affairs Canada?

 

[Mrs.F.]

Isn't it to be done by Global Affairs Canada?

I have no idea. When I tried calling them, it went to voicemail, and it stated that their voicemail was full, and hung up on me.

Their website literally says "Marriage certificates must be issued by a provincial or territorial vital statistics office. They do not need to be notarized." (https://www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/about-a_propos/services/authentication-authentification/step-etape-2.aspx?lang=eng) and reading further, it stated that some documents can be notarized and others can't (following the legal changes made this January).

Then, I found another segment that stated: "If we receive these documents after January 11, 2024, we will return them to the applicants without being authenticated." (https://www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/about-a_propos/services/authentication-authentification/apostille-convention.aspx?lang=eng#a1)

The Indian Consulate said in their e-mail: "Mandatory required: Attested by the Ministry of Ontario and Consumer Services or the concerned Province Authorities and thereafter by the Consulate General of India, Toronto."

I don't live in Ontario. So, I can't have my document attested by the Ministry of Ontario. I called BLS asking for clarification on this, because CGI Toronto just responded to my e-mail copy-pasting that one line, when I asked. BLS stated go to Service Ontario. I said that I live in New Brunswick, not Ontario. They said go to Service New Brunswick and have it attested by the Ministry of New Brunswick. I said that we don't have a Ministry of New Brunswick and they said that Service New Brunswick can attest it then.

When I went to Service New Brunswick, they said that this is not within their scope and that Vital Statistics handles everything related to Marriage Certificates, and that our Marriage Certificate was already issued with their stamp and seal. So, it's already attested and doesn't require further attestation.

I'm at a loss here and don't know what I can do about this.

I'm heading to our local MLAs office tomorrow morning to see if she can attest it and put GNB's stamp on it alongside writing the only words the Indian government seems to consider as any form of attestation: "Attested: This is a true copy of the original document" from what I've read on these forums.