OCI Application - What worked for me to submit the application

[chris cool]

One question:

Do we have to notarize all the documents that we submit to BLS for OCI?

Thanks

I agree with fedex682, It is only required if you have a change of your legal name otherwise they wouldn't even worry about this.

 

[Calgary15]

Calgary checklist says to notarize photocopy documents and I am getting confused.

few places it says to self attest and last page says to notarize.

 

[WindsorFeb15Aspirant]

True. Even I had shared some information about this with you earlier. However that was all online info. And I thought to learn from your practical experience

The only concern I have is that my trip to India might be longer than 30 days (even couple of months). And e-visa is strictly valid for 30 days with no extension.

Did you have any idea if we could apply for 5/10 year tourist visa on the same day of submitting surrender application or we need to wait a week for that too?

I have applied for 10 year tourist visa for my minor son on the same day we surrendered the Indian Passport. 10 years tourist visa will allow to stay upto 6 months.
You can fill out the tourist visa application online here https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/. This website gives option to upload photo, but I did not upload it. I have pasted it on the printed application.

In visa duration, you can fill out 120 months. The fee for 10 years visa is $240 + consular and BLS charges. Can be paid by cash or debit at BLS.

You need to attach below documents to the printed application
Copy of passport surrender receipt, copies of Indian passport first and last pages, Canada passport Original and a copy,
Landing document copy, in case of minor - Parents Indian PP copies, Canada PP copies, Landing Doc copies and surrender receipts.
Address Proof - I have submitted a copy of my driver's license.

Processing time for tourist visa is one week.

Also, you can apply for OCI on the same day of surrendering the passport. I did this for me and my wife.

 

[nubee]

Hi, thanks so much for sharing your experience. This info should be really very helpful to everyone applying for both tourist visa and OCI.

Many thanks again for your help.
Best,

I have applied for 10 year tourist visa for my minor son on the same day we surrendered the Indian Passport. 10 years tourist visa will allow to stay upto 6 months.
You can fill out the tourist visa application online here https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/. This website gives option to upload photo, but I did not upload it. I have pasted it on the printed application.

In visa duration, you can fill out 120 months. The fee for 10 years visa is $240 + consular and BLS charges. Can be paid by cash or debit at BLS.

You need to attach below documents to the printed application
Copy of passport surrender receipt, copies of Indian passport first and last pages, Canada passport Original and a copy,
Landing document copy, in case of minor - Parents Indian PP copies, Canada PP copies, Landing Doc copies and surrender receipts.
Address Proof - I have submitted a copy of my driver's license.

Processing time for tourist visa is one week.

Also, you can apply for OCI on the same day of surrendering the passport. I did this for me and my wife.

 

[nubee]

Hey, hope your OCI app is moving well. Been a while..just thought to say hello.

Need a quick suggestion - How to make photo and signature ready for uploading on OCI application (in respective sizes and quality)? Did you use any software? Please suggest..

Technically there is nothing stopping you from applying OCI along with your passport renunciation. That said the BLS agent told me that I can apply OCI only after a week of applying for Indian passport renunciation. My 2 cents wait a week after renunciation and then apply for OCI.

I waited for my Canadian passport before I did my Indian passport renunciation because I didn't want to be without any passport for any kind of emergency travel. The Indian passport renunciation form does not say Canadian passport is mandatory. That said I would apply for Indian passport renunciation after I get the Canadian passport.

Hope this helps.

 

[been.bittu]

Hi
I m new in this forum. I did oci for me my son and husband . Today I checked my status and it saying that I have to upload me and my husband's indian passport's first and last page tommy son's application . Now I m trying to do that but I need tale at 800 Kbps space for that and in the file hey said just 500 Kbps space
Wt to do now.????? Pls help me out . Thanks

 

[fedex682]

Hey, hope your OCI app is moving well. Been a while..just thought to say hello.

Need a quick suggestion - How to make photo and signature ready for uploading on OCI application (in respective sizes and quality)? Did you use any software? Please suggest..

Sorry for the late reply. I used MS Paint and the Crop software that comes with PC. I did not use any specific software.
My application is currently 'Under Process' Fingers crossed everything goes well.

 

[fedex682]

Hi
I m new in this forum. I did oci for me my son and husband . Today I checked my status and it saying that I have to upload me and my husband's indian passport's first and last page tommy son's application . Now I m trying to do that but I need tale at 800 Kbps space for that and in the file hey said just 500 Kbps space
Wt to do now.????? Pls help me out . Thanks

You can try these links
1. http://www.immigrationboards.com/other-countries/wiki-how-to-create-a-pdf-file-to-upload-for-oci-application-t198732.html
2. https://smallpdf.com/jpg-to-pdf

I have not tried these things though I have heard from people on this forum that it worked for them. I was lucky my files were under 500Kb when I scanned at the Fedex office in Toronto.

 

[nubee]

Hey, thanks so much. Your trick worked...I used MS paint to bring files in size. Also in Mac, there's a trick of merging multiple jpg to a single pdf file. Both these tricks helped me. . My file is now also under process.

All the best wishes...!

Cheers mate,

Sorry for the late reply. I used MS Paint and the Crop software that comes with PC. I did not use any specific software.
My application is currently 'Under Process' Fingers crossed everything goes well.

 

[draxz1289]

Hey,

Thank you for a great thread +1. Just wanted to follow up if everything went smoothly and did you get the OCI? Also I am getting conflicting messages about not being to apply for renunciation and OCI together so I am curious if it worked for you.

I take it you cant apply for renunciation and OIC together in one go correct?

 

[gjp]

You can apply for renunciation and OCI together. I did it August 2015 at Brampton.

 

[draxz1289]

You can apply for renunciation and OCI together. I did it August 2015 at Brampton.

Thanks for the reply +1. If I understand it correctly I take all the forms for the surrender and OCI together when I am going correct? But I am reading on their site you need the surrender certificate to apply for OCI - how did you manage that.

Thanks

 

[cecapplied]

Draxz.

take both your passport renunciation and the OCI togather. when you go there, tell at the reception that you have 2 applications, one for surrender and one for oci.

the person will give you 2 tickets.

when you go to the counter, tell you will be doing both surrender and oci today.

the agent will first take your surrender application, and will take the respective fees and that will generate a reciept. he will actually print 2 reciepts for your case. one he will give to you, the other he will use for attaching to your OCI application.

then he will take your oci application, do all the checks, take the fees, and will attach the reciept for the surrender with teh application and put into his bundle.

you can do both togather, i did for myself and this was how it was done.

hope this helps, if any questions, shoot.

cecapplied

Thanks for the reply +1. If I understand it correctly I take all the forms for the surrender and OCI together when I am going correct? But I am reading on their site you need the surrender certificate to apply for OCI - how did you manage that.

Thanks

 

[gjp]

Just remember, though you are doing both renunciation and OCI together, you need to have different sets of photocopies for each.

 

[cpu0079]

Hey guys,

I would like to know few things wrt picture upload/print, appreciate if you can help me with this.
1. is it compulsory to upload a picture? Can I only print and paste it on the printed form and submit an application to the BLS office?
2. If I have to upload a picture then can this picture be different than the one printed? I contacted Costco, walmart, shoppers, they don't give a digital copy of the picture they print. how did you manage this?

Thank you so much.

@nubee, @fedex682: Hope you are all set with your OCI application, much appreciate if you can shade some lights on this.