OCI process
- Thread starter blueshirt
- Start date
Well documented and very Helpful[Someone is hard at work trying to delete this thread. The old one was deleted for unknown reasons. So burying it here to make the information visible.]
Since we all share the misfortune of having to deal with scammy con-artists from BLS and the corrupt bureaucracy of our homeland, I want to set up a thread to document all the various "mistakes" in the application, photo etc. that BLS scammers use as a way of scamming us. A couple from Mumbai asked me to make a youtube video while we were at BLS toronto - I'll do that in due course but in the interim, here are a few that happened to me over separate occasions. Please add to the list so that others can be extra careful while filling out their applications:
Application:
- "Mistake" - Postal / Zip code is before the province. It should be should be after the province name.
- "Mistake" - Province name should be complete (eg. "ONTARIO") not short-form ("ON", "AB" etc). If you go with full-form, then they might just as well say - it should be short form not full-form. I print two separate applications versions now take them with me.
- If the GOI application says a certain field is optional (like emergency contact number) and you choose not to fill in anything in that field, BLS may say that the field is not optional and you need to pay $40 or $60 of whatever to correct it on the spot or go back.
- "Mistake": Why is there "no space" between canadian postal code. You should stand your ground on this.
- "Mistake": zero looks like O and vice-versa.
- "Mistake": Why is there no address for the emergency contact (even though it's a completely optional field). Stand your ground on this.
- Make sure the passport issue city matches exactly as its written in your passport, do not add the country name on your own. - This one is a genuine requirement.
Excuses to make you re-do the photo:
- Enough shoulders not visible in the photo (even though my photo had same amount of shoulders as in the example photo on the checklist).
- In the next round - they rejected the photo that they themselves took and accepted the photo that they had rejected in the prior visit
- Hair on the shoulder - always always carry multiple photos.
Redundant Service fees:
These are the ones that happened to me so far. Please add to the list if you've also been a victim of BLS scams.
- Service charge repeated multiple times with no explanation provided. Check your total and ask for the breakdown BEFORE you pay and stay firm on removing the redundant charges if the total doesn't make sense. Have a calculation in your head before you go to the counter.
- They add some BS service charge to get a notification call or service call or something. - tell them you don't want that.
Public service announcements:
- India e-visa is now available for Canadian citizens. Spare yourselves the headache and apply online for e-visa online. 1yr visa is only US$40 (CAD 56) - 5 bucks less than BLS' purolator scam.
- Please make sure you email the CG Toronto and MEA (and to PM Modi through Write to PMO office - they always respond) on all the scams that are going on and the poor service.
- You should keep flagging the lack of appointments and people waiting for hours outside in freezing (and potentially fatal) weather because of the poor staffing, lack of proper waiting areas, bathroom, and corrupt business practices to MEA / CG as well as CBC marketplace. If we stay silent, they'll keep scamming us, our families and even our next generation.
- Ask them to modernize their bureaucratic processes. If canada can run a whole immigration program from visas to citizenship end to end online, there's no reason why a country that produces so many coders can not. The only reason we are dealing with all this BS is because no one holds these incompetent con-artists to account.
OCI Minor Application, by Post from Brampton, Ontario
Purolator Picked up - 15th Oct
BLS Received - 16th Oct
Current status on BLS as below
Application Date - 27th Oct
Status - Processing at CG
OCI status shows No record found
@eas2lv for Tracking Purpose
Purolator Picked up - 15th Oct
BLS Received - 16th Oct
Current status on BLS as below
Application Date - 27th Oct
Status - Processing at CG
OCI status shows No record found
@eas2lv for Tracking Purpose
Oh wow.. how are they able to get it deleted here.. you are right that they give any reason to charge extra.. I was told x amount to make minor corrections and then was charged 2x amount at the end adding bs fees and services.. and even service fee+debit fee was charged twice..[Someone is hard at work trying to delete this thread. The old one was deleted for unknown reasons. So burying it here to make the information visible.]
Since we all share the misfortune of having to deal with scammy con-artists from BLS and the corrupt bureaucracy of our homeland, I want to set up a thread to document all the various "mistakes" in the application, photo etc. that BLS scammers use as a way of scamming us. A couple from Mumbai asked me to make a youtube video while we were at BLS toronto - I'll do that in due course but in the interim, here are a few that happened to me over separate occasions. Please add to the list so that others can be extra careful while filling out their applications:
Application:
- "Mistake" - Postal / Zip code is before the province. It should be should be after the province name.
- "Mistake" - Province name should be complete (eg. "ONTARIO") not short-form ("ON", "AB" etc). If you go with full-form, then they might just as well say - it should be short form not full-form. I print two separate applications versions now take them with me.
- If the GOI application says a certain field is optional (like emergency contact number) and you choose not to fill in anything in that field, BLS may say that the field is not optional and you need to pay $40 or $60 of whatever to correct it on the spot or go back.
- "Mistake": Why is there "no space" between canadian postal code. You should stand your ground on this.
- "Mistake": zero looks like O and vice-versa.
- "Mistake": Why is there no address for the emergency contact (even though it's a completely optional field). Stand your ground on this.
- Make sure the passport issue city matches exactly as its written in your passport, do not add the country name on your own. - This one is a genuine requirement.
Excuses to make you re-do the photo:
- Enough shoulders not visible in the photo (even though my photo had same amount of shoulders as in the example photo on the checklist).
- In the next round - they rejected the photo that they themselves took and accepted the photo that they had rejected in the prior visit
- Hair on the shoulder - always always carry multiple photos.
Redundant Service fees:
These are the ones that happened to me so far. Please add to the list if you've also been a victim of BLS scams.
- Service charge repeated multiple times with no explanation provided. Check your total and ask for the breakdown BEFORE you pay and stay firm on removing the redundant charges if the total doesn't make sense. Have a calculation in your head before you go to the counter.
- They add some BS service charge to get a notification call or service call or something. - tell them you don't want that.
Public service announcements:
- India e-visa is now available for Canadian citizens. Spare yourselves the headache and apply online for e-visa online. 1yr visa is only US$40 (CAD 56) - 5 bucks less than BLS' purolator scam.
- Please make sure you email the CG Toronto and MEA (and to PM Modi through Write to PMO office - they always respond) on all the scams that are going on and the poor service.
- You should keep flagging the lack of appointments and people waiting for hours outside in freezing (and potentially fatal) weather because of the poor staffing, lack of proper waiting areas, bathroom, and corrupt business practices to MEA / CG as well as CBC marketplace. If we stay silent, they'll keep scamming us, our families and even our next generation.
- Ask them to modernize their bureaucratic processes. If canada can run a whole immigration program from visas to citizenship end to end online, there's no reason why a country that produces so many coders can not. The only reason we are dealing with all this BS is because no one holds these incompetent con-artists to account.
Who knows - perhaps there's some affiliate interest for the firm that runs this forum with the BLS. But I created 3 posts one after the other when they deleted the first one, and they deleted all 3 of them one by one. It touched someone's nerve and I like that. What they don't seem to appreciate is that you can't suppress information in this day and age; s it's really easy to create a youtube video and push this info on google reviews etc.
Curious and probably a weird question. Are walk in OCI applications usually mailed back by default or would I have to go collect mine? I remember I did not submit a return envelope or anything when I submitted mine.
Very well documented![Someone is hard at work trying to delete this thread. The old one was deleted for unknown reasons. So burying it here to make the information visible.]
Since we all share the misfortune of having to deal with scammy con-artists from BLS and the corrupt bureaucracy of our homeland, I want to set up a thread to document all the various "mistakes" in the application, photo etc. that BLS scammers use as a way of scamming us. A couple from Mumbai asked me to make a youtube video while we were at BLS toronto - I'll do that in due course but in the interim, here are a few that happened to me over separate occasions. Please add to the list so that others can be extra careful while filling out their applications:
Application:
- "Mistake" - Postal / Zip code is before the province. It should be should be after the province name.
- "Mistake" - Province name should be complete (eg. "ONTARIO") not short-form ("ON", "AB" etc). If you go with full-form, then they might just as well say - it should be short form not full-form. I print two separate applications versions now take them with me.
- If the GOI application says a certain field is optional (like emergency contact number) and you choose not to fill in anything in that field, BLS may say that the field is not optional and you need to pay $40 or $60 of whatever to correct it on the spot or go back.
- "Mistake": Why is there "no space" between canadian postal code. You should stand your ground on this.
- "Mistake": zero looks like O and vice-versa.
- "Mistake": Why is there no address for the emergency contact (even though it's a completely optional field). Stand your ground on this.
- Make sure the passport issue city matches exactly as its written in your passport, do not add the country name on your own. - This one is a genuine requirement.
Excuses to make you re-do the photo:
- Enough shoulders not visible in the photo (even though my photo had same amount of shoulders as in the example photo on the checklist).
- In the next round - they rejected the photo that they themselves took and accepted the photo that they had rejected in the prior visit
- Hair on the shoulder - always always carry multiple photos.
Redundant Service fees:
These are the ones that happened to me so far. Please add to the list if you've also been a victim of BLS scams.
- Service charge repeated multiple times with no explanation provided. Check your total and ask for the breakdown BEFORE you pay and stay firm on removing the redundant charges if the total doesn't make sense. Have a calculation in your head before you go to the counter.
- They add some BS service charge to get a notification call or service call or something. - tell them you don't want that.
Public service announcements:
- India e-visa is now available for Canadian citizens. Spare yourselves the headache and apply online for e-visa online. 1yr visa is only US$40 (CAD 56) - 5 bucks less than BLS' purolator scam.
- Please make sure you email the CG Toronto and MEA (and to PM Modi through Write to PMO office - they always respond) on all the scams that are going on and the poor service.
- You should keep flagging the lack of appointments and people waiting for hours outside in freezing (and potentially fatal) weather because of the poor staffing, lack of proper waiting areas, bathroom, and corrupt business practices to MEA / CG as well as CBC marketplace. If we stay silent, they'll keep scamming us, our families and even our next generation.
- Ask them to modernize their bureaucratic processes. If canada can run a whole immigration program from visas to citizenship end to end online, there's no reason why a country that produces so many coders can not. The only reason we are dealing with all this BS is because no one holds these incompetent con-artists to account.
Add one more to the "Excuses to make you re-do the photo:" list based on my unfortunate experience:
For applications for minors, we have to submit an NOC document onto which the photos of the parents have to be pasted. The document clearly states that the photos can be of "any size". They will make you retake the photos, however, if the photo is not as per Indian passport specifications.
Yes, Please make You tube video and share it and we will make it popular in twitter and other platforms.. Lets give them taste of their medicine to them..
Not sure if you can send that to BLS North American head, as he has been appearing in videos recently like on Prime Asia clarifying that long lines are rumors and dont go to any agent as they are there to help anyone etc.etc., so may be he is also not aware of all that bs reasons being used by his people to charge extra money and making it like a govt office in Indiia.. he seems to be nice guy in video
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Everyone's a nice on the telly especially when they're making millions, perhaps billions, through the scam. The rot likely runs deep. They're giving receipts for all the scammy upselling - so the money is ending up upstairs and anyone doing basic breakdown of profits by category would most definitely be in the know on where all the windfall is coming from.
yes I very much agree with you and to add on this. I will share my experience:[Someone is hard at work trying to delete this thread. The old one was deleted for unknown reasons. So burying it here to make the information visible.]
Since we all share the misfortune of having to deal with scammy con-artists from BLS and the corrupt bureaucracy of our homeland, I want to set up a thread to document all the various "mistakes" in the application, photo etc. that BLS scammers use as a way of scamming us. A couple from Mumbai asked me to make a youtube video while we were at BLS toronto - I'll do that in due course but in the interim, here are a few that happened to me over separate occasions. Please add to the list so that others can be extra careful while filling out their applications:
Application:
- "Mistake" - Postal / Zip code is before the province. It should be should be after the province name.
- "Mistake" - Province name should be complete (eg. "ONTARIO") not short-form ("ON", "AB" etc). If you go with full-form, then they might just as well say - it should be short form not full-form. I print two separate applications versions now take them with me.
- If the GOI application says a certain field is optional (like emergency contact number) and you choose not to fill in anything in that field, BLS may say that the field is not optional and you need to pay $40 or $60 of whatever to correct it on the spot or go back.
- "Mistake": Why is there "no space" between canadian postal code. You should stand your ground on this.
- "Mistake": zero looks like O and vice-versa.
- "Mistake": Why is there no address for the emergency contact (even though it's a completely optional field). Stand your ground on this.
- Make sure the passport issue city matches exactly as its written in your passport, do not add the country name on your own. - This one is a genuine requirement.
Excuses to make you re-do the photo:
- Enough shoulders not visible in the photo (even though my photo had same amount of shoulders as in the example photo on the checklist).
- In the next round - they rejected the photo that they themselves took and accepted the photo that they had rejected in the prior visit
- Hair on the shoulder - always always carry multiple photos.
Redundant Service fees:
These are the ones that happened to me so far. Please add to the list if you've also been a victim of BLS scams.
- Service charge repeated multiple times with no explanation provided. Check your total and ask for the breakdown BEFORE you pay and stay firm on removing the redundant charges if the total doesn't make sense. Have a calculation in your head before you go to the counter.
- They add some BS service charge to get a notification call or service call or something. - tell them you don't want that.
Public service announcements:
- India e-visa is now available for Canadian citizens. Spare yourselves the headache and apply online for e-visa online. 1yr visa is only US$40 (CAD 56) - 5 bucks less than BLS' Purolator scam.
- Please make sure you email the CG Toronto and MEA (and to PM Modi through Write to PMO office - they always respond) on all the scams that are going on and the poor service.
- You should keep flagging the lack of appointments and people waiting for hours outside in freezing (and potentially fatal) weather because of the poor staffing, lack of proper waiting areas, bathroom, and corrupt business practices to MEA / CG as well as CBC marketplace. If we stay silent, they'll keep scamming us, our families and even our next generation.
- Ask them to modernize their bureaucratic processes. If Canada can run a whole immigration program from visas to citizenship end to end online, there's no reason why a country that produces so many coders can not. The only reason we are dealing with all this BS is because no one holds these incompetent con-artists to account.
I received a WhatsApp message from a US number. Saying they can help me with my OCI application and can get it approved within 48 hours and the charge is $500/- Probably they might have got my contact either through twitter or from emails I sent to the embassy. On twitter there is an account called Support embassy who has been helping people and his timeline is filled with thank you messages from people mostly living in gulf nations. However he added me and I asked him can you help me as well and he said share your application number and we will send it to the concerned authorities. but once i passed him my details. never heard from him. But again coming back to the WhatsApp message the person also claimed that with current wait times my application could be processed by march 2024. Even then I was firm and said no thank you I don't need your services. but there are many stories making rounds on how many agents have BLS appointments blocked and sell it further. Like you said i was planning to sending an email to MEA and PMO myself. good to know there are other people too who think the same.