Hi Calgary15;
Please find my write up on the OCI application, applied in Calgary, bit long sorry as I tried to explain everything I guess. This is only my experience and I had no problems; I always carried as per the document requirement, but had to shed out lot of papers.
I have applied for OCI on the 14th Dec2015 and received the OCI passports on 19th Feb2016 via courier (2adults and 2 children).
The following are the difference than what I had expected as the rules have changed recently
1) one has to upload the photo, Signature - size cannot exceed 30kb, file has to be jpeg - height, width has to be exactly as asked
I scanned as photo with size as close as possible 51cmX51cm and used paint to get the exact size while maintain the aspect ratio. Same for Signature. Signed on the paper and scanned as picture or photo. While scanning use 150dpi as the setting, I did it in my HP photo scanner, use trial first to get the hang of it
2) Documents can not exceed 500kb and so while scanning use 100-200dpi setting. if more pages like passport, use lower dpi. While uploading, there is a pull down menu and that has options for only Indian passport proof, Current passport (Canada), marriage Certificate and relationship certificate (birth certificate) and no specifics for Canadian citizenship certificate and landing papers. But you have to use india visa and pia card options to upload the these two documents. I did not upload before applying and asked them that there is no specific option for citizenship and landing papers and then later when I returned home I uploaded however they accept the application form
3) All the documents needed to be self attested. we all four signed in respective applications. On the application of children, both parents need to sign. Scan after signature
4) The checklist is not the exact need. The took only the following irrespective of what the checklist is demanding
If you apply for the entire family (passport surrender and OCI can be applied together)
Surrender Application, Canada Passport copy, Citizenship copy and the latest Indian passport copy - for each application (Original India Passport will be sent with application)
OCI:
Application form A and B for each applicant (they will ask a question in form-B, do you have relative in India, answered yes and provided parents, siblings names upto four, while printing it comes as family members, so do not worry). After printing stick a photo in the part-A form. There will be additional pages in the print, not taken as well (Information)
Latest India Passport copy - self attested
Canada Passport copy - Self Attested
Marriage Certificate - for adult, self attested
Birth Certificate - for children, self attested (Original if born outside India will be sent) If you did not want original to go, then notary
Landing papers - for each self attested (Original Landing papers will be sent as well) - If you did not want original to go, then notary
Canadian Citizenship certificate copy - self attested
If you are applying separately then parents passport for children, your passport for your spouse is needed
The checklist we filled was NOT taken for both surrender and OCI. Also the surrender form says at the bottom three copies of passport forms and 3 photos. So we went with three surrender application copies after filling, four photos, one for OCI and three for surrender but not taken
Please let me know if any questions. One more thing is that if you are paying by debit card make sure tour daily limit is 2500$ for that day (4applications). I did not have and I had call my bank and that took an hour or so
Hope this helps;
Please find my write up on the OCI application, applied in Calgary, bit long sorry as I tried to explain everything I guess. This is only my experience and I had no problems; I always carried as per the document requirement, but had to shed out lot of papers.
I have applied for OCI on the 14th Dec2015 and received the OCI passports on 19th Feb2016 via courier (2adults and 2 children).
The following are the difference than what I had expected as the rules have changed recently
1) one has to upload the photo, Signature - size cannot exceed 30kb, file has to be jpeg - height, width has to be exactly as asked
I scanned as photo with size as close as possible 51cmX51cm and used paint to get the exact size while maintain the aspect ratio. Same for Signature. Signed on the paper and scanned as picture or photo. While scanning use 150dpi as the setting, I did it in my HP photo scanner, use trial first to get the hang of it
2) Documents can not exceed 500kb and so while scanning use 100-200dpi setting. if more pages like passport, use lower dpi. While uploading, there is a pull down menu and that has options for only Indian passport proof, Current passport (Canada), marriage Certificate and relationship certificate (birth certificate) and no specifics for Canadian citizenship certificate and landing papers. But you have to use india visa and pia card options to upload the these two documents. I did not upload before applying and asked them that there is no specific option for citizenship and landing papers and then later when I returned home I uploaded however they accept the application form
3) All the documents needed to be self attested. we all four signed in respective applications. On the application of children, both parents need to sign. Scan after signature
4) The checklist is not the exact need. The took only the following irrespective of what the checklist is demanding
If you apply for the entire family (passport surrender and OCI can be applied together)
Surrender Application, Canada Passport copy, Citizenship copy and the latest Indian passport copy - for each application (Original India Passport will be sent with application)
OCI:
Application form A and B for each applicant (they will ask a question in form-B, do you have relative in India, answered yes and provided parents, siblings names upto four, while printing it comes as family members, so do not worry). After printing stick a photo in the part-A form. There will be additional pages in the print, not taken as well (Information)
Latest India Passport copy - self attested
Canada Passport copy - Self Attested
Marriage Certificate - for adult, self attested
Birth Certificate - for children, self attested (Original if born outside India will be sent) If you did not want original to go, then notary
Landing papers - for each self attested (Original Landing papers will be sent as well) - If you did not want original to go, then notary
Canadian Citizenship certificate copy - self attested
If you are applying separately then parents passport for children, your passport for your spouse is needed
The checklist we filled was NOT taken for both surrender and OCI. Also the surrender form says at the bottom three copies of passport forms and 3 photos. So we went with three surrender application copies after filling, four photos, one for OCI and three for surrender but not taken
Please let me know if any questions. One more thing is that if you are paying by debit card make sure tour daily limit is 2500$ for that day (4applications). I did not have and I had call my bank and that took an hour or so
Hope this helps;
