OCI process

[Rana Singh]

The new checklist clearly mentions you need to send your original passport and citizenship certificate.

Go ahead then send your originals I didn’t send mine .

 

[dineshrehab]

oh! isnt that kind of reverse? like from Ready to Pickup, to back to Under Review?

Exactly, I am gonna forget my OCI for now. Will apply once I return from my trip in May or will just apply and go.
( I have entry visa for 6 months)

 

[indigonation5]

Exactly, I am gonna forget my OCI for now. Will apply once I return from my trip in May or will just apply and go.
( I have entry visa for 6 months)

oh man - was the screwup in the BLS tracking or in the passport seva portal? (or both?)

 

[loonytunes]

Hi, do I need mail original surrender certificate for entry visa? Also can I mail documents via Canada post or does it have to be via purolator?

can someone also confirm if amount for money draft for 6 month entry visa is $113.82 (in person pickup)?

 

[roq]

Question about Bank Draft for OCI : The BLS mentions the payee as "The Consulate General of India - Toronto". I went to ScotiaBank today to get a Draft and they said they can't put '-' (hyphen) in the payee details as system doesn't allow it. Instead they added a ',' (comma). Did anyone face such issue ? Does BLS reject such Bank drafts ?

 

[dineshrehab]

oh man - was the screwup in the BLS tracking or in the passport seva portal? (or both?)

Passport seva portal......

 

[vvarma]

Submitted my passport surrender today at BLS Vancouver by walkin:

1) Reached at 7.50 am. Just one person ahead of me.
2) They opened at 8. Said that they accept walkins only for Passport surrender and strictly need appointments for OCI or Visa. I was given the option of submitting both Surrender + OCI together on 6th April (my upcoming appointment date).
3) I decided to take the token for Surrender and waited in their waiting hall. They first called those having an appointment.
4) I was called after 1 hour wait. Just one staff at BLS. She processed my Surrender quickly. All my documents were in order. Did not even check any of the originals. Also did not need my previous cancelled passport copies.
5) Was then offered for some SMS service (?!) - I immediately declined.
6) I requested for picking up in-person. She started with the usual commentary of Covid policy/etc; I interrupted and firmly put across that Purolator does not service my entire building due to a lack of buzzer. Shared my past terrible experience during PCC application. Also gave her a printed letter addressed to BLS stating my reason for in-person pickup. She read the letter fully and returned it back without uttering a word. I was told I will have to track everything myself online and come for pickup.
7) Can pay by Cash or Debit. I paid by Debit card (one payment of $130.10)
8) Got my OCI Application checked from her before leaving. All is in order. (still I won't be using their dreaded Purolator service)
9) The guard asked me to come back after 2 hours to check if he could accommodate me for OCI. No luck. He asked me to come back again after an hour. Again no luck since their waiting room was full and only 1 officer was on duty due to Holi, which was quite understandable. Still, I am very disappointed.

Documents submitted for Surrender (VANCOUVER JURISDICTION ONLY):

- Checklist
- Application form
- 1 Photo
- Indian Passport (Original)
- Indian Passport copy (First + Last pages + Observation + All pages having Visas)
- DL copy
- Canadian Passport copy
- Canadian Certificate copy
- Canadian COPR copy

All docs were self attested with just my signatures. Checklist was returned back.

Hello friends, I submitted my OCI @ Surrey just now. Below is my experience:
1) Had an appointment for Surrey @ 9.30 AM today (separate post on how I got the appointment). I reached BLS @ 9.15
2) I had taken a printout of the appointment slip since I never received an email confirmation. The security confirmed my name with his own list, and sent me straight inside the building (there was a separate line up outside the building for walkins - approx 8-10 folks)
3) Once inside the building I had to wait for 30 mins on the stairs for pre-screening and then to proceed to the waiting area.
4) Pre-screening: The receptionist quickly checked my application and gave me a number and I proceeded to the waiting area.
5) There were 3 operational counters at the time - another 30 minutes wait before my number was called.
6) The officer took my application, jotted down my Surrender ARN (from Vancouver BLS receipt last Friday) on my application, did not verify any of my originals, paid by Debit for a total of $388.10. Took like 5 mins. I was given an ETA of 4-5 weeks.
7) A side note: I did request for pickup instead of Purolator, since Purolator does not service my building, to which she was fine; but the issue was that I would again need to come all the way to Surrey (and not Vancouver BLS), since app was submitted at Surrey. So I decided to go with Purolator (eeks!) to avoid that trip.
8) I was in and out of the building in exactly 1 hour.

Documents submitted for OCI (VANCOUVER JURISDICTION ONLY):

- Application form
- 1 Photo
- Indian Passport copy (First + Last pages)
- DL copy
- Canadian Passport copy (Bio page only)
- Canadian Citizenship Certificate copy
- Professional Details of the applicant (A pay stub + a self declaration letter stating my job title and company details)
- Unmarried self declaration letter

All docs were self attested with just my signatures. Note that Checklist, Visa pages from Indian Passport, Observation page from Canadian passport, or COPR copies were not needed and returned back.

 

[Rendezvous70]

Question about Bank Draft for OCI : The BLS mentions the payee as "The Consulate General of India - Toronto". I went to ScotiaBank today to get a Draft and they said they can't put '-' (hyphen) in the payee details as system doesn't allow it. Instead they added a ',' (comma). Did anyone face such issue ? Does BLS reject such Bank drafts ?

I got the draft from TD under the name of - The Consulate General of India - Toronto and that was fine, no commas, no hyphen required. BLS accepted my applications

 

[vvarma]

For folks trying to get appointments @ Surrey, BC - each day between 7 PM - 7.30 PM PST, the appointment calendar slots for the next business day gets opened for the entire day (typically 10-15 slots) across all services (OCI/Visa/Passport). Example, for Monday, the slots will open on Friday little after 7 PM. The trick is to be ready with all the details, keep multiple browsers ready since refreshing the time slot takes upto a minute and be QUICK to enter details and submit. These additional slots disappear like hot cakes - sometimes within 2-3 minutes. I have never seen them last beyond 7.20. So you will frequently come across a error message after Submit stating that the slot has been taken up - quickly refresh and select another available slot and submit. Very tough, but totally doable. I have seen likewise for next day appointments at Brampton too as already mentioned by others earlier. Best of luck.

 

[funloving]

Hello friends, I submitted my OCI @ Surrey just now. Below is my experience:
1) Had an appointment for Surrey @ 9.30 AM today (separate post on how I got the appointment). I reached BLS @ 9.15
2) I had taken a printout of the appointment slip since I never received an email confirmation. The security confirmed my name with his own list, and sent me straight inside the building (there was a separate line up outside the building for walkins - approx 8-10 folks)
3) Once inside the building I had to wait for 30 mins on the stairs for pre-screening and then to proceed to the waiting area.
4) Pre-screening: The receptionist quickly checked my application and gave me a number and I proceeded to the waiting area.
5) There were 3 operational counters at the time - another 30 minutes wait before my number was called.
6) The officer took my application, jotted down my Surrender ARN (from Vancouver BLS receipt last Friday) on my application, did not verify any of my originals, paid by Debit for a total of $388.10. Took like 5 mins. I was given an ETA of 4-5 weeks.
7) A side note: I did request for pickup instead of Purolator, since Purolator does not service my building, to which she was fine; but the issue was that I would again need to come all the way to Surrey (and not Vancouver BLS), since app was submitted at Surrey. So I decided to go with Purolator (eeks!) to avoid that trip.
8) I was in and out of the building in exactly 1 hour.

Documents submitted for OCI (VANCOUVER JURISDICTION ONLY):

- Application form
- 1 Photo
- Indian Passport copy (First + Last pages)
- DL copy
- Canadian Passport copy (Bio page only)
- Canadian Citizenship Certificate copy
- Professional Details of the applicant (A pay stub + a self declaration letter stating my job title and company details)
- Unmarried self declaration letter

All docs were self attested with just my signatures. Note that Checklist, Visa pages from Indian Passport, Observation page from Canadian passport, or COPR copies were not needed and returned back.

Great!!

 

[roq]

I got the draft from TD under the name of - The Consulate General of India - Toronto and that was fine, no commas, no hyphen required. BLS accepted my applications

Thanks for the update. The payee name in my Bank draft is "The Consulate General of India, Toronto". So, was wondering if BLS rejects this.

 

[alexpolis007]

hi guys,

can I do both the Indian passport surrender and OCI application together at the same time ?
Actually i live 3hrs away from BLS office, so trying to see if i can cut short 1 journey.

 

[tm.bilal]

Thanks for the update. The payee name in my Bank draft is "The Consulate General of India, Toronto". So, was wondering if BLS rejects this.

I can't answer whether BLS will reject it or not, but just today morning I submitted my application to BLS centre, they told me to bring a draft "The Consulate General of India" without Toronto. Infact I didnt took the draft upfront I thought I can pay by debit but they told me to bring a draft. So I walked-in to Canada Post shop and got it done.

 

[xorleax]

For folks trying to get appointments @ Surrey, BC - each day between 7 PM - 7.30 PM PST, the appointment calendar slots for the next business day gets opened for the entire day (typically 10-15 slots) across all services (OCI/Visa/Passport). Example, for Monday, the slots will open on Friday little after 7 PM. The trick is to be ready with all the details, keep multiple browsers ready since refreshing the time slot takes upto a minute and be QUICK to enter details and submit. These additional slots disappear like hot cakes - sometimes within 2-3 minutes. I have never seen them last beyond 7.20. So you will frequently come across a error message after Submit stating that the slot has been taken up - quickly refresh and select another available slot and submit. Very tough, but totally doable. I have seen likewise for next day appointments at Brampton too as already mentioned by others earlier. Best of luck.

What time are the timeslots for Brampton released for the next day? Is it 7-7.30pm EDT the previous day?

 

[Wollongong]

I can't answer whether BLS will reject it or not, but just today morning I submitted my application to BLS centre, they told me to bring a draft "The Consulate General of India" without Toronto. Infact I didnt took the draft upfront I thought I can pay by debit but they told me to bring a draft. So I walked-in to Canada Post shop and got it done.

They don't accept debit?