OCI process

[abbas.pasha]

Given that there is a eVisa option, what are benefits of OCI vs an eVisa for 5 yr multi entry?

https://www.quora.com/Which-one-is-better-an-OCI-card-or-a-10-year-Indian-visa

https://news.abplive.com/news/india...visa-for-india-mos-home-nityanand-rai-1519938

 

[Tommy2581]

OCI-Walk-in Application - BLS Brampton	4-Nov-2022
Date Of Acknowledgment	25-NOV-2022
Registration Status at Mission	TORONTO
OCI- Number	XXXXXXXX
Documents Printing Status	PROCESSED	On	20-DEC-2022
Dispatched From MEA (OCI )	NEW DELHI	On
Document received At	TORONTO	On

My spouse and I received our OCIs this morning through Purolator so I thought the process is over but I was wrong
After inspecting, we found that My spouse's OCI lamination is peeling off from the bottom on the photo page. They didn't do a proper job of laminating it. To avoid any issues in future, I immediately raised this issue on CGI Toronto's Sampark portal and sent them an email too in order to correct it. Waiting for their response.

Please inspect your OCI booklet as you receive for information mismatch or any physical damages as it is a life long document.

 

[abbas.pasha]

My spouse and I received our OCIs this morning through Purolator so I thought the process is over but I was wrong
After inspecting, we found that My spouse's OCI lamination is peeling off from the bottom on the photo page. They didn't do a proper job of laminating it. To avoid any issues in future, I immediately raised this issue on CGI Toronto's Sampark portal and sent them an email too in order to correct it. Waiting for their response.

Please inspect your OCI booklet as you receive for information mismatch or any physical damages as it is a life long document.

That's exactly one of the reasons I did not opt for the courier option.
When we picked up our surrendered certificates my daughter's passport was not marked with a cancellation stamp.

 

[Jakev]

My spouse and I received our OCIs this morning through Purolator so I thought the process is over but I was wrong
After inspecting, we found that My spouse's OCI lamination is peeling off from the bottom on the photo page. They didn't do a proper job of laminating it. To avoid any issues in future, I immediately raised this issue on CGI Toronto's Sampark portal and sent them an email too in order to correct it. Waiting for their response.

Please inspect your OCI booklet as you receive for information mismatch or any physical damages as it is a life long document.

Let me be honest - just glue it back in. I did that with the surrendered passport and travelled quite a few times (Gorilla Glue is quite effective).

 

[Tommy2581]

Let me be honest - just glue it back in. I did that with the surrendered passport and travelled quite a few times (Gorilla Glue is quite effective).

Yeah, my spouse suggested that too but I am reluctant to do it as it is an official document and I don't want to take a risk to ruin it.
Moreover, Consulate should take the responsibility to correct it. I do not have any immediate travel plans so will wait for consulate's response.

 

[Vimalan]

For my spouse DOA was 1-Dec & OCI is received at CGI today. Hopefully we will receive by 30-Dec.

Since DOA is 16-Dec for you, hopefully you will receive it by 16th or 17th Jan. Someone had earlier mentioned that they collected from BLS. I think you will have to call them & will have to collect on the day they receive. Someone who has done it earlier can confirm.

Thank you @softwaretesting I shall keep the forum posted.

 

[Vimalan]

If you haven't submitted original Canadian passport, you could use e-visa and it should be fine.

Thanks, @Samoinp that is also an open option now. My friend in the US informed me that she took a Vis on arrival for her kid when they went to India, while the OCI was then posted by her husband to India. Will that work?

 

[Samoinp]

Thanks, @Samoinp that is also an open option now. My friend in the US informed me that she took a Vis on arrival for her kid when they went to India, while the OCI was then posted by her husband to India. Will that work?

Depends on the purpose of the trip i guess. If just visiting, e-visa should be good enough and you could deal with OCI once you are back in Canada.

 

[sumagayam]

Hi All, need some inputs, we are planning to apply for OCI, and I see that we have to submit original passports, is it safe to send through courier or is it better we submit in person. I don’t see any appointments available on bls for next two months.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Hi All, need some inputs, we are planning to apply for OCI, and I see that we have to submit original passports, is it safe to send through courier or is it better we submit in person. I don’t see any appointments available on bls for next two months.

From what I gather you do not need to send original passport/certificates/documents to BLS if you are applying by postal route
Regarding the appointment, my suggestion is that you book the appointment under Passport/Visa category and you can still be allowed entry to BLS centre to submit your application in person

 

[sumagayam]

From what I gather you do not need to send original passport/certificates/documents to BLS if you are applying by postal route
Regarding the appointment, my suggestion is that you book the appointment under Passport/Visa category and you can still be allowed entry to BLS centre to submit your application in person

Thank you so much.

 

[softwaretesting]

From what I gather you do not need to send original passport/certificates/documents to BLS if you are applying by postal route
Regarding the appointment, my suggestion is that you book the appointment under Passport/Visa category and you can still be allowed entry to BLS centre to submit your application in person

Earlier they were not keeping Indian passport for walk-ins. But now they started keeping that. So I won't be surprised if they start asking for original Indian passport for postal applications as well.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Earlier they were not keeping Indian passport for walk-ins. But now they started keeping that. So I won't be surprised if they start asking for original Indian passport for postal applications as well.

All I can comment is based on the information I’ve got through the applicants who submitted the application recently

 

[OllySyd]

All I can comment is based on the information I’ve got through the applicants who submitted the application recently

I think with BLS there is always a sense of uncertainty.....whenever you go to them take the entire set of docs you have whether they ask or not...and if they ask, please give....

while they are streamlining the process, my experience says that their website says something..and in reality their officers do something else....

Dont understand some of their actions....for eg....why should the checklist print out be beyond the first page....thats the actual document check list....rest all are just instructions....when i had gone for my application some had only their first page and did not have the rest....they were asked to avail the print out services and print the rest of the docs...

Website says professional letter.....but when i took it....they gave it back to me saying it is not important and it is needed only if you are in military....but then why put it as a requirement....

I gave them the complete set of docs of my oci application (7 pages), they took only the application page - which is the first 2 pagesand rest 5 are instructions - which were returned.

Marriage certificate....birth certificate are other artifacts which are again not clear.....

so be prepared to take print out of everything ...and the once they retun ...trash it.....wastage of money for print outs / printer ink and paper.....

 

[softwaretesting]

I think with BLS there is always a sense of uncertainty.....whenever you go to them take the entire set of docs you have whether they ask or not...and if they ask, please give....

while they are streamlining the process, my experience says that their website says something..and in reality their officers do something else....

Dont understand some of their actions....for eg....why should the checklist print out be beyond the first page....thats the actual document check list....rest all are just instructions....when i had gone for my application some had only their first page and did not have the rest....they were asked to avail the print out services and print the rest of the docs...

Website says professional letter.....but when i took it....they gave it back to me saying it is not important and it is needed only if you are in military....but then why put it as a requirement....

I gave them the complete set of docs of my oci application (7 pages), they took only the application page - which is the first 2 pagesand rest 5 are instructions - which were returned.

Marriage certificate....birth certificate are other artifacts which are again not clear.....

so be prepared to take print out of everything ...and the once they retun ...trash it.....wastage of money for print outs / printer ink and paper.....

Exactly. For my spouse's surrender certificate, we took entire checklist but they returned it saying that it's not required. So next time for my SC I only took first page of checklist & they said all the pages are needed, & charged me for printout.