OCI process
- Thread starter blueshirt
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This on the BLS tracking website the above update. Does this mean next is ready for dispatch? I went to their center today and they said not available for pick up their system says processing at consulate but when I return home at 545 pm I see the above status...
Agree. I had also faced similar issues.Application:
- 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.
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
Application optional fields - Passport details of spouse are optional & they had even accepted my wife's application last year. However when I applied in October they charged $60 to add that information. We were both born in India so applied as self category.
Photo - They rejected my son's photo claiming that color of shirt is not dark enough. It was darker shade of brown. However they were going to click with much lighter color t-shirt. I asked him to wear dark color jacket at the last moment.
Why wouldn't he know? There is every reason to suspect that employees at BLS are doing this at the behest (and likely coerced) by their upper management. Every application re-filled using their value added services brings in $$. Its hard to think even the most sadistic employee would enjoy refilling 70 to 80% of applications for manufactured "mistakes", working non-stop from 8 am to 4:30pm for a low pay --- which is all what at least 3 "VAC" counters at Toronto office do these days. I believe fleecing applicants through predatory practices is the business MO of BLS management.
Every single application I have submitted at BLS counters in last 10+ years have been accepted only because me forcing them (standing one's ground as you say) and ignoring their final threat that this will be rejected by CGI punctuated by "no refund"! Nothing has ever been rejected by CGI in my case.
That said, this is not going to change until HCI stops accepting unreasonably low bids by agencies like BLS tailored to force out competition. The actual revenue strategy being fleecing gullible applicants, fees matter little to them. $7 to $9 of service fee per application is too low to be sustainable for any honest operation.
Same 2 Same...
I have submitted at BLS counters in last 6+ yrs here in Canada and in 13+ yrs in Dubai, have been accepted only because me forcing them (standing one's ground as you say) and ignoring their final threat that this will be rejected by CGI punctuated by "no refund"! Nothing has ever been rejected by CGI in my case.
The tricky situation is when applying via post - they sent my documents back with a strange explanation. You have no choice to pay $62 again. Once I have my OCI, I will not have to deal with these folks. Better to outsource to VFS type organization
We used to have VFS before BLS (pre 2013). Marginally better, but hard to compare now, as business practices in the sector have probably changed over the years.
In retrospect, better times were when everything was done directly by the consulate. They are bureaucratic, but consul officers were approachable and helpful, counter staff did not pick on minor errors, major ones could be corrected on the spot etc. But, with processing gone digital, many things have changed. Some good, some bad. Anyway, good old days are not going to come back.
I would be happy with something like Service Ontario offices -- some of them are outsourced and they are not perfect, but I've never seen a licensing office or health card renewal place that is run like BLS.
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Hello,
I have applied OCI ( walk- in Toronto) and expecting to get it on hand by Mid December as per tracker, but i might need to go to India by November end so no one will be available at home to receive oci from purolator at home .
In this case purolator send back to BLS and BLS will hold there until i will pick up from BLS location?
Or Can purolator deliver to my relative's address?
I have applied OCI ( walk- in Toronto) and expecting to get it on hand by Mid December as per tracker, but i might need to go to India by November end so no one will be available at home to receive oci from purolator at home .
In this case purolator send back to BLS and BLS will hold there until i will pick up from BLS location?
Or Can purolator deliver to my relative's address?
I received my e-visa today, which i had applied two days before e-visa suspension in september. make sure you are checking the right visa website. https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html
BLS will hold it. Authorization letter would be a way for your relative to collect from BLS.
Hi - posting our timeline for the individual(s) who keeps the timelines database/tracker updated for Toronto [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSw0K_bUGvWjN0uF4Ecqzi8UPVDQwjHCwQHMgkuUpBRcJo-CQa9IUYjY4DGqdQ6zmC3bP0D__lImeKb/pubhtml] - thanks for your generosity in doing this!
Jurisdiction: Toronto
BLS Center: Brampton
App type: postal/courier for a single adult, Indian origin
App Date: October 11 (as recorded in BLS tracking site, app was couriered ~3-5 business days earlier)
Ack Date: Nov 1st
Processed Date: Nov 23d (per GOI portal)
Dispatched from Delhi: Nov 24th
We have not received the actual booklet yet, but should within the next 4-5 bus days as Purolator will deliver it.
Best of luck to all those waiting. The system seems to be efficient/consistent for most, as the total wait times are bound in a fairly narrow range of ~40-45 days, at least in recent months.
Jurisdiction: Toronto
BLS Center: Brampton
App type: postal/courier for a single adult, Indian origin
App Date: October 11 (as recorded in BLS tracking site, app was couriered ~3-5 business days earlier)
Ack Date: Nov 1st
Processed Date: Nov 23d (per GOI portal)
Dispatched from Delhi: Nov 24th
We have not received the actual booklet yet, but should within the next 4-5 bus days as Purolator will deliver it.
Best of luck to all those waiting. The system seems to be efficient/consistent for most, as the total wait times are bound in a fairly narrow range of ~40-45 days, at least in recent months.