OCI process
- Thread starter blueshirt
- Start date
I used this as I did not find anything official. Worked without any issue at BLS Ottawa
Letter of Authorization
Date: ____________________
Dear Sir/Madam,
This letter is to confirm that I, ______________________________________________________
Date of birth _____/_____/_____, Canadian Passport number_________________ authorize
_______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________
to collect my Overseas Citizenship of Indian (OCI) card from India Visa Application Centre in Canada(Ottawa Jurisdiction) operated by BLS International.
Yours faithfully,
___________________________
___________________________
No. Once in India apply for SC(if not done) and then apply for entry visa online at FRRO. After 6 months you would be eligible to apply for OCI.
Some Rs 8-9K is fees for entry visa.
If we already applied for OCI and we are in india on e visa ,is it possible someone will collect it and will post to us in india and is this OCI card valid to stay in india
postal minor application submitted to BLS Brampton
Purolator Delivery Date: Oct 19
Purolator Delivery Date: Oct 19
BLS application date | 25-Oct-2023 | ||
| OCI Date Of Acknowledgment | 24-NOV-2023 | ||
| Registration Status at Mission | TORONTO | ||
| Documents Printing Status | PROCESSED | On | 20-DEC-2023 |
| Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) | NEW DELHI | On | 20-DEC-2023 |
| Document received At | TORONTO | On | 20-DEC-2023 |
I hate BLS for all their scammy scummy tactics they pull. However, a bird on a ship in the middle of the ocean may fly here and there for a while but it will eventually need to come back to the ship. India is that ship. As long we have parents / financial affairs / home in India, we'll keep having to put up with the bureaucracy regardless of the passport we hold.Providing first hand updates for those who are planning to visit BLS Brampton for OCI Services.
I visited there with an appointment of 9 AM. Reached there 5 mins before, had to cross a queue of 20-25 people to directly reach to security guard, who after checking my printout of appointment allowed me to get in and allocated me a coupon. In 5 mins, I was called at a counter. The lady at the counter immediately looking at my application mentioned - photo toh nahi chalega yeh waala (This photo will not work). I asked her why - she said shoulders are not visible plus you only got 1 copy of photo, to which I replied that I followed the checklist. She said - No, we need 2 identical photos with clearly visible shoulders. Now I am aware that my photo had no flaws and it was exactly the same as they had asked for, but lady was not willing to listen. She said - you need to take the photo from BLS photographer (an ordinary fellow) who will also click exactly the similar photo as you are already having, but this one will be accepted for sure (because now you have paid 30$). Same thing she told to my spouse that she also needs to get a photo from BLS photographer (another 30$ paid). Funniest part was, when she realized I also have a minor application who is not accompanying me, so there is no way she can ask me to get a BLS clicked photo, so she takes out another method - We need 2 more copies of your son's photo (I already submitted 2 copies). When I said, why you need 4 copies , she said for minor its neededAnyways, she herself suggested a solution - get a soft copy of this photo and email to BLS photographer and he will get 2 copies for you (another 30$ paid).
After all this drama, she found out a mistake in my spouse's application in the section - "Any previous names" which I had put as my spouse's maiden name (before marriage) and I had her old passport, marriage certificate and new passport (with both spouse names on each other's passports) but she said you will need a notarized affidavit for this or else edit this field and don't put the previous name at all. I argued - how is that possible ? She actually had a different name previously to which she replied : No, its not needed because in your Indian passport and Canadian passport her name is same). She said she can rectify this for me for a 60$ fees. Once everything was done, as per her wish, then she asked me to make payments for these services. Once I made the payment, I was suddenly treated as celebrity. All my applications were correct, all my photographs were perfect, all photocopies (some I didn't even submit) were fine and accepted. I collected my belongings and came out with a wish that this should be my last dealing with these people and this BLS institute.
- IF YOU ARE IN CANADA AND MISSING INDIA, PLEASE MAKE A VISIT TO BLS. PICK SOME RANDOM WORK LIKE PCC, PASSPORT RENEWAL ETC ETC AND GET THE FULL INDIAN EXPERIENCE AT BLS WITHOUT TRAVELLING TO INDIA.
- BLS MADE ME REALIZE THAT IT WAS A WISE DECISION TO APPLY FOR CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP