OCI process

[balaca]

Walk-in with an appointment, Toronto BLS, 12th Mar 2024 (Single application).

BLS status, 13th March: underprocess
BLS status, 14th March: Processing at Consulate General

OCIServices website status, 27th March: UNDER-PROCESS (shows 'Date of Ack' as 27th March)

Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 18-APR-2024
Dispatched From MEA (OCI )NEW DELHI On
Document received At TORONTO On

Is there a Ready for Pickup kind of step which is different from the 'Document received at' status above? Thanks

 

[shay2811]

Pl excuse the detailed post! Experience during our OCI visit today - Toronto office, spouse and minor application

Which date to use as application date for a family member who's already applied for OCI - Brampton office rejected my applications asking me to enter date of visiting BLS, and not date of online application. I had gone with multiple applications - to use the one that suits them. I BY MISTAKE gave them the application which had my OCI online application date! Toronto office accepted it. So, this isn't quite a "process requirement" but a staff specific thing.

Marriage certificate for minor child - The option to upload a marriage certificate says is only for married adults, so I just took it with me since it is also needed for a child's parents. Brampton had accepted it (just like SC etc. which don't have a separate field to upload, but have to be taken along). Toronto rejected saying this has to be uploaded too ($18 if they do it)!!

Wife's maiden name - IN passport renewals, CA PR, CA citizenship, US visa, IN passport surrender - in everything I mentioned she had a diff surname before marriage, and attached an affidavit + marriage certificate. Brampton BLS had no issue in this, Toronto rejected saying they need a document with her previous name, or I shouldn't mention she has had a previous surname at all (they said either you spend $80 - 90 on a fresh afffidavit or they can do it for $100 - by stating she's always had this name)!!

Pickup option - Toronto allows it (but make it extremely difficult, first come first served in a 1 hour window Mon - Fri), if you make a story around not being available etc. etc.

RAMBAAN - Premium lounge service $100 a head. We used it, and both applications were accepted - new forms filled/documents uploaded, new photos taken, courier option included.

STAFF - Most of them, including the one dealing with us - faaaar more pleasant to deal with, and giving options to solve situations as compared to Gillingham Brampton folks.

PARKING - Several street (paid) parking spots with reasonable rates considering it is Toronto, and if you compare it to say any hospital!! Apart from this a lot of 1 hour FREE parking spots too. You'll find almost all empty if you have an early morning appointment.

Sorry, what do you mean by the collection option is available at TORONTO CENTER? Everytime I speak to BLS I get mixed answers saying it may or may not be possible. I have an appointment booked for next Wednesday (April 24, 2024) for myself, my wife and minor child (2 month old). Given that all our applications were rejected purely on the fact that the OCI fees changed, I was hoping to not having to pay for courier charges again. Your advice / information will be helpful.

 

[2017CanadaHo!]

Sorry, what do you mean by the collection option is available at TORONTO CENTER? Everytime I speak to BLS I get mixed answers saying it may or may not be possible. I have an appointment booked for next Wednesday (April 24, 2024) for myself, my wife and minor child (2 month old). Given that all our applications were rejected purely on the fact that the OCI fees changed, I was hoping to not having to pay for courier charges again. Your advice / information will be helpful.

short answer, 4 marks - yes available.
long answer, 10 marks - as usual, the counter staff peddled a sheet to me - just sign this acknowledgment please. my wife was about to, till i saw it said - agreeing to courier service. i said we are travelling (i gave the woman exactly the approximate week-range when the OCI is expected - around 2 months), and i said it is an important document - highly risky if we are not there, but very controllable if we pick it up. she tried dissuading - sir, only 1 hour window, parking issues in the evening when the pickup window is there, many people are sent back, but eventually agreed (it is a different story that we subsequently paid for courier because minor - both parents need to visit).

 

[2017CanadaHo!]

Sorry, what do you mean by the collection option is available at TORONTO CENTER? Everytime I speak to BLS I get mixed answers saying it may or may not be possible. I have an appointment booked for next Wednesday (April 24, 2024) for myself, my wife and minor child (2 month old). Given that all our applications were rejected purely on the fact that the OCI fees changed, I was hoping to not having to pay for courier charges again. Your advice / information will be helpful.

bruh! just noticed this in your post <<Given that all our applications were rejected purely on the fact that the OCI fees changed>>
don't feel safe please - because they sent your appl back due to old fee DOES NOT MEAN they will not find any other reason next when you go. you have to have to feed them with fees on SOMETHING so that the person's cross sell targets get met, and so that they don't go ultra nitpicking on your applications (3 of them, so v high chances kuch to dhoond hee lengey).

 

[2017CanadaHo!]

Ishi baat pe ek share arz hain... tawajo farmayein

I just replaced zindagi/jeena/jeevan with Canada so many can relate:
Sangharsh naam hai Canada ka
Canadian hona hi ek chunauti hai
Aur jo saamna na kar paya iska
uske liye Canada hi panauti hai

 

[shay2811]

short answer, 4 marks - yes available.
long answer, 10 marks - as usual, the counter staff peddled a sheet to me - just sign this acknowledgment please. my wife was about to, till i saw it said - agreeing to courier service. i said we are travelling (i gave the woman exactly the approximate week-range when the OCI is expected - around 2 months), and i said it is an important document - highly risky if we are not there, but very controllable if we pick it up. she tried dissuading - sir, only 1 hour window, parking issues in the evening when the pickup window is there, many people are sent back, but eventually agreed (it is a different story that we subsequently paid for courier because minor - both parents need to visit).

Thank you for the details. Appreciate it. You are saying it is required by both parents to go for collection of OCI for minor as well? I thought it was only for submission
Also, thanks for the story - can definitely say something similar. While speaking to BLS they did explicitly say your application seems perfect and hence I was getting a free shipping label to send my application (with revised drafts) from my place to BLS. I would ONLY (their words) have to $60 per application as courier charges to have the application couriered back to me once processed.

I even checked with Purolator and the courier cost is $36.50 for one application instead of $60 as quoted by BLS

To summarize:
1. I want to try and go via the collection route (so that I can save $180 courier charges - for 3 applications). Do you think it makes sense? It's just me, wife and 2 month old so but obvious we would end up going together to collect the OCI as well. Or you think I should pay the $180 since I have at least a one way free shipping label for each application
2. I'm pretty sure all the information entered in the application is exactly as per my documents. Any advice on what I should be concerned / should take care of?
3. With an appointment (mine is at 12pm) is it an easy in and out or still long wait times?
4. If they do force for the courier - does it make sense to show them the charges sheet you shared earlier (https://www.hciottawa.gov.in/pages?id=4&subid=140) where its $40 one way (and NOT $60 that they are quoting) or do you think it would be a wasted effort?

Apologies for all the questions!

 

[2017CanadaHo!]

Thank you for the details. Appreciate it. You are saying it is required by both parents to go for collection of OCI for minor as well? I thought it was only for submission
Also, thanks for the story - can definitely say something similar. While speaking to BLS they did explicitly say your application seems perfect and hence I was getting a free shipping label to send my application (with revised drafts) from my place to BLS. I would ONLY (their words) have to $60 per application as courier charges to have the application couriered back to me once processed.

I even checked with Purolator and the courier cost is $36.50 for one application instead of $60 as quoted by BLS

To summarize:
1. I want to try and go via the collection route (so that I can save $180 courier charges - for 3 applications). Do you think it makes sense? It's just me, wife and 2 month old so but obvious we would end up going together to collect the OCI as well. Or you think I should pay the $180 since I have at least a one way free shipping label for each application
2. I'm pretty sure all the information entered in the application is exactly as per my documents. Any advice on what I should be concerned / should take care of?
3. With an appointment (mine is at 12pm) is it an easy in and out or still long wait times?
4. If they do force for the courier - does it make sense to show them the charges sheet you shared earlier (https://www.hciottawa.gov.in/pages?id=4&subid=140) where its $40 one way (and NOT $60 that they are quoting) or do you think it would be a wasted effort?

Apologies for all the questions!

1 - both parents have to go for pickup, authority letters don't work
2 - BLS/CGI/HCI sites say $40 for courier ($60 is for out of province, yet they continue to fleece people by charging $60)
3 - play it by ear:
A - if you see your applications getting accepted, go berserk asking for help to pick up OCI - you save 180
B - if you see even one application having an issue - you'll end up spending money on having it corrected on the spot (or coming again - all 3 of you) - if the former, then you'll be in touching distance of the premium lounge service charge ($100)
4 - go thru my post again about documents/discoveries
wife name change - have to have documents in both old n new names, and an affidavit
minor - NOC signed by both parents, both parents' photos as per OCI specs (God knows why!!), application form signed by both parents and child's thumb impression i think given your child's age. then both parents PPs, surrender certs, CA PPs, citizenship certs, marriage cert, birth cert - take everything, let them give back extra ones to you. and yes UPLOAD EVERYTHING
5 - between 8 n 9 or so the lobby had 12 - 15 people waiting apart from those being served. became very very crowded around 9 - 9.30 (and am sure thereon) because they call multiple people for same time slot, and allow walk-ins too, and prioritize those who'd have come much after you but have paid for premium lounge
6 - wasted effort, bhens ke aage been bajana, and then when you hear - no sir 60 hee hai, you'll feel why bother why suffer - pay them - good riddance

 

[shay2811]

1 - both parents have to go for pickup, authority letters don't work
2 - BLS/CGI/HCI sites say $40 for courier ($60 is for out of province, yet they continue to fleece people by charging $60)
3 - play it by ear:
A - if you see your applications getting accepted, go berserk asking for help to pick up OCI - you save 180
B - if you see even one application having an issue - you'll end up spending money on having it corrected on the spot (or coming again - all 3 of you) - if the former, then you'll be in touching distance of the premium lounge service charge ($100)
4 - go thru my post again about documents/discoveries
wife name change - have to have documents in both old n new names, and an affidavit
minor - NOC signed by both parents, both parents' photos as per OCI specs (God knows why!!), application form signed by both parents and child's thumb impression i think given your child's age. then both parents PPs, surrender certs, CA PPs, citizenship certs, marriage cert, birth cert - take everything, let them give back extra ones to you. and yes UPLOAD EVERYTHING
5 - between 8 n 9 or so the lobby had 12 - 15 people waiting apart from those being served. became very very crowded around 9 - 9.30 (and am sure thereon) because they call multiple people for same time slot, and allow walk-ins too, and prioritize those who'd have come much after you but have paid for premium lounge
6 - wasted effort, bhens ke aage been bajana, and then when you hear - no sir 60 hee hai, you'll feel why bother why suffer - pay them - good riddance

Thanks for the tips. Will go back and ensure that everything is uploaded.

Will also, try my luck next Wednesday and post the experience. Let's hope god is kind and luck turns out to be in our favour!

 

[ankurparekh1988]

Hello All,

Need a piece of advice on one of the complicated situations I am in for the OCI application.

My wife has been in India since November 2023 and due to a personal situation, she is not gonna travel to Canada till the end of this year. She is a Canadian citizen but her OCI is pending. We tried to apply for OCI in India but as always it has a BS list of documents required and one is an election card submission document which they can't process till the election gets completed on 4th June. After that, they will accept the application and they will take 2 months to process an application and then another 2 - 3 months to get OCI from India.

So instead of waiting for 5 months to get an OCI from India, can she apply for an OCI from Canada as a postal application rather than going in person at BLS. I am in Toronto and I can send the postal application to BLS once she sends me the signed application form.

Apart from the above, I have 2 more following questions

• What all documents will be required for the postal OCI application as she is not physically present in Canada and I will send the postal application to BLS. She will sign the application form and attach all the documents. It's just I will send the packet to BLS from a Canadian address rather than from India.
• When we go in person, they ask to pay a courier fee to send an OCI card, how do I include that in the postal application so that they don't reject based on that the courier fee is not included in the application?

Any prompt answer will be appreciated as we are frustrated with the OCI process in India and just want to complete OCI as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sameerpatil]

Thanks. I have also booked an appointment for April. This is absurd. They just want to make money and take no responsibility.

Hello,
Have you submitted the application in person? I have booked an appointment to submit my returned application on 25-April.
can we submit the same returned application or we need to submit a newer one from Consulate website?
Thanks.

 

[rickytyagi]

Tyagi G try to email BLS folks on
cccanada@blsinternational.net
servicehq.canada@blsinternational.net
brampton.p@blsinternational.net

Thank you, I received a reply from them today. "The OCI card is Ready for Collection. There is no drop-off transaction and the PPE has already been used for Original documents dispatch." Looks like I might have to collect in person, or is there a way to opt-in for courier now? Do I need an appointment for collecting OCI in person?

 

[nishant872]

Fyi - BLS Toronto location moved to Oxford st. Downtown

 

[forw.jane]

Hello All,

Need a piece of advice on one of the complicated situations I am in for the OCI application.

My wife has been in India since November 2023 and due to a personal situation, she is not gonna travel to Canada till the end of this year. She is a Canadian citizen but her OCI is pending. We tried to apply for OCI in India but as always it has a BS list of documents required and one is an election card submission document which they can't process till the election gets completed on 4th June. After that, they will accept the application and they will take 2 months to process an application and then another 2 - 3 months to get OCI from India.

So instead of waiting for 5 months to get an OCI from India, can she apply for an OCI from Canada as a postal application rather than going in person at BLS. I am in Toronto and I can send the postal application to BLS once she sends me the signed application form.

Apart from the above, I have 2 more following questions

• What all documents will be required for the postal OCI application as she is not physically present in Canada and I will send the postal application to BLS. She will sign the application form and attach all the documents. It's just I will send the packet to BLS from a Canadian address rather than from India.
• When we go in person, they ask to pay a courier fee to send an OCI card, how do I include that in the postal application so that they don't reject based on that the courier fee is not included in the application?

Any prompt answer will be appreciated as we are frustrated with the OCI process in India and just want to complete OCI as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance.

Do note that once your wife gets her OCI in Canada she will need to get the exit process done in India to change her status with FRRO which will help her get documents needed to travel from India to Canada. I feel if she does the same in India that process would be incorporated within the OCI processing. Please check that the exit process with FRRO does not lead to any unwanted complication with respect to OCI being applied during her absence from Canada.

There are examples in forum where people applied for OCI in Canada and then left for India and got the status change successfully done.

Document for in-person and postal is same - https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/oci-process.254662/page-798#post-10335797
You can check the BLS OCI Checklist section too for the Jurisdiction you applying with. No need to send any original. Self attested copy is enough.
For courier you need to call BLS and book it. In your case you need to do it for pickup and dropoff.

 

[abbas.pasha]

Thank you, I received a reply from them today. "The OCI card is Ready for Collection. There is no drop-off transaction and the PPE has already been used for Original documents dispatch." Looks like I might have to collect in person, or is there a way to opt-in for courier now? Do I need an appointment for collecting OCI in person?

No need for appointment for collecting in person. Collection time is 3:00 - 4:30 pm Mon-Fri. Just be there by 1:30-1:45 to queue up early
You will have to ask BLS if you can still opt in for courier at this stage

 

[SruthiT]

I have a question not related to OCI.
My Canadian passport have my first name as 'XXX' and surname as "First name +Last name". When we book the flight tickets, do we provide our name exactly as per the passport?
I checked the airlines FAQs and it only written about when first/last name is missing, how to provide the name.