OCI process

[mumbai1985]

Thats impractical because the whole process takes more than 60 days and eVisa is only valid for 60 days. This is assuming you apply on the day or your arrival. Plus, I think they will increase the INR fees to be inline with foreign currency fees.

Yeah. You're right. Visa needs to be valid for more than 3 months. I gotta wait for couple of more months now to apply for oci as I cannot afford it.

 

[rajmalhotra7]

Shocking news ,
OCI app fees increased from $282 to $425.

Applied for OCI in BLS Center Brampton today.

Here is the background to it. In 2005/2006 the OCI fees used to be ~400+ in Canada during those days OCI fee in USA used to be ~250+. Later, in next couple of years when Canadian dollar came at parity with US dollar. Canadians started complaining to Indian Consulates/ Embassy that why you charge so much for OCI from Canadians, after the fact that Canadian dollar is pretty much at par with US dollar. Also, Canadians said that charge us same OCI fees as in USA or we are ready to pay fees in US dollars, but charge the same amount as OCI fees in USA. The OCI fees in Canada was brought down from $400+ to ~270+ (almost same as OCI fees in USA). Now, Canadian dollar is losing strength for few years with no sign of coming up again. This could be the reason of increasing OCI fees back to $425. OCI fees in USA is still the same as before, so I assume US-CAD exchage rate could be the reason for the increase in OCI fees in Canada.

 

[vasvas]

Here is the background to it. In 2005/2006 the OCI fees used to be ~400+ in Canada during those days OCI fee in USA used to be ~250+. Later, in next couple of years when Canadian dollar came at parity with US dollar. Canadians started complaining to Indian Consulates/ Embassy that why you charge so much for OCI from Canadians, after the fact that Canadian dollar is pretty much at par with US dollar. Also, Canadians said that charge us same OCI fees as in USA or we are ready to pay fees in US dollars, but charge the same amount as OCI fees in USA. The OCI fees in Canada was brought down from $400+ to ~270+ (almost same as OCI fees in USA). Now, Canadian dollar is losing strength for few years with no sign of coming up again. This could be the reason of increasing OCI fees back to $425. OCI fees in USA is still the same as before, so I assume US-CAD exchage rate could be the reason for the increase in OCI fees in Canada.

While I agree with that rationale as a valid explanation, there is no reason US dollars have to be the benchmark for OCi and eVisa fees. The processing is done locally in Canada ( BLS,and Consulate) and India (Delhi). This is just a pure money grab. EVisa fees almost tripled if I am not wrong. We paid $50 in June and I think by the end of July it was up to $160 (according to a friend). Surrender + OCI has become expensive. I am lucky to be in a position where the fees are just a minor annoyance. There are other people who struggle with hourly wages.
I still don't understand what happens after the surrender - I received a letter from the consulate acknowledging my surrender but I still have all India based ID documents active (Aadhar, Ration Card, Drivers license) - not because I use them but because I haven't gone back to India to cancel them. I wish the 285 spent on the surrender did more than a letter typed up on an A4 sheet paper!

 

[rajmalhotra7]

there is no reason US dollars have to be the benchmark for OCi and eVisa fees.

I totally agree to this because Embassy/ Consulate staff would be getting paid in Canada in CAD and not as per US salaries.

 

[mumbai1985]

Can we all send an email to consulate complaining about this fee increase? Not sure if it actually will help.

 

[shariqamd]

Hello everyone ,

I have my oci status showing as dispatched from New Delhi on 14th September 2018. But still not received by Vancouver? Is that normal? Who updates the status of recieving it af Vancouver? New Delhi or Consulate general? I applied from Calgary BLS walking application. I emailed and called them to find out but unsuccessful. Consulate general didn’t reply email and did not pick up phone. BLS has no information yet.

 

[shariqamd]

Can we all send an email to consulate complaining about this fee increase? Not sure if it actually will help.

We should. Just because rupee is going down they can’t start collecting more money from NRIs to save rupee. We need to end corruption which nobody pays heed to.

 

[threestar]

Hello everyone ,

I have my oci status showing as dispatched from New Delhi on 14th September 2018. But still not received by Vancouver? Is that normal? Who updates the status of recieving it af Vancouver? New Delhi or Consulate general? I applied from Calgary BLS walking application. I emailed and called them to find out but unsuccessful. Consulate general didn’t reply email and did not pick up phone. BLS has no information yet.

Can you please share your oci timelines

 

[tenacioustopanga]

I just applied today. I want to share for those of us who are single that in addition to documents on the checklist, they asked for a signed letter of declaration (handwritten) that states that your marital status is "unmarried".

 

[mumbai1985]

I just applied today. I want to share for those of us who are single that in addition to documents on the checklist, they asked for a signed letter of declaration (handwritten) that states that your marital status is "unmarried".

I just hate it when they come up a random new document to submit. No set rules.

 

[Goku]

I just hate it when they come up a random new document to submit. No set rules.

It's not random. It is on the document checklist. Self Declaration of Marital Status is required for both Minors and Adults who have never been married.

 

[tenacioustopanga]

For the part B document upload, they told me it will be processed faster if you upload all documents, not just current passport and Indian passport. But the drop down doesn’t have an “other” option for landing paper, marital declaration and address proof - I just merged into a single PDF and uploaded. Is that what you all did?

 

[tenacioustopanga]

It's not random. It is on the document checklist. Self Declaration of Marital Status is required for both Minors and Adults who have never been married.

You’re right, I must have skipped that line assuming it didn’t apply to me

 

[Goku]

For the part B document upload, they told me it will be processed faster if you upload all documents, not just current passport and Indian passport. But the drop down doesn’t have an “other” option for landing paper, marital declaration and address proof - I just merged into a single PDF and uploaded. Is that what you all did?

Please read in detail the last page of the Document checklist.

Select Indian Visa: Upload your landing paper there. If you have FC on your landing paper, you will also require a letter from Refugee Board

Its ok not to upload marital status declaration as you will submit the original letter signed by you. It is also ok if address proof.

I uploaded everything separately as asked on the document checklist.

 

[Goku]

Here is my experience when I applied 2 weeks ago.

Here are my Passport Reunification and OCI application experience.

So I went to BLS Brampton around 8:10. There were not many people there, maybe 3-4. I took no. from reception and then I was immediately called in. Submitted both applications in the first try.

Passport Reunification:
It is a pretty straightforward application. I took documents according to document checklist. Nothing else needed apart from that.
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OCI Application:
This application looks complicated as they have provided all the information on the checklist, but it is also pretty straightforward.

Filling out PART A & B:
Names:
Make sure to include your and parents exact names as it is on the Indian passport. If you have xyzkumar or xyzbhai then make sure you write exactly what you have on your Indian passport. They will tell you to resubmit the online application if that "Kumar" or "bhai" or something else is missing in the name.

Indian address:
Make sure to write exactly as it is on Indian Passport.

Native address:
I wrote my Indian address as the Native place. I have same on my Indian passport as well.

Documents Uploaded:
Don't worry if you see the same documents uploaded twice. If you click twice on upload document it will upload it twice but not to worry.

• For Marriage certificate, I uploaded a photocopy of notarized marriage Certificate along with No objection certificate from the spouse (NOC letter), and a copy of her passport bio pages. All the pages were self-attested. Yes, NOC letter and spouse bio-pages are sort of not on the checklist. See Marriage Certificate section below for more detail.
• All the documents I uploaded were self-attested.

Make sure to double check all the information with your Foreign/Indian passport before going to BLS for submission. Then you print it and sign it.
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Document checklist:
Please make sure that all document (photocopy) has to be self-attested. You have to write "This is a true copy of the original" on all photocopies and have to sign it and date it.

Photographs: It has to be same as you uploaded online.

Surrender Certificate: If you are submitting the application for reunification and OCI at the same time then don't worry about this part. As BLS will issue you are tracking receipt which will be then attached with your OCI application.

Marriage Certificate: Yes this part is little confusing. So here what it says on the checklist and here I quote,
"If married in India:
Marriage Certificate should be attested by the State Home Dept. where the marriage was registered and further more attested
by the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi (MEA). Please note: If the applicant does not have Marriage certificate attested by
MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) New Delhi, but is issued by the Marriage Registrar of a State Home Government in India, then
the pplication can be accepted along with Notarized joined Affidavit, containing both- photograph and signatures of the couple, from
Notary Public or lawyer in Canada."

I spoke to 3 different BLS representatives over the phone, and they all said that this is the old requirement. If your marriage certificate is issued by state/province then a photocopy will suffice.

My spouse has never been to Canada, so here is that they required of her in order to process my application:

• Notarized marriage certificate. I got it Notarized from India as I don't have original with me here. Though they said photocopy would be ok, I still got it notarized just in case.
• NOC Letter from the spouse (Original). Stating that She doesn't have any objection in me applying for NOC. It has to be signed by your spouse.
• Her passport bio-pages. Signed by spouse.
• Also they didn't tell me over the phone, but they made me write a letter at BLS saying that my spouse has never been to Canada as that's why we cannot provide you with Landing paper, and also original marriage certificate is not available as it is required in India for some purposes, and then I signed the letter.

That's pretty much it for Marriage Certificate. I didn't get anything notarized from Canada. This was for me please check if you are required to notarize any of your documents in Canada.

COPR(Landing Paper) & Citizenship certificate:
They did take my Original COPR/Landing paper for OCI but they never asked me for my original Citizenship certificate.
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BLS Courier Fees:
They never asked me to if I wanted to opt out this option, but if you want to opt out do tell them as soon as you hand them over your application. They won't even tell you how much the charges are. I actually wanted the courier services as I live far for BLS Brampton. In total, they charged me around $90ish for courier. for both OCI and Passport reunification.

You can pay for Passport reunification at BLS, but for OCI you have to get a draft of $282 payable to The Consulate General of India - Toronto" (For Toronto Jurisdiction only).

I hope this helps. Good Luck.