OCI process

[rajkamalmohanram]

Hi,

Do you know which Visa we go for and what will be the validity on it?

Entry visa. Currently, the validity is 6 months from the date of issue.

 

[viperD]

Entry visa. Currently, the validity is 6 months from the date of issue.

Thanks. I guess this is the best option.

 

[csvinayak]

Hi All
Need some inputs. I will be submitting oci for myself and wife. So for the oci fees can i have one draft drawn $690 or should it be 2 separate ones for $345
I understand surender can be done along with oci application?

 

[rajkamalmohanram]

Hi All
Need some inputs. I will be submitting oci for myself and wife. So for the oci fees can i have one draft drawn $690 or should it be 2 separate ones for $345
I understand surender can be done along with oci application?

Looks like they've done away with surrender + OCI together. There were multiple reports last week from people who have both called and visited BLS and were told that applying for surrender + OCI together is no longer possible. You should apply for surrender and once you receive the surrender certificate, you can then apply for OCI.

About the draft, I don't know. Better to have separate drafts IMO but I am not sure. May be someone who applied with family can clarify that for you.

 

[We rise by lifting others]

Looks like they've done away with surrender + OCI together. There were multiple reports last week from people who have both called and visited BLS and were told that applying for surrender + OCI together is no longer possible. You should apply for surrender and once you receive the surrender certificate, you can then apply for OCI.

About the draft, I don't know. Better to have separate drafts IMO but I am not sure. May be someone who applied with family can clarify that for you.

Hello Raj Kamal Mohanram

Single draft for two applicants or two separate drafts is optional. The only downside of making single draft is that if one of the application is incomplete, they will send back both the applications.

 

[We rise by lifting others]

Hi All
Need some inputs. I will be submitting oci for myself and wife. So for the oci fees can i have one draft drawn $690 or should it be 2 separate ones for $345
I understand surender can be done along with oci application?

Hello CS Vinayak

Single draft for two applicants or two separate drafts is optional. The only downside of making single draft is that if one of the application is incomplete, they will send back both the applications.

 

[Ryn_20]

While filing for the OCI, i had opted the courier option for both pickup and drop.
ques1: Can I pick it up from the BLS centre personally and not avail the courier service now?
ques2: Also, how do i know which BLS centre, Brampton or Toronto, will it be for me to pick up.

Location: Toronto
Sent the OCI application to: Mississuaga address mentioned on shipping label
BLs received the pkg by purolator: 13th Oct
Date of application: 19th Oct
Date of Acknowledgement: 29th Oct
Status: counter delivery to BLS centre after OCI stamping (i always had this status, it is incorrect)

I am hoping the OCI to be processed in a couple of day going by the timelines of other folks. Waiting for it to be delivered by courier can jeopardize my travel plans. Kindly assist.

Whose timeline has OCI processed in two days? You mean adding it online or complete process?? I will be on cloud 9 if processing ia done in two days. Please clarify

 

[rajkamalmohanram]

Whose timeline has OCI processed in two days? You mean adding it online or complete process?? I will be on cloud 9 if processing ia done in two days. Please clarify

I think the OP meant couple of days from when the status went to "Counter delivery to BLS after OCI Stamping". For Toronto jurisdiction, it takes 6 weeks to receive OCI.

 

[yourr.grace]

Whose timeline has OCI processed in two days? You mean adding it online or complete process?? I will be on cloud 9 if processing ia done in two days. Please clarify

Apologies for not being clear on that, I meant couple of days from today (22nd nov). Last 3 folks who have received their OCI and have posted their timelines here, have received it within 30 days from the date of acknowledgement. I am taking that as a ballpark figure but not betting my life on it. Having said that, I am trying to know the answer to the 2 questions I posted. I will try to visit BLS Brampton personally and try to get the OCI.

 

[canadabharath]

While filing for the OCI, i had opted the courier option for both pickup and drop.
ques1: Can I pick it up from the BLS centre personally and not avail the courier service now?
ques2: Also, how do i know which BLS centre, Brampton or Toronto, will it be for me to pick up.

Location: Toronto
Sent the OCI application to: Mississuaga address mentioned on shipping label
BLs received the pkg by purolator: 13th Oct
Date of application: 19th Oct
Date of Acknowledgement: 29th Oct
Status: counter delivery to BLS centre after OCI stamping (i always had this status, it is incorrect)

I am hoping the OCI to be processed in a couple of day going by the timelines of other folks. Waiting for it to be delivered by courier can jeopardize my travel plans. Kindly assist.

Hi @csvinayak ,

Even I have the same status since beginning "Status: counter delivery to BLS centre after OCI stamping (i always had this status, it is incorrect)".
My date of ack is 25th Oct, its still 'under-process' in OCI website. Keep me posted if you do have an update.

 

[Oceanna]

I'm really struggling with new OCI application for myself (Canadian Citizen married in New York City over two years ago to Indian Citizen) and our daughter (Canadian Citizen born this summer). Do I have to have her birth certificate authenticated by my province and then authenticated by the Indian consulate nearby? Should I use notarized photocopies first/as well? Do I need all photocopies of uploaded documents notarized? For authentication of marriage certificate we had every level of US government attest it and then when we asked at the indian consulate to attest it they insisted they never attest US documents and just to do what we did. Should I just enclose a copy of that email interaction as "proof" along with our 4 pages of attested marriage certificate? Alternatively, is there anyone who recommends a company who will organize and double check all this? We have already had a disastrous encounter at BLS in Surrey and would really just like for a smooth submission to both obtain OCI.

 

[mili_0923]

Hello guys,

This is my current status on BLS website.
Should arrive home this week right?

Application Status	(Passport ready For Dispatch after OCI stamping)
Courier Company	PUROLATOR

 

[sakshamsane]

Just talked to BLS International. they said that a tourist visa is not allowed but ENTRY VISA ( meant for Indian origin people) is allowed. So in my case where we have just received the Canadian passport and do not have a surrender certificate, The surrender things have to be done along with the VISA application.

Hi, hoping to get some guidance from you. Do you know if answer to the question 'if you hold any other passport' should be a Yes or No.? Since both surrender and visa applications are sent together, technically, you hold the indian passport but for visa formality, can you say no?

 

[sachinsoman1988]

I echo this.. After hearing this news from BLS agent, I did go to the BLS office in Brampton directly and enquired on this. OCI and passport surrender cannot be applied at same time going forward. Looks like this decision was taken last week

Apparently, I cannot see the change to checklist for Vancouver!! Wondering, if i should risk it by applying together.

 

[csvinayak]

We all should write the MEA to change it and hire a more professional agency. In USA it changes every year.

Please drop your complaints to these email id's
cg.toronto@mea.gov.in
eam@mea.gov.in