OCI process

[VSw]

Entering India with visa and exiting with OCI shouldn't be an issue AFAIK. They will check the passport for the visa and if they see the visa, they won't ask anything further. You can show your OCI if you are asked.

See, there are no clear rules on this. When you enter the country on the visa, it goes in their system. When you exit the country on OCI, it will flag somewhere. Knowing our motherland, the person you are dealing with may let you get out without any issue or may create trouble depending on how his/her mood is on that day.

A small story: one of my older relative is Australian citizen but has Indian heritage. 10+ years go, his OCI card expired and he didn't know he had to change the particulars/get new OCI. He came to India and was given a very rough time at the airport. Exact words of customs officer, "You are a foreigner now and your country gives grief to Indians when they go to your country and we'll reciprocate". Poor guy had to sit at the airport for 6+ hours and then run around 3 days in Delhi to get it sorted out. So, be prepared!

My two cents: if you enter the country on visa and you stay goes past 6+ months, get your visa extended through FRRO. That's an online process and you may have to pay some fee but you'll get the piece of mind. You may want to check with FRRO when you are in India if changing status from visa to OCI is okay. Good luck in either case!

We are also going through the same BS right now so your experience will be very valuable

 

[rajkamalmohanram]

See, there are no clear rules on this. When you enter the country on the visa, it goes in their system. When you exit the country on OCI, it will flag somewhere. Knowing our motherland, the person you are dealing with may let you get out without any issue or may create trouble depending on how his/her mood is on that day.

A small story: one of my older relative is Australian citizen but has Indian heritage. 10+ years go, his OCI card expired and he didn't know he had to change the particulars/get new OCI. He came to India and was given a very rough time at the airport. Exact words of customs officer, "You are a foreigner now and your country gives grief to Indians when they go to your country and we'll reciprocate". Poor guy had to sit at the airport for 6+ hours and then run around 3 days in Delhi to get it sorted out. So, be prepared!

My two cents: if you enter the country on visa and you stay goes past 6+ months, get your visa extended through FRRO. That's an online process and you may have to pay some fee but you'll get the piece of mind. You may want to check with FRRO when you are in India if changing status from visa to OCI is okay. Good luck in either case!

We are also going through the same BS right now so your experience will be very valuable

Well, that's an unfortunate incident. Other than the issue with the crowd at Delhi airport when leaving India (It was like there were a million people at the airport), I did NOT face any issues. I showed my passport and OCI and entered India. May be that's because I had OCI and did not have to switch between visa and OCI.

 

[SG3108]

Hi everyone, detailing my experience of submitting my application for surrender and OCI together via post, for anyone who may find it helpful.

1. I called BLS Toronto (416-307-2237) multiple times till I finally got through. I had my credit card on hand, and the BLS rep sent me three links to pay for a Purolator service: a) Pick-up of documents b) Return of cancelled passport and surrender certificate c) Return of OCI. Each service costs $30, so $90 in total for delivery and pickup. You will receive a shipping label to print and attach to the Purolator envelope.
   
   
2. Make sure to check what day/time the Purolator pickup will be and make sure to ask for an envelope.
   
   
3. Documents for surrender I was asked to include:
   1. Surrender application form completed online,
   2. 1 photo,
   3. Original Indian passport and photocopy,
   4. Canadian passport photocopy,
   5. Photocopy of citizenship certificate,
   6. Address proof,
   7. Photocopy of COPR.
      All photocopies have to be self attested ("This is a true copy of the original"), signed, and dated.
   8. Fees for surrender: $250.4 (addressed to BLS International Services Inc.)
4. Documents for OCI I was asked to include:
   1. OCI application form completed online,
   2. 1 photo,
   3. Original Indian passport and photocopy,
   4. Canadian passport photocopy,
   5. Photocopy of citizenship certificate,
   6. Address proof,
   7. Photocopy of COPR,
   8. One written declaration stating I am single and have never married addressed to the consulate general of India.
      All photocopies have to be self attested ("This is a true copy of the original"), signed, and dated.
   9. Fees for OCI: $425 (addressed to The Consulate General of India - Toronto) AND $7.4 (addressed to BLS International Services Inc.)
5. The documents I uploaded for my OCI application included self-attested copies of: My Indian passport, my Canadian passport, and my COPR.
   I also included the checklists for both the OCI and Surrender applications as well.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

This is really helpful. Can you confirm that (a) You completed the entire process remotely , i.e. not walk in or appointment as I would like to try the postal option as well and (b) The fees you have mentioned are per person, if it is a family of 4 like mine, all of this will be X4, including the courier charges will be charged individually, per person?

 

[O'canada]

Hi
Can you please let me know how long it takes to get OCI card once you received the Acknowledgement slip for your application?
I submitted for my daughter and they sent back the original surrender passport, Canadian passport and citizenship certificate .
They also send the Acknowledgement slip after the application is processed at high commissioner - Ottawa

 

[We rise by lifting others]

Hi
Can you please let me know how long it takes to get OCI card once you received the Acknowledgement slip for your application?
I submitted for my daughter and they sent back the original surrender passport, Canadian passport and citizenship certificate .
They also send the Acknowledgement slip after the application is processed at high commissioner - Ottawa

On BLS webiste https://www.blsindia-canada.com/ocihome.php, it says 6- 8 weeks.

 

[canada_help]

Hi All - Are we allowed to walk-in early in the morning in Brampton or Toronto BLS center? I need to submit the passport surrender + entry visa application together.

I read on this thread that they open walk in appointment between 8:15 to 8:45 am daily so we can book for that day but I had no luck. I haven't seen any open slots popping up during this 8:15 to 8:45 am timeframe. Can I walk in? Please advise.

 

[stalker]

Any idea how long does it take for OCI application to change status from “UNDER-PROCESS” to something else?

 

[csvinayak]

What are the documents we need to provide to surrender Indian passport? Is it true we need to submit original canadian passport or certificate?

I can speak if you are submitting application by walk-in. You don't need any candian pp or certificate originals, you would need to submit photocopy, carry original as they need to verify them

 

[alks09]

Hello
I have filled up online application for oci...but I did not find any column for surrender certificate related information??

 

[keypad]

Do we need to register separate accounts for each of the family members while submitting their passport surrender applications?
Thanks in advance.

 

[csvinayak]

Do we need to register separate accounts for each of the family members while submitting their passport surrender applications?
Thanks in advance.

No. one account to fill all the applications is good enough

 

[sheikhzaid]

Isn't PIO quicker? Why most go for OCI over PIO?

 

[VSw]

Well, that's an unfortunate incident. Other than the issue with the crowd at Delhi airport when leaving India (It was like there were a million people at the airport), I did NOT face any issues. I showed my passport and OCI and entered India. May be that's because I had OCI and did not have to switch between visa and OCI.

Well, in his case, he had an OCI. But his old passport had expired after OCI grant so he had changed his passport after a few years. As per the rules at that time, you had to get a new OCI U sticker every time you renewed the passport. He didn't know that - hence all the trouble.

Anyway, I travelled recently to Delhi on Canadian passport+OCI - no challenge at all.

 

[We rise by lifting others]

Hello
I have filled up online application for oci...but I did not find any column for surrender certificate related information??

there is only one section where it ask for the previous nationality, i entered India and cancelled passport number.

 

[UrbanNomad]

Isn't PIO quicker? Why most go for OCI over PIO?

PIO is not available any more from what i know...