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Personal Experience: Surrender Certification Mail-in Toronto (19 days)

N

_neil

Full Member
Apr 30, 2016
31
54
I recently received my surrender certificate and thought I’d share my experience because I could not find a decent post about the process. There is a painfully long OCI thread which is more noise than substance.

Hopefully, this helps folks who are just getting started.

Surrender certificate for Indian Citizenship: You need to surrender your Indian citizenship when you become a Canadian citizen. In the past you could surrender Indian citizenship and apply for OCI together, but that is not the case anymore. You need to obtain the surrender cert first and then apply for OCI.

My experience:
Consulate - Toronto
Mailed application to BLS Brampton

Start here and read all tabs on the site:
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/surrender-of-india-citizenship.php
  • Prepare and submit the application online - https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
  • Gather all the documents mentioned in the checklist (these are the docs I sent)
    • Bank draft for $129.40(check for latest fee under Fee tab) - BLS International Services Canada Inc.
    • Printed application submitted online
      • make sure to sign and date it
    • Photo
    • Checklist
      • License copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian Citizenship Cert copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian PP copy first page
        • attest
      • Indian PP photocopy - first and last
        • attest
    • Indian passport original
  • Pay online for pick up and drop off- BLS is only accepting mail from Purolator(AFAIK). They have not published their mailing address on the site. I found the address on Google but didn’t want to risk it, so I paid the extortion money for mail in application. Purolator came and picked up the documents from my place. They brought a Purolator envelope but no label. I had to provide the label. It would be better to call them before pickup if you need a label.
I did not include ANY ORIGINAL documents, except the Indian passport.

Mailed application on 8/8/2022
Processing started on 8/13/2022
The Surrender certificate printed at the consulate on 8/22/2022
Delivered to me on 8/25/2022

You can track the status on the passportindia site (where you filled in the online application) as well as BLS site.

BLS basically receives the application, validates that everything is in order and sends it to the consulate. Consulate approves and prints the Surrender Cert and sends it back to BLS. Once BLS receives the cert, they dispatch it.
 
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Reactions: Bhamarekm, A_S, BoxOfCrayon and 12 others
This is great!!! Thank you... :)
I have one question though.. When you say attestation of the documents-->Is that self attestation or by a Commissioner of Oaths or Notarize the documents?
 
_neil said:
I recently received my surrender certificate and thought I’d share my experience because I could not find a decent post about the process. There is a painfully long OCI thread which is more noise than substance.

Hopefully, this helps folks who are just getting started.

Surrender certificate for Indian Citizenship: You need to surrender your Indian citizenship when you become a Canadian citizen. In the past you could surrender Indian citizenship and apply for OCI together, but that is not the case anymore. You need to obtain the surrender cert first and then apply for OCI.

My experience:
Consulate - Toronto
Mailed application to BLS Brampton

Start here and read all tabs on the site:
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/surrender-of-india-citizenship.php
  • Prepare and submit the application online - https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
  • Gather all the documents mentioned in the checklist (these are the docs I sent)
    • Bank draft for $129.40(check for latest fee under Fee tab) - BLS International Services Canada Inc.
    • Printed application submitted online
      • make sure to sign and date it
    • Photo
    • Checklist
      • License copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian Citizenship Cert copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian PP copy first page
        • attest
      • Indian PP photocopy - first and last
        • attest
    • Indian passport original
  • Pay online for pick up and drop off- BLS is only accepting mail from Purolator(AFAIK). They have not published their mailing address on the site. I found the address on Google but didn’t want to risk it, so I paid the extortion money for mail in application. Purolator came and picked up the documents from my place. They brought a Purolator envelope but no label. I had to provide the label. It would be better to call them before pickup if you need a label.
I did not include ANY ORIGINAL documents, except the Indian passport.

Mailed application on 8/8/2022
Processing started on 8/13/2022
The Surrender certificate printed at the consulate on 8/22/2022
Delivered to me on 8/25/2022

You can track the status on the passportindia site (where you filled in the online application) as well as BLS site.

BLS basically receives the application, validates that everything is in order and sends it to the consulate. Consulate approves and prints the Surrender Cert and sends it back to BLS. Once BLS receives the cert, they dispatch it.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the detailed post!
 
_neil said:
I recently received my surrender certificate and thought I’d share my experience because I could not find a decent post about the process. There is a painfully long OCI thread which is more noise than substance.

Hopefully, this helps folks who are just getting started.

Surrender certificate for Indian Citizenship: You need to surrender your Indian citizenship when you become a Canadian citizen. In the past you could surrender Indian citizenship and apply for OCI together, but that is not the case anymore. You need to obtain the surrender cert first and then apply for OCI.

My experience:
Consulate - Toronto
Mailed application to BLS Brampton

Start here and read all tabs on the site:
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/surrender-of-india-citizenship.php
  • Prepare and submit the application online - https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
  • Gather all the documents mentioned in the checklist (these are the docs I sent)
    • Bank draft for $129.40(check for latest fee under Fee tab) - BLS International Services Canada Inc.
    • Printed application submitted online
      • make sure to sign and date it
    • Photo
    • Checklist
      • License copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian Citizenship Cert copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian PP copy first page
        • attest
      • Indian PP photocopy - first and last
        • attest
    • Indian passport original
  • Pay online for pick up and drop off- BLS is only accepting mail from Purolator(AFAIK). They have not published their mailing address on the site. I found the address on Google but didn’t want to risk it, so I paid the extortion money for mail in application. Purolator came and picked up the documents from my place. They brought a Purolator envelope but no label. I had to provide the label. It would be better to call them before pickup if you need a label.
I did not include ANY ORIGINAL documents, except the Indian passport.

Mailed application on 8/8/2022
Processing started on 8/13/2022
The Surrender certificate printed at the consulate on 8/22/2022
Delivered to me on 8/25/2022

You can track the status on the passportindia site (where you filled in the online application) as well as BLS site.

BLS basically receives the application, validates that everything is in order and sends it to the consulate. Consulate approves and prints the Surrender Cert and sends it back to BLS. Once BLS receives the cert, they dispatch it.
Click to expand...
Hi,

I don't have Canadian PP yet. Do I need to send some self declaration instead ?
 
@_neil Do they also send the original passport along with the certificate? I have US visa on that passport, wondering how to go about that?
 
can I send the surrender certificate application along with the entry visa application together in one envelop? any answer would be highly appreciated
 
Samoinp said:
@_neil Do they also send the original passport along with the certificate? I have US visa on that passport, wondering how to go about that?
Click to expand...
If you are surrendering your passport, and have acquired Canadian citizenship, the US visa on it becomes invalid automatically, unlike a valid visa on an expired passport.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Samoinp
_neil said:
  • Pay online for pick up and drop off- BLS is only accepting mail from Purolator(AFAIK). They have not published their mailing address on the site. I found the address on Google but didn’t want to risk it, so I paid the extortion money for mail in application. Purolator came and picked up the documents from my place. They brought a Purolator envelope but no label. I had to provide the label. It would be better to call them before pickup if you need a label.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed post _neil
When you go to the Pickup & Drop Off link (https://www.blsindia-canada.com/postalbls/pickup-and-drop.php)
It asks "Service" and the only options are Passport, Visa , OCI. Which one did you select for Surrender?
 
Hello Guys, Do any of you know, how much time it takes at the BLS office for Surrender application when you have an appointment (not for walkin).
 
_neil said:
I recently received my surrender certificate and thought I’d share my experience because I could not find a decent post about the process. There is a painfully long OCI thread which is more noise than substance.

Hopefully, this helps folks who are just getting started.

Surrender certificate for Indian Citizenship: You need to surrender your Indian citizenship when you become a Canadian citizen. In the past you could surrender Indian citizenship and apply for OCI together, but that is not the case anymore. You need to obtain the surrender cert first and then apply for OCI.

My experience:
Consulate - Toronto
Mailed application to BLS Brampton

Start here and read all tabs on the site:
https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/surrender-of-india-citizenship.php
  • Prepare and submit the application online - https://portal3.passportindia.gov.in/Online/index.html
  • Gather all the documents mentioned in the checklist (these are the docs I sent)
    • Bank draft for $129.40(check for latest fee under Fee tab) - BLS International Services Canada Inc.
    • Printed application submitted online
      • make sure to sign and date it
    • Photo
    • Checklist
      • License copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian Citizenship Cert copy front and back
        • attest
      • Canadian PP copy first page
        • attest
      • Indian PP photocopy - first and last
        • attest
    • Indian passport original
  • Pay online for pick up and drop off- BLS is only accepting mail from Purolator(AFAIK). They have not published their mailing address on the site. I found the address on Google but didn’t want to risk it, so I paid the extortion money for mail in application. Purolator came and picked up the documents from my place. They brought a Purolator envelope but no label. I had to provide the label. It would be better to call them before pickup if you need a label.
I did not include ANY ORIGINAL documents, except the Indian passport.

Mailed application on 8/8/2022
Processing started on 8/13/2022
The Surrender certificate printed at the consulate on 8/22/2022
Delivered to me on 8/25/2022

You can track the status on the passportindia site (where you filled in the online application) as well as BLS site.

BLS basically receives the application, validates that everything is in order and sends it to the consulate. Consulate approves and prints the Surrender Cert and sends it back to BLS. Once BLS receives the cert, they dispatch it.
Click to expand...

How much fees they take for mailing the application?
 
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