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

[Panks2015]

Hi, how much fees for mailing the application.

 

[CANADA-1]

Hi, how much fees for mailing the application.

booth side around $-60

 

[whimsical]

BLS website doesn't go beyond proceed to payment page. Seeing a few people had similar issue. But can't seem to find the fix. How was this resolved?

 

[seamarine]

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.
  • https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/postalbls.php

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.

Hello

I did not take a copy of the back of the License/attest..only the front and sent out the package last week...what do you think are the chances of BLS rejecting the application?


Thanks

 

[abbas.pasha]

Hello

I did not take a copy of the back of the License/attest..only the front and sent out the package last week...what do you think are the chances of BLS rejecting the application?


Thanks

Imho it will not be an issue.
At max they will say No. They won’t ask you to give G road test again

 

[Sammy3]

Hi, can anybody please tell me if I need to submit photocopy of all the pages on the Indian passport with stamps/visa or just the front and back needed? BLS instruction document is not very clear about it. Thanks

 

[SPV]

Hi, can anybody please tell me if I need to submit photocopy of all the pages on the Indian passport with stamps/visa or just the front and back needed? BLS instruction document is not very clear about it. Thanks

I had front and back pages along with visa pages. The lady took out everything other than front and back. So for my husband, I used only front and back. It is in process right now so they accepted just front and back. Hope this helps.

 

[Koushani]

In BLS Website the checklist document says :

(e) Canadian / Foreign Passport (Original and copy) Please enclose photo page of your Canadian / Foreign Passport having photographs and details of your passport. Original Passport is required to be submitted for verification, it will be returned back after verification. Copies must be self-attested (signed) by the applicant.

Question 1 : Do we need to send Canada Passport Original ?

Also, the Fee section mentions the below.

Indian citizens acquiring any foreign citizenship after 1 June, 2010

Surrender Fee - 119

Consular Fee - 3

BLS Service Fee - 7.4

Total - 129.40

But the text says :

1. Kindly Provide Demand Draft/Money order only in favor of BLS International Services Canada Inc., which includes Passport fee + consular fee + BLS Service charges + Return courier fees, to send back your processed application.
2. Return courier fees to be added in Demand Draft only if you have not paid online.

Question 2 : Which one is Passport Fee and Return Courier Fee ? How do we pay those ? Want to go for the Pick up and Return mail option the Topic Maker said, but not able to find out how I can do that.

 

[Sammy3]

I had front and back pages along with visa pages. The lady took out everything other than front and back. So for my husband, I used only front and back. It is in process right now so they accepted just front and back. Hope this helps.

That helps thank you!

 

[latestbot]

Submitted my application in person at Brampton today. Even though I had an appointment, I still had to wait in line for my turn.
Let's see how much time it takes them to process my application. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Dec2014NY]

Submitted my application in person at Brampton today. Even though I had an appointment, I still had to wait in line for my turn.
Let's see how much time it takes them to process my application. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.

Hey - Did you receive the SC? Can you pls share the timeline. Thanks

 

[Bhamarekm]

Submitted my application in person at Brampton today. Even though I had an appointment, I still had to wait in line for my turn.
Let's see how much time it takes them to process my application. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.

please share your timelines .
Best luck..

regards

 

[neel_321]

Submitted my application in person at Brampton today. Even though I had an appointment, I still had to wait in line for my turn.
Let's see how much time it takes them to process my application. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.

How long did it take for you to receive the certificate?

 

[krishm]

I am planning to mail my documents for myself, wife and child to BLS Brampton. I have the applications filled, DD ready but I am not able to understand if I need to send all applications in one envelope or separate? Do I pay $30+$30 for each application for courier?

 

[tom93]

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.
  • https://www.blsindia-canada.com/toronto-jurisdiction/postalbls.php

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.

Could you also share your OCI journey once done? TIA