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OCI process

ps422

Full Member
Oct 13, 2023
43
34
I thought both OCI and VISA application are at 60 Gillingham drive location. Now you are telling me that oci is in one building AND visa is in another buuilding?
Yes, one is 60 gillingham and one is 40 gillingham. They are at the opposite ends of the same plaza. I had to make a mad dash for my visa application after Oci and barely made it. Apparently, they don’t allow you your turn if you are more than 15 min late.
 

rajset1234

Star Member
Feb 28, 2018
90
36
Yes, one is 60 gillingham and one is 40 gillingham. They are at the opposite ends of the same plaza. I had to make a mad dash for my visa application after Oci and barely made it. Apparently, they don’t allow you your turn if you are more than 15 min late.
@ps422 - For MINOR ENTRY visa who has never held Indian passport, could you please advise what documents are needed? I already have both parents' cancelled Indian passport and surrender certificates of both, what else is needed?
 
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GANU05

Full Member
Oct 18, 2023
20
5
I am filling entry visa application, what should I say in "Have you ever visited India before?". I have visited but I had Indian passport at that time, so what do I fill in visa information?
 

RuchiWalia

Hero Member
Oct 7, 2016
391
114
Oh my gosh! I got lucky as the plan was just to line up for OCI and they ended up resuming the visas on the same day. It did seem like there were more than 24 people in that dinky room. Likely appointments.
Yours was minor application too right? And within a day status is procssed but waiting for print
 

eas2lv

Champion Member
Oct 6, 2023
1,133
551
Toronto
Category........
WP
Visa Office......
Toronto
NOC Code......
21100
I got someone to line up for me. They started in the evening, the day before, and I was one of the first in the line. I was able to submit both OCI and visa applications (two different buildings) and was out by 11:30. Took longer as I had to run around and make a couple of affidavits since my husband’s 30 year old Indian passport was barely legible!

Dealing with BLS has given me PTSD lol. They fleeced me good. I would rather they just increase the processing fee than try to make money on incidentals.
The HCI's tender process for outsourcing should reject proposals with rock bottom fees that is clearly not sustainable. Obviously the plan of the like of BLS is to fleece the customer through unethical practices --- upsell value added services not approved by the HCI through manufactured errors, receipts do not reflect actual service offered, collusion with notary in the building, the list goes on.
 

ps422

Full Member
Oct 13, 2023
43
34
@ps422 - For MINOR ENTRY visa who has never held Indian passport, could you please advise what documents are needed? I already have both parents' cancelled Indian passport and surrender certificates of both, what else is needed?
All documents per the checklist on the BLS site. They also need two photographs for in person as opposed to one when you are sending through postal. The only extras that I had to get were related to specific concerns on the Indian passport since the information was all handwritten and in some instances, not accurate.
 

Natie@1

Star Member
Jun 7, 2019
52
30
All documents per the checklist on the BLS site. They also need two photographs for in person as opposed to one when you are sending through postal. The only extras that I had to get were related to specific concerns on the Indian passport since the information was all handwritten and in some instances, not accurate.
Did you also upload the photo in the online application?
I heard people mentioning to avoid uploading photo instead bring 2 copies of photograph for appointment and same for postal.
 

rajset1234

Star Member
Feb 28, 2018
90
36
All documents per the checklist on the BLS site. They also need two photographs for in person as opposed to one when you are sending through postal. The only extras that I had to get were related to specific concerns on the Indian passport since the information was all handwritten and in some instances, not accurate.
But the checklist says only one photograph. I did not know they needed two photographs of my minor. One photo is uploaded online and the other physical photo is affixed to the application form, right?
 

ps422

Full Member
Oct 13, 2023
43
34
The HCI's tender process for outsourcing should reject proposals with rock bottom fees that is clearly not sustainable. Obviously the plan of the like of BLS is to fleece the customer through unethical practices --- upsell value added services not approved by the HCI through manufactured errors, receipts do not reflect actual service offered, collusion with notary in the building, the list goes on.
Agreed! They spend atleast half hr per application and at $7.40 its really below minimum wage! I understand they have to charge to keep afloat but it just creates unnecessary stress.
 

ps422

Full Member
Oct 13, 2023
43
34
But the checklist says only one photograph. I did not know they needed two photographs of my minor. One photo is uploaded online and the other physical photo is affixed to the application form, right?
Yes. I thought the same and then had to pay for an additional photo.
 

rajset1234

Star Member
Feb 28, 2018
90
36
Yes. I thought the same and then had to pay for an additional photo.
So you had 3 photos- 1 was already uploaded to the online application, 2 was pasted physically to the paper application. and now you had to take a last minute 3rd photo as well- but this 3rd photo must not be identical to the first two photos right as the 3rd one was taking at a different time with different dress?
 

ps422

Full Member
Oct 13, 2023
43
34
So you had 3 photos- 1 was already uploaded to the online application, 2 was pasted physically to the paper application. and now you had to take a last minute 3rd photo as well- but this 3rd photo must not be identical to the first two photos right as the 3rd one was taking at a different time with different dress?
One e-photo uploaded online. And two physical photos to submit with the application. In my case, the e-photo was identical to the physical ones.
 

rajset1234

Star Member
Feb 28, 2018
90
36
One e-photo uploaded online. And two physical photos to submit with the application. In my case, the e-photo was identical to the physical ones.
oh my god. i had 1 photo which was identical to the online e-photo i had. I have already printed the completed application form with e-photo embedded into it and was going to carry the other physical identical photo with me. Now if i go and take another 3rd photo, then I have to redo the whole application as all 3 photos need to be identical.