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You should surrender your indian passport else rejection chances are high

Thank you.

I just received an email saying that my e-tourist visa authorization has been granted.

This is one of the fastest service I have ever seen anywhere in the world. I applied on Saturday afternoon and got approval by Sunday early morning.

Now, I am onto Surrender Certificate and OCI booklet.

Thanks
 
Find answers for your questions below.
1. You cannot apply OCI online. but you have to fill application online (Part A and Part B), take a printout and go to BLS along with all the required documents.
2. Passport Surrender is 1 to 2 weeks. OCI is 3 months (as per BLS), but most of the people got within 5 to 6 weeks.
3. you can surrender Indian passport and apply for OCI at the same time.
4. you cannot apply online for surrender as well.
5. For Surrender: around CAD $285 (including $28 courier charges). For OCI: around CAD $462 (including $28 courier charges)
6. i am not sure.
7. Yes. after getting Canadian passport, you can apply for both at a time.

I am from Edmonton too. I applied for both last week.
Thank you budd! I’ll be working on it as soon as I get my passport. Will ask questions if needed. Thanks again
 
Thank you.

I just received an email saying that my e-tourist visa authorization has been granted.

This is one of the fastest service I have ever seen anywhere in the world. I applied on Saturday afternoon and got approval by Sunday early morning.

Now, I am onto Surrender Certificate and OCI booklet.

Thanks

Friends,

Today, I submitted my application and Indian passport for surrender certificate. I was fully prepared with all of my forms. Here is what I learned today -

1) I was already in downtown Vancouver area for some other work. Surrender Form needs to be submitted to BLS and not Consulate. BLS and Consulate are very close to each other in downtown Vancouver.
2) I showed up at 12 PM. There was no queue and I was the only guy there.
3) Lady returned my filled and signed 'Checklist Rev. 3' saying that she did not need it.
4) Lady returned my filled and signed 'Application Form for Obtaining Deemed Surrender Certificate' saying that she did not need it.
5) She did not look at my proof of landing; perhaps, because she got photocopy of my Canadian passport.
6) I paid the fee ($ 281.1), submitted my original Indian passport, surrender form, copy of the bio-page of Canadian passport, copy of citizenship certificate, copy of driving license, copy of the bio-page of my Indian passport.

In return, she gave me Passport Fee Receipt and the Transaction Receipt. Passport Fee Receipt got number in it to track the status.

I asked her if I can submit OCI form or do I need to wait till I get Surrender Certificate. She said that I can apply for OCI booklet with the Surrender Certificate receipt I received.

Let me know if anyone got questions.

Now, I am onto OCI forms.

Thanks
 
Let me know if anyone got questions.

Thanks

Whats the breakdown of your $281 fee. I know $250 is for the core surrender application (including BLS fee). Is the remaining for courier? Also, if you would have applied for surrender and OCI together as some others have, would it save the $30 courier fee.

Basically, I want to know if there is a time and cost effective alternative?
 
Whats the breakdown of your $281 fee. I know $250 is for the core surrender application (including BLS fee). Is the remaining for courier? Also, if you would have applied for surrender and OCI together as some others have, would it save the $30 courier fee.

Basically, I want to know if there is a time and cost effective alternative?

Breakdown of charges -

Passport Fee - 240
ICWF Charge - 3
BLS Service Fee - 7.05
Courier Fee - 28.57
HST/GST - 1.78
Debit Card Fee - 0.70
Grand Total - 281.1

In my case, and I just submitted OCI application, it did not save anything except I had to visit BLS Office twice.

You still have to pay for two courier fees because surrender certificate will arrive in 2 weeks while OCI booklet will arrive in 5 to 6 weeks. I specially asked this question to BLS guy.
 
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My latest status:
Submitted at BLS Edmonton: 29-OCT-2018
File Acknowledgment Number ****
Date Of Acknowledgment 01-NOV-2018
Registration Status at Mission VANCOUVER
OCI- Number ****
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 27-NOV-2018
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 28-NOV-2018
Document received At VANCOUVER On 04-DEC-2018

Waiting for it to arrive at BLS Edmonton now.
 
Hello friends,

Today, I submitted my application for OCI at BLS center in downtown Vancouver. Process is confusing but fairly straightforward. Young folks at the BLS office were nice and helpful. Unfortunately, website is not very helpful. There is a lot of confusing information on the website.

If there are any questions let me know.

Thanks
 
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Breakdown of charges -

Passport Fee - 240
ICWF Charge - 3
BLS Service Fee - 7.05
Courier Fee - 28.57
HST/GST - 1.78
Debit Card Fee - 0.70
Grand Total - 281.1

In my case, and I just submitted OCI application, it did not save anything except I had to visit BLS Office twice.

You still have to pay for two courier fees because surrender certificate will arrive in 2 weeks while OCI booklet will arrive in 5 to 6 weeks. I specially asked this question to BLS guy.

Thanks for info, appreciate it. :)
 
Received my OCI today. The entire process took about 40 days for me.
My latest status:
Submitted at BLS Edmonton: 29-OCT-2018
File Acknowledgment Number ****
Date Of Acknowledgment 01-NOV-2018
Registration Status at Mission VANCOUVER
OCI- Number ****
Documents Printing Status PROCESSED On 27-NOV-2018
Dispatched From MEA (OCI ) NEW DELHI On 28-NOV-2018
Document received At VANCOUVER On 04-DEC-2018

Waiting for it to arrive at BLS Edmonton now.
 
Received my OCI today. The entire process took about 40 days for me.

Congratulations!!!!

Do they paste any visa on Canadian passport? Will you say that your process is complete now after getting OCI booklet?
 
Hi All,

My daughter is a Canadian Citizen staying in india with Grandparents for past 4 months.
She has an Indian Visitor visa valid for one year.( up to July 2019)

As per Indian Visitor visa rules, she can stay in india for 6 months in a stretch. ( up to February 2019)

We planned to keep her with grandparents for one more year.

So we filed OCI and she will get it before February ( before 6 months in Visitor visa).

Do we (parents) need to go to India and re enter my daughter in OCI to India ? or whether she can stay after Feb as long as she has a valid OCI .

Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks!
 
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Congratulations!!!!

Do they paste any visa on Canadian passport? Will you say that your process is complete now after getting OCI booklet?
No nothing on Canada passport. Canada passport stayed with me during the entire process. It is all done now.