Fresh Minor OCI – Our Experience at BLS Mississauga (Premium Lounge)
Wanted to share our full experience in case it helps anyone going through the same process. We applied for a fresh OCI for our baby, and both of us already have OCI.
We went in with absolutely nothing prepped, no printed forms, no photos for the baby, nothing filled out. We just carried all the original documents and one passport photo each for my wife and me.
Documents they asked for:
For the minor:
- Birth certificate
- Passport copy
- One physical photo and one digital photo
(They took the photo there, printed two copies, but only used one and gave back one. They don’t share the digital version.)
- Thumb impression - Ideally it's supposed to be right thumb for girls, left for boys but BLS Premium Lounge don't care. Our baby wouldn’t sit still, so the impression was barely legible, but they accepted it without any fuss.
For both parents*:
- Surrendered Indian passports
- Surrender certificates
- Canadian passports
- OCI cards
- Marriage certificate
- One passport photo each for the NOC (they printed the form there)
- One proof of address for at least one parent. (They didn’t which parent signs the form, or shares the address proof - but both parent should carry DL)
*Also carried as precaution but not used, CoPR docs, Citizenship cert (soft copies) and Letter of employment.
Other notes:
- The Premium Lounge fee was $102.40, in addition to the $376 demand draft for the OCI. Nearly all locations have plenty of appointments so no stress of availability.
- That $102.40 covers SMS reminders, courier delivery, photocopies, and form filling, which I think is fair. We don’t have the time to go back and collect in person, so the courier option alone made it worth it.
- The premium experience wasn’t fancy or luxurious. Their office is on the third floor, but you’re sent to the fourth floor to make copies. Not a big deal, just something to know.
- They entered our address incorrectly on the form. Instead of using the format on my driver’s license (1999 Canada Street Unit 01), they wrote 01-1999 Canada Street. When I pointed it out during review, the floor supervisor said it was fine. It’s a bit ironic considering how strict they can be with regular applicants for similar things.
- If you forget any documents, don't worry, they premium lounge fee has to be paid right at the end when they've submitted your application. Just re-book if there is anything missing.
Final thoughts:
While the Premium Lounge isn’t exactly premium, it is way less stressful than the regular service, which honestly feels chaotic and overwhelming. We didn’t feel pushed or scammed, and the whole process took about 90 minutes. That timing is mostly because we showed up with zero prep. If you book one of the earliest appointments of the day, you’ll avoid most of the crowds.
Happy to answer any questions if you’re planning your visit.
