OCI process

[sharadsinha]

Do we till need RT-PCR or any other test to visit India? There was a media report that India has dropped it for vaccinated travelers. But the MEA website and air suvidha portal still asking for it. Anyone having any recent update.

 

[sach1234]

Do we till need RT-PCR or any other test to visit India? There was a media report that India has dropped it for vaccinated travelers. But the MEA website and air suvidha portal still asking for it. Anyone having any recent update.

One of my family members travelled to India last week. No PCR test was required (Flight used was Air France via Paris to New Delhi). Hope this helps.

 

[royce110]

Hi guys, I sent my surrender application on Feb 25th by purolator and it was delivered to BLS Brampton today. Hoping someone can help answer the below;

1. Any idea how long it takes for the application to show up on the BLS tracker?
2. Also should we select ‘Passport Application’ or ‘PIO application’ while tracking online?
3. Approximately how long is the process taking to receive surrender certificate and original passport back days.

Thanks!

 

[aaroniclee]

I am trying to understand how High Commission in Ottawa works and what their timelines are and why they are so different than Toronto and Vancouver?

Take our Tourist Visa for example., Application processed and submitted to High Commission on Feb 9 by BLS and since then its been in processing status.

Thanks.

Did you receive your tourist visa? I applied on Feb 16 in Toronto and it's still "Processing at Consulate General"

 

[zagcollins]

what does date of acknowledgment mean on the OCI website? Submitted OCI application for my son on Feb 12, but date of acknowledgment is Feb 28 on OCI website (not BLS website).

Do they acknowledge submission once everything is in place including verification of OG birth certificate?

 

[to_munda]

After a week it will change to printed and then BLS pick up , then 2 days after u get it. Good luck!

I've been seeing this for 3 weeks, and no updates yet.
Its been a month since I couriered all the docs

 

[to_munda]

I have the same question. Can I pick "passport" under appointment, because it shows much more availability. Not showing any availability for OCI is ridiculous, its the same office, same staff. Another underhanded way of BLS trying to make money from the courier service of course. So can I pick Passport and not OCI and show up with documents for OCI?

Yup. All about Money grab
F***ers!!

 

[aaroniclee]

FYI - for anyone applying for a Tourist Visa as a Canadian; here's my experience:

Feb 16: Submitted application in-person
Feb 28: Status on BLS website still says 'Processing at Consulate General'; It's been like this for 2 weeks

Is there a place to track the application other than BLS' website? Can I track it on a government or consulate website instead? I'm supposed to be flying out in 2 days but seems unlikely I'll get my visa by then.

 

[keypad]

FYI - for anyone applying for a Tourist Visa as a Canadian; here's my experience:

Feb 16: Submitted application in-person
Feb 28: Status on BLS website still says 'Processing at Consulate General'; It's been like this for 2 weeks

Is there a place to track the application other than BLS' website? Can I track it on a government or consulate website instead? I'm supposed to be flying out in 2 days but seems unlikely I'll get my visa by then.

You could have applied for an entry visa, I heard they give it priority over a tourist visa.

 

[gurvijay.gill]

Hi Folks,
like many of you I am also embarking on the frustrating journey of getting Surrender certificate and Entry Visa. So I am looking for some advise on what's the best way to go about it.

Back ground information:
1) Tentative Travel Date : 15May2022
2) Intended stay duration : 4 Months
3) My status : Indian National with a Canadian PR.
4) Spouse : Previously Indian National and now a Canadian citizen with passport.
4) Minor Child : Born in Canada, has Canadian passport.

Applications I need to send:
4) Application1 : Surrender certificate for spouse.
5) Application2 : Entry Visa for spouse once she gets surrender certificate. Not sure if I have sufficient time for her OCI.
6) Application3 : Entry Visa for Minor child (Born here in Canada). Not sure again if I have sufficient time for her OCI.
7) Current stage: I am at the preparation stage for all three applications.
8) Application mode : Postal, because appointments are not available until May 2022!

Questions:
1) For Application1 (Surrender), do I need to send original Canadian Passport and original Citizenship oath certificate alongside copies or just copies will do. Checklist explicitly says "copy" for passport but doesn't say copy or original for Oath. Because this is a postal application so I am not sure.

2) Can I take a chance, brave the weather and just go stand in the line without appointment, will they let me in ? I read about walk-in camps, how to find
more about those?

3) Can I apply spouse's Application 1 & 2 (i.e. surrender & Entry visa) together. I was today on a call with BLS associate and he said that I can do both but I will need to make a cover letter addressed to the Embassy, mentioning my Surrender Application & Entry Visa Applications numbers and request that both applications to be processed together. Or should I just wait for surrender certificate to come and then apply entry visa ?

4) For Minor child should I apply OCI or Entry Visa? Is my spouse's Surrender certificate needed for both applications ? Not very clear from checklists. For example for OCI check list it appears that for the Minor child surrender certificate is not needed.

5) What's the average processing time for surrender certificate ? I know BLS says 8 weeks, but I have seen people getting it earlier.


If you have made this far then thanks a lot for reading.
I will look forward for your recommendations.

Thanks!

 

[sach1234]

Did you receive your tourist visa? I applied on Feb 16 in Toronto and it's still "Processing at Consulate General"

Nope, I am still waiting.

 

[sach1234]

FYI - for anyone applying for a Tourist Visa as a Canadian; here's my experience:

Feb 16: Submitted application in-person
Feb 28: Status on BLS website still says 'Processing at Consulate General'; It's been like this for 2 weeks

Is there a place to track the application other than BLS' website? Can I track it on a government or consulate website instead? I'm supposed to be flying out in 2 days but seems unlikely I'll get my visa by then.

Hi, you can check the status here as well
https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/StatusEnquiry

Also, I had applied for a tourist Visa for my family. The application was accepted at the High Commission in Ottawa on Feb 8 and since then its been in processing status. I have already rescheduled my flights to sometime in March now but God knows if they are going to approve it until then or not.

 

[royce110]

Hi guys, I sent my surrender application on Feb 25th by purolator and it was delivered to BLS Brampton today. Hoping someone can help answer the below;

1. Any idea how long it takes for the application to show up on the BLS tracker?
2. Also should we select ‘Passport Application’ or ‘PIO application’ while tracking online?
3. Approximately how long is the process taking to receive surrender certificate and original passport back days.

Thanks!

Appreciate if someone who did the surrender process can shed some light on the above, thank you!

 

[Rana Singh]

Hi Folks,
like many of you I am also embarking on the frustrating journey of getting Surrender certificate and Entry Visa. So I am looking for some advise on what's the best way to go about it.

Back ground information:
1) Tentative Travel Date : 15May2022
2) Intended stay duration : 4 Months
3) My status : Indian National with a Canadian PR.
4) Spouse : Previously Indian National and now a Canadian citizen with passport.
4) Minor Child : Born in Canada, has Canadian passport.

Applications I need to send:
4) Application1 : Surrender certificate for spouse.
5) Application2 : Entry Visa for spouse once she gets surrender certificate. Not sure if I have sufficient time for her OCI.
6) Application3 : Entry Visa for Minor child (Born here in Canada). Not sure again if I have sufficient time for her OCI.
7) Current stage: I am at the preparation stage for all three applications.
8) Application mode : Postal, because appointments are not available until May 2022!

Questions:
1) For Application1 (Surrender), do I need to send original Canadian Passport and original Citizenship oath certificate alongside copies or just copies will do. Checklist explicitly says "copy" for passport but doesn't say copy or original for Oath. Because this is a postal application so I am not sure.

2) Can I take a chance, brave the weather and just go stand in the line without appointment, will they let me in ? I read about walk-in camps, how to find
more about those?

3) Can I apply spouse's Application 1 & 2 (i.e. surrender & Entry visa) together. I was today on a call with BLS associate and he said that I can do both but I will need to make a cover letter addressed to the Embassy, mentioning my Surrender Application & Entry Visa Applications numbers and request that both applications to be processed together. Or should I just wait for surrender certificate to come and then apply entry visa ?

4) For Minor child should I apply OCI or Entry Visa? Is my spouse's Surrender certificate needed for both applications ? Not very clear from checklists. For example for OCI check list it appears that for the Minor child surrender certificate is not needed.

5) What's the average processing time for surrender certificate ? I know BLS says 8 weeks, but I have seen people getting it earlier.


If you have made this far then thanks a lot for reading.
I will look forward for your recommendations.

Thanks!

If you’re under Vancouver jurisdiction you can apply surrender certificate and oci together by courier appointments are available at the end of April if things change they may allow walk in . Surrender certificate and oci separate long procedure better get visa after surrender certificate.

 

[aaroniclee]

You could have applied for an entry visa, I heard they give it priority over a tourist visa.

Yeah they mentioned it processes faster (they told me this when I was there), but by then didn't have an Entry Visa application and couldn't lose my spot (also needed to surrender my Indian passport first). Noted for next time though