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OCI process

msatishxp

Hero Member
Jul 30, 2013
395
47
Hi, I received my SC and Indian passport today. SC document was stapled to the Indian passport. But on the first and last page of my passport, it was stamped 'Cancelled on Account of Holder voluntarily acquiring Canadian citizenship'.

For OCI, do I need to include these stamped pages too or only the SC paper attached to the passport?
Hi, can someone please reply to my above mentioned query?
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,137
1,798
Hi Friends,

I'm in a situation to travel India by end of February and I will be receiving my passport by coming week. Can I travel with my Indian Passport itself and come back to US where I will be working after that trip. This means ill be using the 3 months grace period to surrender my Passport.

Please help with your knowledge. Or what is the possibility of surrendering indian passport and getting Entry Visa, I heard we are allowed to get ETA which we can obtain in a week while surrendering Indian Passport.

Would greatly Appreciate your response.

Regards
Sentraj.
At the Indian immigration if they ask you about your status in Canada what are you planning to say ?
 

djrobinn

Full Member
Nov 9, 2022
42
10
Hi, can someone please reply to my above mentioned query?
I believe just the SC should suffice. I acquired Canadian Citizenship decades ago and at the time they only stamped the Indian passport like yours. I never really got a SC. So I just applied using that page on my case. You should really do both, they work on a whim unfortunately, it seems.
 

msatishxp

Hero Member
Jul 30, 2013
395
47
Hi, I need to confirm a few things before completing my OCI application form. Please find my queries below:

1) Would the place of Issue of Canadian passport be only Toronto or Toronto Canada? On my passport, there is nothing mentioned as Place of issue. It's only mentioned as Issuing Authority Toronto and Issuing Country Canada.

2) Personal mobile no- When trying to enter mobile no it's saying 'Kindly prefix ISD code before mobile number'. Do I need to put 1 before my personal contact number?

3)On Sample form, it says photograph mage shouldn't be larger than 30 KB but on BLS instructions that come before the application, it says max size is 500 KB. My photo image is 77 KB. So I was wondering have the rules changed recently for the photo size?

4) Do we need to really combine SC with Indian passport and Canadian citizenship certificate with Canadian passport when uploading supporting documents? Im asking because when I call BLS, they always say only upload Indian passport and Canadian passport.

Sorry if my questions sound silly, but I just want to confirm everything and make sure I don't do any mistake. Hope you guys understand.
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,137
1,798
Hi, I need to confirm a few things before completing my OCI application form. Please find my queries below:

1) Would the place of Issue of Canadian passport be only Toronto or Toronto Canada? On my passport, there is nothing mentioned as Place of issue. It's only mentioned as Issuing Authority Toronto and Issuing Country Canada.

2) Personal mobile no- When trying to enter mobile no it's saying 'Kindly prefix ISD code before mobile number'. Do I need to put 1 before my personal contact number?

3)On Sample form, it says photograph mage shouldn't be larger than 30 KB but on BLS instructions that come before the application, it says max size is 500 KB. My photo image is 77 KB. So I was wondering have the rules changed recently for the photo size?

4) Do we need to really combine SC with Indian passport and Canadian citizenship certificate with Canadian passport when uploading supporting documents? Im asking because when I call BLS, they always say only upload Indian passport and Canadian passport.

Sorry if my questions sound silly, but I just want to confirm everything and make sure I don't do any mistake. Hope you guys understand.
Place of issue: Toronto
Just mention phone# 647xxxx no need include +1 or 001
500KB is the file size for photo
  • CURRENT PASSPORT - Combine pdf and include (first page) of the Canadian Passport and citizenship certificate(front and back)
  • EMPLOYMENT/ WORK LETTER
  • SPOUSE PASSPORT- Combine pdf and include (first page) of the Canadian Passport and citizenship certificate(front and back) (if you are married)
  • PREVIOUS INDIAN PASSPORT OF SELF - Combine pdf and include (first and last page) of the Indian Passport and Surrender Certificate
 

msatishxp

Hero Member
Jul 30, 2013
395
47
Place of issue: Toronto
Just mention phone# 647xxxx no need include +1 or 001
500KB is the file size for photo
  • CURRENT PASSPORT - Combine pdf and include (first page) of the Canadian Passport and citizenship certificate(front and back)
  • EMPLOYMENT/ WORK LETTER
  • SPOUSE PASSPORT- Combine pdf and include (first page) of the Canadian Passport and citizenship certificate(front and back) (if you are married)
  • PREVIOUS INDIAN PASSPORT OF SELF - Combine pdf and include (first and last page) of the Indian Passport and Surrender Certificate
Thanks very much bhai. Really appreciate it.
 
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msatishxp

Hero Member
Jul 30, 2013
395
47
Hi, for OCI fees through postal application, we need to pay $345 to 'Consulate General of India Toronto' right. Would there be a comma or hyphen between India and Toronto or nothing?

I heard there's another demand draft in the name of 'BLS International Services Canada Inc' that has to be done for postal applications. Is the fee $7.4 or $7.40 for that?
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,137
1,798
Hi, for OCI fees through postal application, we need to pay $345 to 'Consulate General of India Toronto' right. Would there be a comma or hyphen between India and Toronto or nothing?

I heard there's another demand draft in the name of 'BLS International Services Canada Inc' that has to be done for postal applications. Is the fee $7.4 or $7.40 for that?
Follow what the checklist says... Checklist says: Consulate General of India, Toronto
Again follow what the BLS website, would suggest you to follow...
  1. In favor of BLS International Services Canada Inc. via
  2. Kindly Provide Demand Draft/Money order only in favor of BLS International Services Canada Inc., which includes BLS Service charges + Return courier fees, to send back your processed application.
  3. Return courier fees to be added in Demand Draft only if you have not paid online
  4. Kindly do not enclose any cash in your postal application envelope. BLS will not be responsible for the loss of cash or the postal orders.
The fee will be $7.4 and the courier charge which you will have to find out either by calling BLS or using there online link
 
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8494193

Guest
My timeline as DP:

Date Of Acknowledgment21-DEC-2022
Registration Status at MissionOTTAWA
Documents Printing StatusPROCESSEDOn17-JAN-2023
Dispatched From MEA (OCI )NEW DELHIOn18-JAN-2023
Document received AtOTTAWAOn24-JAN-2023
Received in hand (Purolator)On26-JAN-2023

Turns out, the OCI has some spotting under the bottom machine-readable strip on the photo ID page. It's very mild, but I'm concerned if that's considered "damaged". I've reached out to BLS for help (I tried reaching out to HCI Ottawa but emails are bouncing, smh. In case anyone has the right email to reach a human there, that would be great :) ).

Edit: Reached out to CGI Toronto / Sampark as well.
Update on this story: HCI Ottawa (via BLS) told me that there is 'nothing wrong with it' after examining the scans I sent to BLS Customer Care. I'll roll with it, I guess, and see what happens (will keep an e-Visa in the backpocket as backup on my first trip with this OCI, just in case).
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,137
1,798
Update on this story: HCI Ottawa (via BLS) told me that there is 'nothing wrong with it' after examining the scans I sent to BLS Customer Care. I'll roll with it, I guess, and see what happens (will keep an e-Visa in the backpocket as backup on my first trip with this OCI, just in case).
Instead of eVisa if you have the BLS/HCI feedback by email, keep a copy handy and incase you are questioned at the Indian immigration you can show them the communication that you received instead
 
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msatishxp

Hero Member
Jul 30, 2013
395
47
Follow what the checklist says... Checklist says: Consulate General of India, Toronto
Again follow what the BLS website, would suggest you to follow...
  1. In favor of BLS International Services Canada Inc. via
  2. Kindly Provide Demand Draft/Money order only in favor of BLS International Services Canada Inc., which includes BLS Service charges + Return courier fees, to send back your processed application.
  3. Return courier fees to be added in Demand Draft only if you have not paid online
  4. Kindly do not enclose any cash in your postal application envelope. BLS will not be responsible for the loss of cash or the postal orders.
The fee will be $7.4 and the courier charge which you will have to find out either by calling BLS or using there online link
But I believe if I'm sending postal application, I would be paying courier charges online on the link BLS people send me right.
 

abbas.pasha

VIP Member
Sep 17, 2016
3,137
1,798
But I believe if I'm sending postal application, I would be paying courier charges online on the link BLS people send me right.
I have no idea about postal process tbh. What I shared above is what I read on the BLS website.
From what I understand even if you pay for courier charges for pickup and dropoff online you still would require a draft for $7.4 in the name of BLS International Services Canada Inc.
You should wait for other members to suggest or reach out to BLS instead for further details
 
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aphermix

Hero Member
Jan 5, 2017
437
133
I am about to apply for OCI. It asks for a letter with Applicants Professional Details. Now my employer is ready to give an employment verification letter. But since our entire company has shifted to work from home, they can only provide a soft copy of the letter. (Basically a pdf with HR sign attached). How do I submit this letter? Do Include a color print out and submit this ? Or i print and put my sign to make it self-attested ?