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OCI process

viperD

Star Member
Sep 11, 2013
139
57
Category........
Visa Office......
Chandigarh
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
25-11-2013
IELTS Request
6.5
Med's Done....
01-11-2013
Interview........
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
03/11/2013
LANDED..........
Soon
i guess i would answer my own question. In one week I got status update as in transit from consulate to BLS. May be in next 2days I will have my Canada passport back. Hoping its positive results.
Can you tell us the exact dates. Is one week including weekends?
 
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JustThankful

Member
Dec 14, 2021
13
3
OCI - Part 2:
To add additional details, I have never really bothered about the status. I used to check the status like once a week and never really read too much in to detail.
So if you see a regular in process or "Processed" status message on BLS Application tracking page - you are good.
Keep an eye open when you see the processed status as someone need to be home to collect the OCI cards
 

JustThankful

Member
Dec 14, 2021
13
3
Hello guys,
I have applied for my son's OCI postal application Nov 11(received in BLs), still no update in OCI website. BLS website shows processing in General consulate and shows application date 27/11/2021. I am travelling on Jan 16th. Will this be too tight? Should I apply for entry visa? Need your suggestions.
Thanks..
Check my TL.
You should be OK but it can be tight too.I hurried up on my application keeping the holiday season in mind. As many people are suggesting - put yourself a cut off date and check for visa in parallel.
 

JustThankful

Member
Dec 14, 2021
13
3
Hello guys, can someone confirm if Minimum Processing time for Surrender of Indian passport at BLS Toronto/Brampton is really around 8 weeks as mentioned in the link below.
https://blsindia-canada.com/renunciation_ppt.php

Or is that old timeline from the lockdown period?
8 weeks seem to be on the higher side. PP surrender certificate can be received in like 4-5 weeks, depending on factors such as holiday season, number of applicants etc
 
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lifein360

Hero Member
Jan 23, 2016
795
207
Category........
Visa Office......
Ottawa
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
AOR Received.
Jan 17, 2017
Med's Done....
Feb 20, 2017
Passport Req..
Mar 20, 2017
VISA ISSUED...
Mar 24, 2017
LANDED..........
Apr 23, 2017
Hello folks,
I'm a regular at these forums. I have never posed any question or answers, but I've learned a lot reading from other's experiences.
So I just want to share my experience with OCI processing, so that these inputs can be helpful for others.

OCI and Indian PP surrender : postal application - Around October 22nd.
Surrender certificate and cancelled Indian Passport return - November last week.
OCI Cards - Dec 10th

After I got my Canadian citizenship and PP, I have visited the Brampton BLS office for a walk in application. I was shocked at the number of people waiting in the queue and realized immediately that there is no way I will be able to get my work done on that day. I have visited BLS in the past but with Covid, people are not allowed to enter the building meaning you have to stand outside in a queue irrespective of the weather. I saw people queuing up starting at 6 in the morning. As I live very far from Brampton BLS office I have then decided to go for postal application.
Important to realize that you can send the PP surrender and OCI applications with in the same package. The processing will be done together and you will not lose time.

Believe me, that was an easy decision, saved me on my gas, time and a lot of headache of waiting in queues. Surprisingly the price difference to pay for courier charges are less/around the same as the courier charges to be paid for in-person application. Remember that you still have to pay courier fees for document return and to collect OCI booklets through Purolator. So you are not really saving much, instead you dont have to take off from work for an entire day. These are my thoughts but it all depends on Individual choice.

The only thing one needs to be aware of, is that the entire application will be returned back even if there is an error with filling the application or with any missing documentation. I had this experience as this was strictly my mistake on one of the applications. I paid extra 100 bucks to reapply and lost 15 days but thats how it is. I heard a case where my friend has to return from the office due to a similar mistake and had to rebook an appointment.

So purely from my personal experience, what I learned is :
- Postal application is better than in person application
- OCI and PP surrender can be done at the same time with in a same package
- Be careful while filling up the applications and ensure that everything is in order.
- A smarter way is to book an appointment with BLS as soon as you know your Canadian citizenship Oath date. So in a simple way leave 4-5 weeks for Certificate of citizenship and Canadian passports. Another say a week or two to be ready with OCI and PP surrender applications. So plan around 6-8 weeks of Oath date so that you will not have to either wait in a queue at BLS office or worry about additional courier charges. But again, use your due diligence.

All the best fellas
Great callouts all around. I would recommend in person only because say you missed a document or forgot something, you have the chance to correct it there and then by using the printing facilities or come back the next day. The big challenge is getting there by 6 AM and the weather especially for the next 4-5 months. I lined up on Oct 6 at 6:30 AM and it was chilly even then. But once inside, i was out in 20 mins and got my OCI on Nov 18

If you're sending postal, triple check everything and confirm everything (drafts, copies etc). Else as said here, you lose 2-3 weeks with the application returned to you.
 

sk6492

Star Member
Sep 20, 2013
75
7
Category........
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
17-01-2017
AOR Received.
18-01-2017
Med's Done....
21-02-2017
Hey guys, I need to travel back to India in Feb and planning to stay there long for some time.
I got my Oath invite just recently.

I was wondering is this possible, if I apply & get my canadian passport, surrender my indian PP and then get entry visa.
And later apply for OCI while in canada as well. And goto India.

Can we ask the package to come to an Indian address.
And if not, what if I get it couriered to me in India.
Would there be any issues at the Indian border while leaving, that I entered India on entry visa, and come back later, lets say after an year with an OCI.
 

JustThankful

Member
Dec 14, 2021
13
3
Great callouts all around. I would recommend in person only because say you missed a document or forgot something, you have the chance to correct it there and then by using the printing facilities or come back the next day. The big challenge is getting there by 6 AM and the weather especially for the next 4-5 months. I lined up on Oct 6 at 6:30 AM and it was chilly even then. But once inside, i was out in 20 mins and got my OCI on Nov 18

If you're sending postal, triple check everything and confirm everything (drafts, copies etc). Else as said here, you lose 2-3 weeks with the application returned to you.
Yeah, thats why I mentioned it depends on individual choice. I live very far from Brampton and much farther to the Toronto BLS Office. So going there early in the morning and stand in line for 3-4 hours was difficult. Also, when applying for school going kids, one may have to take days off from school too.
I was ready to spend extra few bucks and/or live with a delay of 2-3 weeks as opposed to stand in queues in winter.

Even better option thats why is to book an appointment in advance. That would be the ideal and we can go at our own pace.
The timing is key here and I heard some people booking appointments as soon as they know their Canadian citizenship oath dates
 
Last edited:
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gigoin

Full Member
Mar 25, 2013
36
1
Mumbai
Category........
Visa Office......
Delhi
NOC Code......
2283
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
26-03-2013
AOR Received.
03-05-2013
File Transfer...
25-09-2015
Hello,

I am applying for OCI for newborn baby. A question on birth certificate -

BLS Checklist -
Please enclose the Birth Certificate issued by the Government authority having name of both the parent of the child.


CGI Toronto website says -
If birth certificate is issued by Canadian government, it is required to be attested by Ministry of Consumer Affairs/government services (222 Jarvis Street, Toronto) and thereafter from the Consulate of India, Toronto.

What is the actual requirement ? What's the experience of other ?
 

mehtab007

Star Member
Jan 22, 2012
162
29
India
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
Hello everyone,

my status for surrender certificate is being shown as ~ SURRENDER CERTIFICATE IS UNDER REVIEW AT INDIAN EMBASSY / CONSULATE.

what does it mean? Any ideas? Thanks
 

one.canada

Member
Dec 14, 2021
12
0
I received my OCI card today as well through purolator, it seems the status updates on either websites should not be taken at face value, my OCI status still only shows processed and does not even show dispatched or received at ottawa.

"another wonderful work done by the Indian high commission with updates to put people at ease." - wink wink

Here is my timeline in case anyone gets calm looking at it - This is from Montreal , so HCI - Ottawa and they dont allow Passport surrender and OCI together , so different timelines.

Passport Surrender ( 2021 ) :
  • Application sent Date - 8th October
  • Received by BLS Ottawa - 9th October
  • Documents fix requested by BLS -11th October
  • Updated Documents sent with new application form - 12th October
  • Received by BLS Ottawa - 14th October
  • Application accepted by BLS ottawa - 16th October
  • Surrender Certificate with originals received - 22nd October
OCI application ( 2021 ) :

  • Application sent date - 25th October
  • Received at BLS Ottawa - 26th October
  • Date of Acknowledgement on OCI website - 29th October ( visible after November 3rd )
  • Original passports returned - November 3rd
  • Status update on OCI website - under process - 3rd December , Dispatched - 6th December
  • Status update on OCI website - Under process -3rd December ( Dispatched and received lines got removed ) - 13th December
  • Received OCI card at home - 14th December
  • BLS status update - All the time no update - only showed in progress, started showed Passport ready For Dispatch after OCI stamping - 13th December

the overall process for Passport surrender and OCI card took more than 2 months, but i was prepared with the applications , pictures and Bank drafts right away and used Pickup and Delivery with Purolator from BLS website for both the applications.
@Robbssiee Did BLS update the tracking information on the status page. Or you used the File Ref/OCI number for tracking purolator?
 
Last edited:

jackbauer

Hero Member
Feb 15, 2017
337
223
Category........
Other
Sure.
Walkin applied on 6th dec
Intransit to bls on 13th Dec
Ready to dispatch 14th Dec.
Hopefully I will have in my mailbox tomorrow.
Are you getting surrender certificate & your visa? 10 days for cancellation of passport is not too bad but they take away Canadian & Indian passports which is kind of scary. What happens if god forbid someone has emergency & needs to travel to India?

They take around 6 weeks time for OCI. Do update here once you get it friend.
 

Ryn_20

Star Member
Aug 31, 2020
191
52
Are you getting surrender certificate & your visa? 10 days for cancellation of passport is not too bad but they take away Canadian & Indian passports which is kind of scary. What happens if god forbid someone has emergency & needs to travel to India?

They take around 6 weeks time for OCI. Do update here once you get it friend.
No no I gave the timeline only for entry visa. You can see on my thread.
My surrender passport is still processing at consulate. I wont expect this soon either
 

viperD

Star Member
Sep 11, 2013
139
57
Category........
Visa Office......
Chandigarh
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
25-11-2013
IELTS Request
6.5
Med's Done....
01-11-2013
Interview........
N/A
VISA ISSUED...
03/11/2013
LANDED..........
Soon
Sure.
Walkin applied on 6th dec
Intransit to bls on 13th Dec
Ready to dispatch 14th Dec.
Hopefully I will have in my mailbox tomorrow.
So basically around 10 Days including weekends. Appreciate my friend. Thank you.
 
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JustThankful

Member
Dec 14, 2021
13
3
Are you getting surrender certificate & your visa? 10 days for cancellation of passport is not too bad but they take away Canadian & Indian passports which is kind of scary. What happens if god forbid someone has emergency & needs to travel to India?

They take around 6 weeks time for OCI. Do update here once you get it friend.
Nope.

For OCI or for Indian PP surrender, you DONT have to submit your original Canadian Passport. You only need to submit a photocopy of Canadian PP and certificate of citizenship.