Did you know that you could submit both your passport surrender documents and OCI form in a single appointment?

DISCLAIMER: The Government of India and BLS keep changing their processes. Please refer to their websites for the latest information.

This document was created on February 11, 2019 and I have tested it as of this date. Follow this process right, you just need one appointment with BLS to get your OCI done. If you follow my guidance correctly, you should have your OCI delivered to you in less than 60 days (I got mine in 40 days.)

Ensure that you have procured your Canadian Passport before starting the OCI process.

You will first surrender your Indian passport, and then submit the OCI form. BLS allows you to do both in the same appointment. I am beginning with the OCI form and then moving to the process to surrender your certificate in this article. So, patience.

First get your passport photo taken. You need this to fill the online OCI form

• Get your passport photo taken : 2 inches x 2 inches color photo with white background (see https://www.blsindia-canada.com/photo_spec.php)
• You will also need a digital photo of your signature on blank white paper. Sign on a piece of paper and take a picture using your mobile phone.
• Scan your passport picture and use a photo-editor of your choice to resize the image to 400 x 400 px (min size is 200 x 200 px, and max size is 900 x 900 px) . Ensure that the file size is less than 200 KB. Save the file on your computer using a file name such as OCIpasspic_resized_yourname.
• Similarly, open the picture of your signature in a photo editor and resize in the ratio 3:1 (Width:Height). I suggest using 450px (width) x150 px (height). Like the passport picture, ensure that the file size is less than 200 KB and save the file to your computer using a file name such as OCIsignpic_resized_yourname.

Ensure that you have a Demand Draft for 425 CAD addressed to The Consulate General of India, Toronto. They last revised the fee in September 2018, and I don't think they are going to change that any time soon.

Complete the online form and take a printout of the completed form

1. Go to https://ociservices.gov.in
2. Press "Click Here To Proceed"
3. If you have the resized pictures of your passport photo and signature ready, click Proceed.
4. A dialog appears asking if you have the scanned pictures ready. Click Close in the dialog box.
5. Enter the Captcha information, and click Enter.

Click Fresh Application and fill the form. The form has three sections. Ensure that you provide the correct information in all of them. I am providing a sample fictitious form below. Ensure that the information is consistent with your current Canadian passport and your latest Indian passport.

ALL INFORMATION SHOULD MATCH WITH YOUR PASSPORT INFO. FOR EXAMPLE, ENTER YOUR FATHER'S NAME AS IN YOUR PASSPORT, NOT WHAT IS IN HIS .

After you are done, click Save and Proceed

Enter details as requested in the form.

Click Next, and in the page that appears, verify that you have entered all the information correctly, and click Submit.

In the second part of the application, you will be asked to upload the scanned pictures that you had created in the beginning. Upload your picture and your signature.

Click Upload Photo, and in the next page, click I have uploaded successfully.

You will then proceed to filling up Part-B of the application.

If you were not born in Canada, but became a citizen after coming here, your Acquisition Method is, "Naturalization"

After you click Submit, you will be asked to upload the relevant documents.

You may run into issues when uploading forms through some browsers, and if you hit a snag, don't worry. You can come back to the site using this link https://ociservices.gov.in in another browser. Click Proceed, and in the next page, click OCI Document Upload/Reupload. Enter the Online Registration number you received through email.

After you have successfully completed the process, click FINAL SUBMIT, and you are asked to download the Final Registration Form. Download the file to your computer, and take a printout.

Your downloaded file should look something like this

Ensure that you complete the form by signing it and entering all the information that the form requires you to do.

Now, get all your documents in order.

You will be taking a lot of prints/photocopies. Ensure that you have enough Ink in your printer.

• Your printed and signed OCI registration form
• 2 Passport Photos with the stamp behind it mentioning the date they were taken
• Copy of your Canadian passport - Scan and print the page containing your picture and passport info.
• Indian Passport using which you landed in Canada (First Page, Landing Stamp Page, Last page.)
• If you had more than one Indian passport, scan and print the front and back pages of the last cancelled Indian passport.
• Surrender Certificate - You will be submitting the surrender documents along with the OCI form. BLS will take care of this.
• Landing Paper (Certificate of Permanent Residence - COPR): Copy of of your COPR as also the ORIGINAL. BLS will take the original and send it back to you during the process.
• Copy of your Oath/Citizenship Certificate.
• Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
• If you have a child that is a minor (less than 18 years of age), you will need to submit a copy of the Parents Landing Passport, Parents last cancelled Indian passport, Parents Landing Paper (Confirmation of Permanent Residence), and Parents Canadian Oath Certificate. Ensure that you sign below the signature of your child.
• BANK DRAFT of 425 CAD FOR EACH APPLICANT ADDRESSED TO CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDIA, TORONTO (Look at the BLS site for the latest payment info.)

AND YOU ARE DONE!

ONE FINAL TIP: MAINTAIN SEPARATE FILES FOR YOUR OCI AND SURRENDER DOCS TO AVOID CONFUSION DURING SUBMISSION. YOU WILL BE SUBMITTING THE SURRENDER DOCUMENTS FIRST.

GETTING DOCUMENTS READY FOR THE SURRENDER CERTIFICATE

Download the Surrender Certificate form from https://www.blsindia-canada.com/forms/HCI-CGI_Surrender%20and%20Renunciation%20form.pdf

The application has two pages. You will have to take a printout of the pages and enter the information manually. You can use a PDF editor to do it as well, if you have one.

Ensure that the names of your parents are the same as what is in YOUR passport, not theirs.

Now, get all your documents in order

Ensure that you have all the documents mentioned in the checklist https://www.blsindia-canada.com/CanadaVisaCCT/BLS-CAN16Toronto-SurrenderorDeemed-Checklist.pdf

For your benefit, I am listing the documents here:

• Two copies of the form http://blsindia- canada.com/forms/HCI-CGI_Surrender%20and%20Renunciation%20form.pdf (I submitted just one copy, but I am not sure if they changed the rules. I have a feeling they mean both the pages of the form)
• Your latest Indian Passport (Original)
• Your Canadian Passport (Original and Photocopy - Original will be returned)
• Your Oath Certificate (Original and Photocopy - Original will be returned)
• Landing Paper - Certificate of Permanent Residence (Original and Photocopy. Original will be taken and resent later through courier.)
• While the checklist does not say it, keep a copy of your proof of current address (Bank Statement, Utility Bill, Driving License, Ontario ID card.)

PAYMENT You can make the payment towards the Surrender Certificate at the BLS office using your Debit or Credit card.

And that's it, you are done! ALL THE BEST!