Last Updated On 10 April 2023, 10:35 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
Overseas Citizenship of India – OCI application: OCI cards are issued to people of Indian descent who formerly held an Indian passport and are now Canadian citizens.
OCI is a lifetime visa for India that comes with various other perks.
If you previously held an Indian passport and want to get Overseas Citizenship in India, this article is for you.
Below is how you can apply to get an OCI card from Canada.
Table of Contents
Overview of the process to apply for an OCI card in Canada
Every OCI application must be filed online together with the required paperwork (self-attested), a photo, and a signature (or, in the instance of a juvenile who is unable to sign, a left-hand thumbprint for boys and a right-hand thumbprint for girls) (for girls).
After submitting an online OCI application and uploading supporting documents, a signature, and a photo, applicants must pay the required fees, along with the supporting documents, to BLS International (India’s High Commission/Consulate General’s outsourced agency) for the necessary verification to take place.
It is important to note that no OCI applications or service requests are accepted in offline mode.
Moreover, surrender/renunciation applications would not be accepted alongside OCI applications.
Only after the applicant has completed surrendering their Indian passport will the application for OCI be accepted.
Who can apply to get an OCI card?
Foreign nationals from the following countries are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholders; it includes those who
- Were a citizen of India at the time of, or after, the commencement of the Indian Constitution, that is, January 26, 1950
- Was eligible to become an Indian citizen on January 26, 1950
- Born in a territory that became a part of India after August 15, 1947
- Is such a citizen’s child, grandchild, or great-grandchild, or
- a minor child of the individuals above
- is a minor and whose both parents are Indian citizens or one of the parents is an Indian citizen
- Spouse of a citizen of India or spouse of an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder registered under Section 7A of India’s Citizenship Act, 1955, and whose marriage has been registered and existed for at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the OCI application
Who cannot apply for OCI Card?
No person is eligible for registration as an OCI Cardholder if their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents are or were a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, or such other nation as the Government of India may specify by the announcement in the Official Gazette.
Based on the Indian Mission Officer’s instructions, the BLS International Submission Officer may seek additional paperwork not listed on the checklist at the time of submission or throughout the application’s processing.
Suppose the candidate needs to be contacted by HCI / CGI or BLS International. You should include a current contact number and email address in your application form to avoid delays.
The rules and regulations governing the Overseas Citizenship of Indians (OCI) procedure are subject to change at the discretion of the Indian Mission without previous notice to the applicant.
The officers at Indian Mission have the exclusive decision to grant or deny Overseas Citizenship of Indians (OCI) service. Therefore, BLS International has no control over the outcome of an application.
Application Fees to apply for OCI Card
Please remember that the fees/processing charges are neither refundable nor transferable.
| Sr No | Service Type | Amount payable to Consulate General of India – Toronto | Amount payable to BLS International Services Canada Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees (CAD$) | Fees (CAD$) | ||
| 1 | OCI Card | $341+ Consular Surcharge: $4 Total: $345 | Processing Fee: $7.4+ Courier fee |
| 2 | Re-issuance of OCI card (due to change of Personal particular/passport) | $31+ Consular Surcharge: $4 Total: $35 | Processing Fee: $7.4+ Courier fee |
| 3 | Issue of duplicate OCI card in case of Loss/Damage of OCI documents | $124+ Consular Surcharge: $4 Total: $128 | Processing Fee: $7.4+ Courier fee |
| 4 | Fee for OCI in lieu of PIO cards | $124+ Consular Surcharge: $4 Total: $128 | Processing Fee: $7.4+ Courier fee |
For in-person applications, only the following payment methods are accepted:
- Debit Card
- Cash (applicants need to provide the exact cash as per the number of applications)
The only fees in this area are the BLS processing fee and courier expenses.
For postal applications, send a demand draft or money order exclusively payable to BLS International Services Canada Inc., with the CGI fee, the consular fee, the BLS service fee, and the return courier price included to get your completed application.
- Return courier fees will only be charged to your demand draft if you haven’t made an online payment.
- Do not include any cash in the envelope you use to mail applications. Cash or mail order losses are not BLS’s responsibility.
Note that postal applications won’t be processed unless the correct fee+ICWF Charge, service charge, and courier are paid. Also, personal checks cannot be used for payment.
If you are simultaneously applying for OCI/OCI Misc services, do not club the demand draft of CGI/HCI. Instead, you could mix them for the BLS Demand draft. Please refer to the following situations:
| DEMAND DRAFT SCENARIOS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scenario 1 | ||
| Applicant 1 | OCI | Two different demand drafts |
| Applicant 2 | OCI Misc | |
| Scenario 2 | ||
| Applicant 1 | OCI | One common draft is acceptable |
| Applicant 2 | OCI | |
| Applicant 3 | OCI Misc | Separate demand draft is required |
| Scenario 3 | ||
| Applicant 1 | OCI | One common draft is acceptable |
| Applicant 2 | OCI | |
| Applicant 3 | OCI Misc | Separate demand draft is required |
| Applicant 4 | PIO TO OCI | Separate demand draft is required |
Required documents to apply for OCI Card
The documents required for the OCI application depend on the application type. Below are the scenarios and link to the official checklist.
Processing Times
The approximate processing times are listed below for your information. The city the application was submitted in, the city or country where the prior/old passport was issued, and other factors can all affect how long it takes to process an application.
Please be aware that incomplete applications will cause processing to take longer, and all applicants must follow any adjustments that might be made during this period. Therefore, booking your travel only after getting the necessary service is best.
Toronto Jurisdiction
The processing time for returning the original documents is usually 7-15 working days. At the same time, the OCI Booklet issuance can take 4- 5 Weeks.
Ottawa Jurisdiction
The minimum processing timeframe to return the original documents and the OCI booklet is 6-8 weeks.
Vancouver Jurisdiction
The minimum processing period to return the original documents and the OCI booklet is 6-8 weeks.
Forms to Apply
Here is a comprehensive step-wise guide to applying for an OCI card online.
- For Online Application form click here
- Clearance format click here
- OCI Reference Form click here
- No Objection Letter click here
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