Consulate General of India Vancouver,BC,CanadaOfficial Website of Consulate General of India,Vancouver

Overseas Citizenship of India – General Information

For general information regarding OCI, benefits, eligibility requirements etc. please visit: https://ociservices.gov.in

Submission of all OCI documents should be done at BLS offices. Please visit https://blsindia-canada.com/ for more information

Type A: Application for Fresh OCI

 (b) Online Application Form: 

• The application for OCI must be completed and submitted online. The form can be filled up and submitted online at the below link: https://ociservices.gov.in/

• Click here to see the step wise process for filling up online OCI can be seen at the below link

Must select the correct Indian High Commission / Consulate, based on the place where you reside in Canada and the Consular jurisdiction of Indian High Commission / Consulate. The consular jurisdiction of Consulate General of India: Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories. 

• All the personal particulars / data entries of the OCI application should match with the current Passport. The name of parents & spouse should match as mentioned in their Indian Passport.

After online submission of application form, no changes can be made manually / hand writing. In case of any error / changes, please fill a fresh new online application form and use that for further submission to BLS.

Please note:

1. BLS International Employees cannot edit or make any changes to your online application form.
2. Consulate General of Indiareserves the Right to Call for Additional Documents, as considered necessary.

(c) Surrender / Renunciation Certificate (copy)

Please enclose the copy of your Surrender / Renunciation Certificate of old Indian passport.

 (d) Indian Passport (Original and copy)

 Please enclose the photo page (first page) of your Indian Passport having photographs and details. Also, enclose the last page of showing the details of parents name and address. If there are any endorsements on the page, kindly enclose copy of those pages as well.

In case Indian passport is not available, please provide copy of Nativity Certificate / Domicile certificate issued by competent authority in India as your proof of Indian Origin. Along with this, please enclose the lost passport declaration from the following link. https://www.cgivancouver.gov.in/pdf/Declaration_if_claiming_Indian_passport_surrendered_earlier_feb21.pdf . Please note that this declaration should be notarized and then attested by the Consulate. Only the attested declaration from the Consulate should be enclosed along with the Nativity Certificate or domicile certificate.

(e) Citizenship certificate (Original and copy)

 Please enclose Original and a copy of your Canadian / Foreign Citizenship Certificate. If Citizenship certificate is not available you can enclose copy of your Citizenship card.

(f) Canadian passport / Foreign Passport (Original and copy) (duly signed)

 Please enclose photo page of your Canadian Passport having photographs and details of your passport. Original Passport is required to be shown at the counter for verification, it will be returned back at the counter after verification. A minimum six months or more validity on your passport is required for applying for OCI.

# In case of foreign passport i.e., other than Canadian please provide the following two additional documents:

(i) Status in Canada (PR / Work Permit / Study Permit / Visa)

(ii) Additional form as per link: https://blsindia-canada.com/forms/non-canadian-form.pdf

 (g) Professional Details of the applicant:

 Please enclose a letter mentioning your profession / occupation details in Canada.

 (h) Proof of address in Canada

 Please enclose any one of the following document as proof of present address:

• Driving License
• Photo ID issued by the BC Government
• Utility Bills (Electricity/water/Gas/Phone/Internet etc.-must be recent

# For OCI application of Minor children - Proof of address of both of the parent to be submitted.

Note: Address proof must match with the address provided in the application form.

(i) Fees: 

 Note:

1. Please note that the OCI fees should be paid directly to BLS along with their service fee, courier charges and other value-added services provided by BLS.

 (j) Photograph

 One color photo as per below specification is required to be uploaded online with the OCI application. Photograph uploaded online must be the same as the physical photograph pasted on your OCI application form:

• Size – 2 inch x 2 inch(51 mm x 51 mm)
• Background –Background should be plain white colored without borders
• Clothes – Dark colour
• Eyes – Open

Please see the below link for the correctness of the Photograph.  Cross check each and every example to confirm if it is matching with the required parameter of the Photograph.

• OCI Photo Specifications 

Type B: Application for Reissue of OCI

Relaxation regarding re-issue of OCI cards 

As per existing instructions, the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder has to apply for OCI MISC services each time a new passport is issued up to the age of 20 years and once after completing 50 years of age in view of biological changes in the face of the OCI cardholder.

2. The above instructions on re-issue of OCI Cards have been revised as follows:

1. The existing requirement to re-issue an OCI Card each time a new passport is issued to an OCI cardholder up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age has been dispensed with;
2. An OCI cardholder should get the OCI card re-issued once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age [For example, when new passport is obtained at the age of 25, then OCI Card can be renewed only at that time and not immediately after attending the age of 20 years.]
3. An OCI cardholder may upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo on the online system by going to the following link under OCI Miscellaneous Services each time a new passport is issued up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder within three months of receipt of the new passport by going to https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome. (Necessary action is being taken to develop appropriate modules under OCI Miscellaneous Services in the OCI portal to implement the above decisions regarding uploading of documents.)
4. In the case of those who have been registered as OCI cardholder as spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an OCI cardholder, the OCI cardholder shall upload a copy of the new passport containing the photo of the passport holder and also a latest photo on the online system under OCI Miscellaneous Services each time a new passport is issued. In such cases, the OCI cardholder and his/her Indian spouse or OCI cardholder spouse will have to give a declaration that their marriage is still subsisting. Copy of Indian passport of the Indian spouse/Passport and OCI card of the OCI cardholder spouse shall also be uploaded in such cases. These documents may be uploaded by the OCI cardholder (spouse of foreign origin) within three months of receipt of his/her new passport by going to https://ociservices.gov.in/welcome. (Necessary action is being taken to develop appropriate modules under OCI Miscellaneous Services in the OCI portal to implement the above decisions regarding uploading of documents.)

Document requirements for OCI MISC services (please read above to find out the criteria to apply)

# Documents at (a), (b), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) above and remaining documents as applicable:

(k) Existing OCI card (original and copy)

 Kindly submit the existing OCI card along with a copy of the first and last page of OCI showing photograph and details of the OCI card.

(l) Cancelled Canadian passport on which OCI was issued (if available)

 Please enclose a copy of the Cancelled Canadian passport on which the existing OCI was issued.

(m) Police Report for Lost OCI

In case OCI application is submitted for re-issue of OCI in lieu of lost OCI, please enclose Police Report mentioning the lost OCI card number.  

Type C: Application for OCI on Indian origin Spouse basis

• Foreign spouse can submit application for OCI on the basis of Indian origin spouse only after two years of valid marriage.
• All such application is required to be first submitted at BLS for pre-approval.

• Marriage certificate:
  1. If the marriage is solemnized in India, Marriage certificate issued by Marriage Registrar is required and the same should be attested by Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi.
  2. If the marriage is solemnized in foreign country, it should be apostle/ certified by the concerned Indian Mission/ Post.
• Copy of Indian Passport / Foreign passport / OCI card and status in Canada of Indian spouse
• Documentsat (a), (b), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) above and remaining documents as below.

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