Apply with passport information filled in and submit passport later

[salahkazi]

Hi All,

Applying for OCI at CGI Toronto.

I have to travel to USA and also have to get my OCI asap.

Will I be able to apply for OCI at CGI Toronto, without submitting my Canadian passport, but filling the forms with passport number etc. and then submit my passport to get teh 'sticker' placed on my passport upon my return from USA.

Secondly, I know passport cannot be 'mailed' across border. Does teh same rule apply to canadian citizenship certificate also?

Thanks for your feedback. It will help me to plan better

Salah

 

[akgarg]

Hi All,

Applying for OCI at CGI Toronto.

I have to travel to USA and also have to get my OCI asap.

Will I be able to apply for OCI at CGI Toronto, without submitting my Canadian passport, but filling the forms with passport number etc. and then submit my passport to get teh 'sticker' placed on my passport upon my return from USA.

Secondly, I know passport cannot be 'mailed' across border. Does teh same rule apply to canadian citizenship certificate also?

Thanks for your feedback. It will help me to plan better

Salah

Yes, you can apply for OCI with just the copy of your Canadian passport. You'll keep possession of your passport until you are ready to submit it to Indian consulate in Toronto to get the U-visa sticker. I am not sure what the intent of your second question is - why would you need to mail your citizenship card across the border? It should be OK if you use FedEx or registered mail, etc.

 

[salahkazi]

Thanks for your reply. Has anyone been able to do this. I mean, has anyone applied for OCI without submitting passport (but providing passport copues) and then submitting passport towards the end of process to get teh U-visa sticker placed.

 

[akgarg]

Thanks for your reply. Has anyone been able to do this. I mean, has anyone applied for OCI without submitting passport (but providing passport copues) and then submitting passport towards the end of process to get teh U-visa sticker placed.

In the US, all consulates and the embassy require only copies of the US passports at the time of application and all the posters on these threads (including myself) have successfully gone through the process. My guess is the procedure should be similar in Toronto. Do their instructions require you to submit the original passport?

 

[salahkazi]

Yes, in the checklist they listed Canadian passport required while application. Unfortunately no human answers the phone to clarify with them.

Any Canadian applicants on the list?

 

[akgarg]

Yes, in the checklist they listed Canadian passport required while application. Unfortunately no human answers the phone to clarify with them.

Any Canadian applicants on the list?

From a brief reading of OCI application instructions at CGI Toronto, it looks like they allow to to apply in person and would probably return your original documents (including passport) right away after verifying the copies. Even if you apply by mail, they say they will return your originals soon after they receive the application (i.e., not hold them until the OCI processing is complete). As mentioned before, I have not seen any other Canadian applicants on this forum.