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OCI

General Information

How to Apply
& Documents Required

OCI fee & Modes
of payments

Photo Specifications

How to apply & Documents Required

OCI Update:
Note any applications taken from last year (2011) will be accepted at our centers up to Jan 15 2012.
To submit any OCI applications filled after January 15 2012, please ensure it has a current year (2012) reference number.

OCI and OCI miscellaneous application Process:

Step 1:For OCI application please visit Foreigners Divison, Ministry of Home Affairs. When you are on the Ministry of Home Affairs page please click on "Online Registration" to fill Part - A of the form. Once Part A has been submitted online the applicant cannot make any changes. Please ensure that important personal information like name, date / place of birth, passport number etc is filled in carefully and tallies with the information contained in the current passport. However, in case of any mistake, applicant should submit Part A again by filling the correct information. Applicant is required to take a print out of the Part A application form

For OCI Miscellaneous services: OCI Miscellaneous Services Application Form MUST be submitted online on the Ministry of Home Affairs website at "Online Application" under 'OCI Miscellaneous Services for registered OCIs' . Applicant should ensure that the registration is done by providing current Canadian passport. Applicant needs to take a print out of the online form and submit it with the requisite documents.

Please note : Minor Children (holding Canadian passports) where both the parents are Indian passport holders are not eligible for OCI Scheme

Step 2: OCI application :After Filling in Part A online, applicant needs to fill Part B manually. Part B cannot be filled online it needs to be filled manually. Please note that after submission of Part A online, a copy of Part A with an online Registration Number will be printed along with Part B of application form. Details in Part B can be typed or hand written in BLOCK LETTERS.

Step 3: Both Part A and Part B are required to be submitted in duplicate, along with all the original documents mentioned in the Check-list to the India consular service center

All the documents mentioned in the checklist needs to be submitted in original.

Checklist for OCI application Click Here

Checklist for OCI Miscellaneous service Click Here

Step 4: The original documents will be returned back to the applicant once it has been verified by the High Commission/ Consulate General of India. The minimum processing time to return the original documents is 15 working days. Applicant can track the status of their documents on the VFS website by clicking on "track your application" link.

Step 5: Once the originals are returned by VFS, The applicant needs to log on to www.mha.nic.in and track the status of their OCI application using his/her CANT number.

Processing times will vary for different jurisdictions. For more information please click here for your area.

Step 6: When the track your application on the www.mha.nic.in states that the OCI is approved or granted and have reached the High commission / consulate General. Applicant needs to come to VFS center and submit his/ her Canadian passport on which the OCI was applied and the PIO Card (if applicable ) along with Acknowledgement slip and in case of transfer/re-issue of OCIs - old OCI Certificate and old Canadian Passport], to the VFS center between 8.00 - 2.30 ( submission time ).The processing time to stamp the OCI sticker and to issue the OCI card will take at least 5- 7 working days. Please note that these applications cannot be tracked online and applicant needs to visit the center directly after 7 working days to collect the OCI card.

OCI fee

OCI Fee:

The OCI fee should be paid in Canadian Dollars only through a demand draft / postal Order, made payable to "The Indian High Commission Ottawa" or 'The Consulate - General of India, Toronto' or 'The Consulate - General of India, Vancouver ' depending on your jurisdiction.

Applicant applying for OCI for the first time.	275 CAD
PIO Card holder who was above 18 yrs of age at the time of issuance of PIO Card.	25 CAD
PIO card holders who was Age was below 18 yrs at the time of issuance of PIO card.	145 CAD
Issue of Duplicate OCI Certificate/U-Visa sticker	100 CAD
Re-issue of OCI Card/transfer of visa sticker and change of personal particulars	25 CAD

VFS Processing Charges:

A charge of CAD 19.25 ( excluding taxes ) payable to VF services (Canada) Inc. is applicable per passport Please note that the fees / processing charge is non refundable and non transferable.

Mode of payment:

Submitting the application at Indian Visa and Consular services center:
Service charge can be paid by:
- Credit Cards - Visa, & MasterCard (cards locally issued in Canada )
- Debit Card - (Interac card)
- Cash
Postal Applications:
- Applicants are requested to make two drafts , One for the OCI fee favoring The Indian High Commission Ottawa" or 'The Consulate - General of India, Toronto' or 'The Consulate - General of India, Vancouver ' depending on your jurisdiction and the second one for the service fee in favor of VF Services (Canada) Inc , (CAD $21.56 per applicant applying in British Columbia, CAD $ 21.75 for applicants applying in Ontario, applicants applying in Winnipeg, Edmonton & Calgary need to pay CAD $ 20.21, applicants applying in Montreal have to pay CAD $ 21.73)
- Kindly do not enclose any cash in your postal application envelope. VFS will not be responsible for the loss of cash or the postal orders.
- Postal applications can be sent only to the Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver Consular services centers
  Please note that applications will not be processed until the correct visa fees and service charges are paid

Photo Specifications

It is imperative that the photograph submitted with the application must follow the specifications and sizes given below. Photographs, that do not meet the specifications, may not be accepted for submission. For your convenience we offer photo services at our Eglinton, Brampton, Vancouver, Surrey, Ottawa, Calgary and Montreal Visa Application Centers.
Service Applied For	Size Specifications	Number of Photographs Required
VISA APPLICATIONS	51 x 51 mm	1 Photograph
PASSPORT SERVICES	35 X 35 mm	4 Photographs
OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India)	51 X 51 mm	1 Photograph
PIO	35 X 35 mm	4 Photographs
PCC/Birth Certificate	35 X 35 mm	2 Photographs

Sample Photograph

		The photograph should be in color.
		The photo-print should be clear and with a continuous-tone quality.
		It should have full face, front view, eyes open in which the visa applicant is facing the camera directly.
		Face should cover about 60-70 percent of the photo area. The applicant's head, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of the chin. Please ensure both ears, neck, and shoulders are clearly visible
		Center head within frame.
		The background should be a plain light colored background. Photos with dark, busy, or patterned backgrounds will not be accepted
		There should not be any distracting shadows on the face or on the background.
		Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly shown.
		The expression on the face should look natural.
		The photo should capture full face, front view, with eyes open.
		The head should be in the centre of the frame.
		There should be no distracting shadows on the face or background.

Do's and Don'ts for a Proper photograph

	The photo should capture full face, front view, with eyes open.
	The head should be in the centre of the frame.
	There should be no distracting shadows on the face or background.

Lighting on face and background

	The light should be even and balanced to avoid shadows on the face
	Background behind the face should be properly illuminated to avoid shadows in the background.

Photograph Print Properties

	The photograph should be in color.
	Print photo on thin photo paper.
	Ensure the print is clear and has a continuous-tone quality.
	Do not retouch or otherwise enhance or soften the photo.

Resolution and Printing Quality/Contrast and Colour

	High-resolution photography and printing are strongly recommended.
	Both conventional and digital photography are acceptable, and conventional or digital printing methods may be used.
	Resulting print should exhibit a continuous-tone quality regardless of the print method used (dye sublimation, ink jet, laser, etc.)
	Digitally printed photos should be produced without visible pixels or dot patterns
	Fine facial features should be discernible.
	Brightness and contrast should be adjusted to present the subject and background accurately.
	Photos without proper contrast or color may obscure unique facial features.
	Color should reproduce natural skin tones.
	Fluorescent or other lighting with
	Unbalanced color may cause unwanted color cast in the photo. Appropriate filters can eliminate improper color balance.

Head & Eyes- Position and Background

	Head should face the camera directly and should not tilt or turned (portrait style).
	Photo must show both edges of the face clearly.
	The eyes must be open, level and clearly visible and must not be covered by hairs or eyeglass frames.

Eyeglasses

	Glare on eyeglasses should be avoided with a slight upward or downward tilt of the head.
	No tinted or dark glasses.

Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons, but the facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both edges of the face must be clearly shown.

Exposure and Lighting

	There should not be any over-exposure or underexposure which results in an unusable photo.
	There should be a three-point balanced lighting. Facial features should be clearly evident in the photo.
	Lighting should be adjusted to avoid shadows on the face or background. Diffuse sources of light, such as umbrella lights, are preferable to point sources.

Flexibility in Children's photographs

	Babies under one year do not have to have their eyes open
	As regards the photograph of the children under ten years of age, requirements can be somewhat relaxed in respect of height of the face and the position of the eyes in the photographs; and in case of babies and infants also, the position of the face, the facial expression, the eyes and the line of sight can have some relaxation. However, a frontal photograph with clarity is required for children.
	It should show the child alone (no chair backs, toys or other people visible) looking at the camera with a neutral expression and the mouth closed.

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