Hello,
I went to apply for OCI. Due to traffic jam, I was able to arrive only at 8:30 am (From outside the GTA). There were only 35 people (in total) in the room and so I was very happy. After waiting for 30 mins. in the line my documents were checked. The counsul told me that all my documents were good and that I was to bring a purolator envelope. I was shocked! He laughed sarcastically and showed me a list in which the first person clocked at 4:35 am. Even people who came at 7:00 pm could not make it as the first 45.
So I took a priority express mail envelope ($10.50) and put all my valuable documents and handed it over. The counsul said that if there were no problems, I could expect to receive the documents in 12 days. There is a post office at the ground floor (a mall is attached)
A lot of Gujarathi's were there. Some were very angry (esp. those who came from outside the GTA). One from Cambridge told me that the Canadian passport was $90 only and that we get nice treatement at the Cdn. Passport office where as even when we are shelling out $275 US we are treated like this.
Another interesting note that I found was about the role of thumb impression. I found that people with children less than 2 years were not able to get a very good thumb impression. It looked more like a blot of Ink than anything else. Wonder if the thum impression process for babies is a joke.

Hope this helps.

TK A

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Tk I have a question for you .
I applied for my daughter's visa today and put my signature instead of her thumb impression...could that result in some delays? I actually found it absurd to put a thumb impression of an infant!

Thumb impression may seem absurd but that is a requirement by Indian consultate. OCI forms clearly says parents cannot put signature for the children and they have to put thumb impression. I do not know what visa rules say.

Other consulates like Ottawa and Vancouver have a apppointment based system for OCI and I wonder why it cannot work for Toronto. May be there is no will to do it.

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Give free food http://www.thehungersite.com ||

Rules for Visa are slightly different.

CGI toronto website http://www.cgitoronto.ca/ in visa section says "in case of children, form can be signed by either of his/her parents"

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Give free food http://www.thehungersite.com ||

just want some clarification regarding OCI
do we need to submit the original papers (passport, proof of citizenship etc etc) or photocopies will be sufficient if we r sending the documents by mail

thanks

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Vik

Originals are needed to be sent.
Has any one had any issues with documents missing?
When I handed over my originals to the counsul at the Embassy, he was not careful at all. He was speaking to some one in the line and just kept it at the table. After seeing the carelessness, my stomach turned as I thought of the hassles that I would be in, in case he losses any documents.
Not a professional way that the embassy runs though the embassy is located in Toronto, Canada.
Have to note that the Embassy is clean but not even a pen is available (A writing desk and about 100 chairs are available to sit). For anything and everything the consul just directs us to the shopping mall downstairs to buy the things we need (like stapler, rubber band, pen etc...)

TK A

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

Have you got your originals back from CGI in 12 days?