Posted on: 28-10-10 15:06:01
I am looking for anybody's experience in this situation.
I became Canadian citizen last year. I haven't acquired or plan to acquire OCI or PIO card. My parents in India are going to buy a residential plot in which I'll be joint owner with my mother. The real estate agent there told them that I'll need to send a General Power of Attorney form to my parents. The form has to be attested by Indian Consulate office here in Canada.
Does anybody have any experience with regards to attestation of the form by the Consulate? How easy or how difficult it is? Can it be done over the mail? What documents will Consulate need? How long do they take and what are the charges? Anything else?
Thanks in advance for taking out time and replying.
Really looking forward to any information with regards to this. I have tried calling Indian Consulate but nobody picks up the phone.
Thanks again.
As per my experience, getting a document attested is three stage process. CGI will attest the copy and not the original document.
- The copy of the original document has to be notarised by notary public. Can be done by any notary. Cost
- The government of Ontario then validates the notary public. This is a straightforward process. You need to go to their office near Queens Park. Cost $16. The entire process takes 5-10 min.
http://www.mgs.gov.on.ca/en/OffDoc/STEL02_046905.html
- Take the original and the notarised and validated copy to CGI Toronto office near Bloor/Jarvis. Remember to get a certified cheque payable to CGI. (C$16 – general attestation; C$ 32 – property matters; C$ 80 for commercial matters. Fees payable to Consulate General of India, Toronto by
Bank draft/Money Order/Certified Cheque.) If not, you will have to go to postoffice located in basement floor. You give them the documents in morning, you can pick them up same afternoon. You need to go to CGI office as early as possible as there is a long lineup and clerks take their own time to accept documents. You are not allowed to used cellphone there. The building has a parking garage, but you can use subway if convenient
http://www.cgitoronto.ca/Consular/consattest.html
Hope this helps.
Quote:
Originally posted by vagg
I became Canadian citizen last year. I haven't acquired or plan to acquire OCI or PIO card. My parents in India are going to buy a residential plot in which I'll be joint owner with my mother.
Out of curiosity, as a Canadian Citizen can you own property in India, since you mentioned you don't plan on acquiring PIO or OCI
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SS
Reiki Grand Master
Quote:
Originally posted by vagg
I became Canadian citizen last year. I haven't acquired or plan to acquire OCI or PIO card. My parents in India are going to buy a residential plot in which I'll be joint owner with my mother. The real estate agent there told them that I'll need to send a General Power of Attorney form to my parents. The form has to be attested by Indian Consulate office here in Canada.
Think outside the box! why tell the seller that u r not a citizen of India. There may be thosuans like you who have purchased property in India. No one gives a damn.
Thanks meghal for your very helpful reply and posting the links.
To answer other questions, yes - a Canadian citizen can buy property in India if he/she is categorized as Person of Indian origin. There is already an ongoing thread on this topic.
http://www.canadiandesi.com/read.php?TID=29493
There is a very useful link in the above thread which clearly answers the question - who can buy property in India. Here is the link from that thread http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/FAQView.aspx?Id=33#1
Regarding thinking outside the box, why hide the facts and get in trouble later at the time of selling the property, especially when being a Canadian citizen, you can still legally buy the property. Sometimes hiding the facts can haunt you later and at that time, you may find yourself holed up in a box (especially in India) which you cannot get out of. :-)
Quote:
Originally posted by meghal
As per my experience, getting a document attested is three stage process. CGI will attest the copy and not the original document.
- The copy of the original document has to be notarised by notary public. Can be done by any notary. Cost
- The government of Ontario then validates the notary public. This is a straightforward process. You need to go to their office near Queens Park. Cost $16. The entire process takes 5-10 min.
http://www.mgs.gov.on.ca/en/OffDoc/STEL02_046905.html
- Take the original and the notarised and validated copy to CGI Toronto office near Bloor/Jarvis. Remember to get a certified cheque payable to CGI. (C$16 – general attestation; C$ 32 – property matters; C$ 80 for commercial matters. Fees payable to Consulate General of India, Toronto by
Bank draft/Money Order/Certified Cheque.) If not, you will have to go to postoffice located in basement floor. You give them the documents in morning, you can pick them up same afternoon. You need to go to CGI office as early as possible as there is a long lineup and clerks take their own time to accept documents. You are not allowed to used cellphone there. The building has a parking garage, but you can use subway if convenient
http://www.cgitoronto.ca/Consular/consattest.html
Hope this helps.
CGI website states the above procedure is needed if you are not visiting the consulate. Is this understanding correct? Here is extract from CGI Toronto website.
Consular Services - Attestation Service
The Consulate attests documents like power of attorney, affidavits, court papers etc.
Requirements
1.Document to be attested in original with one photocopy
2.Valid passport supported by valid visa or any other immigration document with a photocopy
3.Charges for each signature attested: C$ 16 – general attestation; C$ 32 – property matters;
C$ 80 for commercial matters. Fees payable to Consulate General of India, Toronto by
Bank draft/Money Order/Certified Cheque.
4.In Person: Applicant to come in person and sign in the presence of consular officer.
or
By Mail: In case the applicant does not want to come in person or wants to get attested any document by Canadian authorities, the document can be notarised from a Notary Public and the signature of Notary Public verified from the Ministry of Government Services at 77 Grenville St. 9th Floor, Toronto , Tel: 416-325-8416 in case of residents of Ontario. Residents of other Provinces may get the verification done through Provincial Ministry of Government Services or the authority designated to do so in that Province. The notarised and counter-signed document and a photocopy along with (2) & (3) above should be mailed to the Consulate for attestation.
5. Time taken: Documents are attested and returned the same day.
Mail-in applications take 3 working days upon receipt of documents.
I want to get a PAN #, and for 'Proof of Address' I need 'attested' copy of Bank account for the Indian Income Tax authorities.
I just called the CGI Toronto, and was told that I would have to get the Canadian Bank A/c statement first attested by Ministry of Government Services (MGS), and then only would CGI Toronto attest it.
So, basically, it doesn't matter if you are applying in Person, or, sending by mail, you still have to get attestation done by MGS.
And, at this stage I don't know if to get attestation done from MGS, if I first need to get it attested by a Notary Public. And, who know, for the Notary Public to also attest, he would ask me to get the attestation from the Bank Manager also!
I wonder, what kind of proof would the Bank Manager be asking me?
(I'm saying this because once I went to a bank branch in Toronto, where I was asked to show my D/L to withdraw $500; I pointed out that I could withdraw the same amount from the ATM m/c; but tller didn't buy that logic.)
I love Bureaucracy!
